Sarah Edmundson has been appointed chair of Boomin’s strategic board, which aims to increase the level of ongoing agent engagement and participation in the development and direction of the recently launch property portal.
Edmundson’s first job is to initiate a process to appoint independent agent partners to the strategic board. The successful candidates will play a key role in assessing the programme of innovation for agents and consumers and influencing the direction of strategic travel.
Kenny Bruce, formerly of PurpleBricks and co-founder of Boomin will be on the strategic board, along with Tom Kirk , chief product officer, the COO, Andrew Stewart, and brand director, James Kydd.
Michael Bruce, CEO and co-founder of Boomin, said: “The Strategic board provides a direct and responsive two-way communications channel between our agent partners and Boomin’s management team, ensuring we are always listening and acting in their best interests and focusing our tech expertise on solving their main challenges.
“Sarah is the ideal candidate to chair the strategic board, having spent the majority of her career working with and supporting the estate agent community. She has shown independence of thought, strong leadership and empathy in her ongoing role as CEO of Agents Together, having supported hundreds of agents with both mental and business health challenges.”
The former CEO of the Co-operative Group, Richard Pennycook, was last week appointed Boomin’s non-executive director of new property portal, making hi the latest high-profile person to add the firm.
Bruce added: “With the recent appointments of Stephen Murphy and Richard Pennycook to the main board and Sarah to the strategic board it is clear that we continue to attract talent of the highest quality as we push forward with our plans to reinvent the property portal landscape and reset the balance of power in the industry for the benefit of agents.”
“In the last year I have had the privilege of working closely with agents across the whole of the UK, building relationships and supporting them in my role as CEO of Agents Together. During this short time our committed volunteers have already supported over 300 agents and provided in excess of 7,250 hours of free help and mentoring.
“The work we have done and what we have achieved so far is remarkable and I am incredibly grateful to be able to continue on that journey in addition to this new role.
“The strategic board will consist of a number of great agents and some of the most talented people in their fields from Boomin. We have a broad and open remit that enables us to be relentless in the pursuit of innovation, agents interests and the advancement of the experience for everyone.”
Edmundson commented: “I have worked with and supported agents for the past six years. This new role provides me with the opportunity to work even more closely with the agent community, to give them a voice, and to ensure they help to shape the future of Boomin.
“In the last year I have had the privilege of working closely with agents across the whole of the UK, building relationships and supporting them in my role as CEO of Agents Together. During this short time our committed volunteers have already supported over 300 agents and provided in excess of 7,250 hours of free help and mentoring.
“The work we have done and what we have achieved so far is remarkable and I am incredibly grateful to be able to continue on that journey in addition to this new role.
“The strategic board will consist of a number of great agents and some of the most talented people in their fields from Boomin. We have a broad and open remit that enables us to be relentless in the pursuit of innovation, agents interests and the advancement of the experience for everyone.”
Comments (20)
Making a rod for your own back, fools who lend their stock to Booming to build their little empire, ask yourself would you allow a new competitor in your town to list your properties for free?
I’d just like to echo one of the questions above – ‘has anyone actually received leads from it?’ Strip away the big daily announcements and it’s supposed to be a game changing property portal…if the only people that talk about it are their deluded staff and us on here, rather than actual buyers or sellers, then it fails, fast.
We have had very little interest through it, one… maybe two “leads” if that is what you want to call them… both on rental properties, both already let but of course advertised on Boomin as they obviously just shoved everything on they could to make them look bigger as hardly any agents have taken them up down our way.
It has all been rather… underwhelming. Though I am sure the brothers can spin this another way and talk about how great it all is.
I have had 2 leads or should i say viewing requests, neither responded and therefore therefore no viewings have been made, bit c r a p really
More PR for a failing web portal. Trumpism comes to mind, shout loud and long enough and hope people will believe but ……. as smile please commented
In my opinion when Bruces were at PB they did more harm to agents well being mentally then any other agent.
You all have been warned what the future may hold for you. Who is in control of your business’s and future, you?
Sarah is an outstanding agent, trainer and mentor and is one of the brightest stars in our industry. Well done Sarah!
Where’s the App? They launched April 2nd.
From what I can see from their website, it’s no different to Rightmove or Zoopla etc. In fact it’s fairly poor from my respect
As they failed to register Boomin’ as a Ltd company (someone else took it from under their noses) and PD Innovations doesn’t quite have a ring to it, there may be a reason to closely embrace Agents Together Ltd and drop the pretence of it being an arms length charity.
I.E. Boomin’ to remain as the trading name with AT as the company that is floated some time in the next 12 months.
The Bruce brothers stumbled into capital raising with Purplebricks which to me was right product, right time.
They are looking to repeat the trick, this agents together lark cynically it would appear was geared to create better PR to lead into Boomin (if they spend a million on it better than spending on advertising) – clearly one wonders how much they spending on it given they have volunteers from within the industry giving their time for free….
Now the CEO of that ‘charity’ – seemingly has enough time for another important role within the Bruce empire.
Already Foxtons have put in a considerable amount to Boomin and become a large shareholder – the thought process of some corporates (why they don’t just start their own portal) baffles me.
As a mentor on this ‘Agents Together’ lark as you call it, I can tell you it is far from that. Helping hundreds of agents who need help is brilliant and rewarding, by the way everybody gives their time for free. Have a word with yourself.
Yes ,well done to you .You must be disappointed then as somebody who gives up their time willingly that the Bruces have now chosen to move the CEO into Boomin after such a short period of time .leaving less time on important work.
A bit of a kick in the teeth to those like yourself who have been encouraged to work pro bono This only serves to those more cynical to question the whole motives of the Bruces and AT.
AT should actually be reaching out to help proactively as many agents probably don’t know it exists and others not in a good place to ask for help.
I refer specifcially to the lost franchisees at Ewemove who are no longer agents Nobody in the industry seems to want to help them.
That in no way is disrespecting your valuable contribution
Come on Bryan, Some people are in AT for the right reason but most are in for it for boosting their personal profile.
Only reasons the Bruces came up with the idea was positive PR for agents with the launch of Boomin.
In my opinion when Bruces were at PB they did more harm to agents well being mentally then any other agent.
Some agents will fool for it, same way a number have been taken in by OTM. Many of us see it for what it is.
I know this, my eyes are open but it doesn’t in any way make it acceptable for the charity and those associated with it to be referred to as a ‘lark’
So you are effectively working for the Bruce brothers for free as they create PR for Boomin?
Why don’t you give your valuable time to a charity or some other needy cause – there’s a lot more deserving causes out there.
Early signs to me is this is a dead duck.
Only agents that have signed up are the ones suffering with FOMO
They will also be the ones taken in like OTM supporters when they float. Handful of worthless shares for a long tie in period.
I see they also recruited Richard (his surname escapes me, agency trainer) he sent out a cringe worthy video email endorsing the shambles that is Boomin.
Richard Rawlings! – That’s his name.
Anyone had a boomin lead yet?
Can’t believe many agents will fall for this rubbish.
Although surprisingly in my local area, Hudson Moody seem to have fallen for this… Seems bizarre as they have one of the best local independent agents… Would love to know the thinking behind this.?
is it just that some agents are petrified of not doing something there competitors might be doing ?
Let battle commence .The team is being fattened up becoming more investor and agent friendly .You have to hand it to the Bruces pulling out all the stops to undertake a sea change from agents nemesis to their new bestie .
With Purplebricks languishing with shrinking inventory shrunk to 8488 ,lettings just 225 and a share price in freefall it looks despite the punctured ship they left behind it does seem that they are confident of getting investor support.
I wonder if they have them lined for Boomin and waiting to pick off the rest of the undecided indies first. They couldn’t do that ,could they ?
Good to see Sporting being able to fit himself in on the board .
Disappointing weekend as his football club Larne lost out narrowly in the final of the aptly named Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup. Its a range of alcoholic drinks and the brand’s colour for the cup was purple!
The name reminding Ken of his times at Brummie based Bricks & Burchell Edwards .
Maybe time for a name change of his horse Purple Power which came in 8th at Yarmouth last week. as he has reinvented himself .
Giddyup