Today we reach the twelfth and final episode in our video series in which Simon Bradbury chooses his top three most influential people in property.
We would like to thank Simon, and Jonny Palmer, for entertaining us with their discussions and thoughts. It has certainly been thought provoking and not without a little controversy here and there.
So, here they are. The pick of the bunch; the cream of the crop; the cherries on the top of Simon’s very personal cake.
3. Simon Whale
2. The Bruce Brothers
1. Peter Knight
Congratulations to all those who appeared in the rankings, who, to recap, are:
- Peter Knight
- The Bruce Brothers
- Simon Whale
- Miles Shipside
- Katrine Sporle
- Russell Quirk
- “Pee Bee”
- Henry Pryor
- Christopher Watkin
- Sean Newman
- Nick Salmon
- Sally Lawson
- Josh Phegan
- Jon Cooke
- Christopher Hamer
- Ed Mead
- Nat Daniels
- Bob Scarff
- Richard Tucker
- Robert May
- Tony Morris
- Nicky Stevenson
- Kevin Scrupps
- Iain McKenzie
- Stephen Hayter
- Sheila Manchester
- Simon Brown
- Mark Burgess
- Paul Long
- Stephen Brown
- Michael Day
- Malcom Prescott
- Mark Manning
- Yvonne Martin
- Sanjay Gandhi
Comments (20)
I’m surprised at the omission of Daniel Daggers and Liza-Jane Kelly.
Influencers – I worry for our industry!
So IC – easy to criticise- put your money where your mouth is and tell us your top 5 influencers on the estate agency industry. Thanks in advance!
JC – I have seen many good agents spend their hard earned income with many of these influencers with the only result being a depleted bank account and their business left in a confused state. There are too many commentators and regurgitators? being called influencers.
But no place for the CEO of ‘the largest independent Estate Agency in the UK’
Who’d a thought it?
The people that are missing from the list is a stark reminder that knowledge of who actually has influenced our industry is very limited.The Top 35 Most Influential People in Property was never going to be top most.
Who is missing Woodentop?
First of all fantastic series, loved the chemistry between Simon and Jonny, its important to point out as Simon has done many times that this is HIS list not THE PROPERTY INDUSTRY’S LIST , but what is fantastic about that is i’m pretty sure almost anyone of note that compiled their own Top 35 would find it almost impossible to leave Mr Bradbury out. So its precisely because its from someone like Simon that this should matter and certainly does matter to me.
Anyway I’m perfectly poised at #3 like Mo Farrah waiting to come through in a surge to seize top spot in 2021, which of course was always my strategy, I mean who wants to be affiliated with 2020, an utter arsebiscuit of a year…. dropping the bombshell to Simon i’ve become a ‘Young’ Conservative should just about do it for next years inevitable win.
Simon did fail to point out however that I am also of course the Property Industry’s Peter Pan, but I will show my respect to my more mature colleagues. Need to bump off Josh so that I own that oh so important space to appeal to the millennials.
Understanding what makes up a person, in part inevitably is who has influenced them and who do they look up to. So like favourite authors its a really clue to what makes someone tick.
Looking at Simon’s list though whilst like everyone I thought ‘WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN THERE’ (no prizes for self awareness at Whale towers) there were so many that have made a material impact on who (or what! ) I am today, and none more so than the man at number 1. In another epic version of ‘I told you so’ I’ve said since day one it would be Peter, I think he more than anyone has impacted my career not least when he was about to finally bar me from his awards as I’d just buy a day ticket and then do all my business in the hall and at the bar much to the annoyance of Peter’s paying clients and my competitors. He’s challenged me to become more serious year on year and whilst this failure shouldn’t discount him from the top spot ( it should for next year) then his advice whether i’ve wanted to listen or not is invaluable. Anyway well played Mr Knight!
Right now off to put ”Industries Top Buffoon (c)” on my Linkedin profile in my achievements list next to my BSc , love that bronze swimming certificate.
And thank you once more Simon, now I can forever order Mark Manning to the bar “Number 33 , mines a White Russian!’ in my best Doctor Evil voice. Or to Mr Watkinsss ‘Oh no Number 9 that just won’t do…’
Top 35 Most Influential People in Property… no mention of the Housing Minister. Just as well, we’d probably have to Google who it is today. Shameful neglect from all shades of Government!
I would have liked to have seen Mike Smithson of The Property Jungle on this list.
A modest man who has possibly provided more Estate Agency websites than any other.
He has influenced more agencies in their tech journeys than most.
The list also further reinforces the sexism in the industry and as Robert May rightly points out Ros Renshaw and Kate Faulkner should have been shoe-ins….
What a fantastic series. I am delighted that many who have influenced my career made Mr. Bradburys Top 35. (Sean Newman, Mark Burgess, Sanjay Ghandi, Bob Scarff, Christopher Watkin, Jon Cooke/Malcolm Lindley) and today the Bruce Brothers. Were it not for the ascension of Purple Bricks, I would not have been invited to head-up the easyProperty north London and Midlands region for a year to see if I could gain traction. My career started 36 years ago with Countrywide under Bob Scarff with Ian Kingston and Bob Butler. Sean Newman arrived, very fresh faced, at the same time and we have stayed connected ever since. I have been a guest speaker for Sanjay Ghandi and Christopher Watkin which felt like ‘milestone moments’ on my career path. Mark Burgess runs a secret think-tank and I am honoured to be a part of that small but very forward thinking society. The 3 in my Top 10 that did not feature in Mr. Bradburys list are;
Team: Daniel Harrington/David Lindley these guys have shaped the Fine & Country proposition so consistently that year-on-year it continues to be the fastest growing Estate Agency in the upper quartile of the market. In recent times David has ‘served his term’ and moved on but he left an incredible legacy to be proud of. Daniel Harrington heads-up London & International with fantastic energy. Daniel is the architect of ESP ( Exposure, Service, Presentation) being the cornerstones of a superb marketing model to represent customers property.
Paul Campbell ( Campbells Estate Agents ) a true un-sung hero who holds my every admiration for the constant and consistent charity work he commits to. Paul and I share similar values on CX ( Customer Experience) being the most significant shortfall in our industry.
Daniel Priestley: (Author/Coach – general Guru). There are a host of great guys in the property industry with strong and enguaging styles ( Tom Panos springs to mind). Sean Newmans ‘Guru’ is Tony Robbins. Mine is Daniel Priestly. Jump onto Amazon and look for a book entitled ‘Oversubscribed’. It really opened my eyes and gave me a fresh look my business models.
Well done Mr. Bradbury. My morning coffee has been enhanced by your reasonings.
Simon Hawkesley – Mallory Irvine xx
Influence is the key word here. Think what you may about them, and yes it reads like a members club long lunch, but at the very least these people are bold enough to at least try and make more of themselves and more of an industry than those content with the status quo. Perhaps had the list been 50 we’d have heard about names like Frew, Renshaw, Rollings, Emmerson, Kavanagh, Halman, Hunt, Smith et al
“Mid table mediocrity” – the best that I could hope for, just as with Birmingham City every season !!
Well done Simon on a thoroughly entertaining idea.
There is no-one better dressed than Mr. Scarff! You was robbed Bob!
You Ian Kingston and Bob Butler ( as a collective) made my Top 10 Bob. In an era when even the Boardman drove a BMW !!!
Simon Hawkesley – Mallory Irvine xx
I appreciate this is one man’s view regarding the who’s who of the industry and their associated influence. However is it not a sad indictment to have a top ten list containing names of those who are/were –
– techy service providers, equating to non estate agents dictating the industry
– ‘disrupters’ , who’s sole aim was to get personally rich at the expense of the industry and its many foot soldiers
– ‘mentors’, who talk the job but do not actually do the job
– and the ‘clique’, who are The Privileged within the industry who appeal to the ego of agency owners and hop into each others pockets creating a cartel of ‘who’s who’ in order to keep themselves in lofty positions.
As somebody who myself has been in the industry for almost twenty years, I am not sure whether to be ashamed or proud that I had to Google several of these names. Where are those agents names who should be mentioned for employing staff who they care about, train, support and reward. In short, it appears that influencers are not necessarily agents.
Agree 100%.
I have never even heard of some of these people. Having googled them can understand why that is so.
To me a load of nonsense I am sad to say. For instance – no mention of Tony Pidgley a man who has taken new build development to a totally new level.
No mention of George Osborne who brought tin H2B – love it or loathe it it has had a massive impact.
Thatcher – right to buy
Agree with the comment about people who do not even sell a house – people who just do IT. So call;ed experts who “train” and sell nothing but pontificate about it.
I would expect this sort of answer from Michelle Lockwood.
Obviously a subjective point of view. – yet mr Bradbury has in the vast majority, got it about right here.
Intrinsically, these people in the list influence the people in the Estate & Letting Agency.
Lets remember, this is all a bit of fun. If you’re not one of the lucky ones who is on this list, don’t be upset. Keep doing your great work, stay centered, and enjoy the journey.
If you are on the list, keep it real.
Many people on this list overreacted On other social platforms with the humble brag (“THRILLED to be on this list …”).
One even had the audacity to ask not to be on list before his name was mentioned FFS – big headed or what!
The true influencers know what I am writing here today is true, yet it’s a fine line promotIng the lists because one has to be polite or to promote their self-interests, which is natural, I suppose. .. yet let’s not get big headed about it.
I can think of people far more deserving of a place on the list than I do; people who quietly go about shaping the industry for the better. Attending meetings, ceremonies and conferences on a regular basis and now appearing somewhere on the screen shots of Zoom calls.
For all the people who have not appeared on the list but who help and influence me, Thank you! Please keep doing what you’re doing.
I’ve only disagreed with a couple of entries but this is Simon’s list not mine. Perhaps Nick will consider submissions that allow his wider audience to nominate some of the obvious omissions from the list. I’d happily drop off the list and give my place to Kate Faulkner or Rosalind Renshaw.
Thank you Simon, I have enjoyed this.