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After 22 years in the top role, John Piccolo is moving on from the chief executive position at Victorian real estate brand Woodards.
While John Piccolo has been captaining the Woodards ship for over two decades, he’s handing over the reins to industry veteran Nigel O’Neil, as he moves across into the role of executive chairman.
Woodards noted there are some big shoes to fill for Mr O’Neil, but the new CEO is excited to continue spurring on the brand’s growth.
“It’s early days, but the internal momentum we are building to further strengthen our position in key strategic markets through working more closely with our offices to help them grow is extremely encouraging,” Mr O’Neil said.
“It’s always challenging to find the right cultural fit and shared values, but the Woodards mantra to ‘do the right thing’ certainly resonated with me,” he said.
Mr O’Neil came on board with Woodards 12 months ago, and marks just the fifth CEO appointment in the brand’s 100-year history. According to the business, the appointment and executive chairman transition “are part of the group’s comprehensive succession planning process to ensure leadership continuity and to continue the success of the Woodards brand”.
The change in leadership follows the recent expansion of the group from its home turf of inner Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Ranges markets.
Mr Piccolo expressed support for Mr O’Neil’s appointment, saying: “Having been in the group for over 12 months now, Nigel’s experience and energy render him an exceptional fit for the organisation, as it seeks to expand its footprint in the years ahead.”
“Nigel has a strong understanding of the market and its dynamics and where we are as a business,” Mr Piccolo said. “We are equally excited by the opportunities ahead for the Woodards Group.
Going forward as executive chairman, Mr Piccolo stated he is enthusiastic to continue acting as director of the Woodards Foundation and the ambassador of the St Vincent de Paul Society CEO Sleepout, which raise money for homeless people, women and families affected by domestic violence in need of a safe place to live, and soup vans to feed those in need.
