Experienced hands drafted in to avoid future Purplebricks blunders

More ‘old’ new faces have been drafted in to Purplebricks in a bid to improve its compliance and market performance.

Last month the agency announced a new director of risk and compliance, following its lettings division’s high profile error last year. 

In December it was revealed that Purplebricks had - for an unspecified period of time - failed to properly serve legally-required documents to tenants explaining their deposits had been put into a national protection scheme. Purplebricks has put the financial liability of the error at between £3m and £4m.

Now the agency is bolstering its top table too.

It’s named Adrian Gill and Gareth Helm, two highly experienced property industry executives, as independent non-executive directors join the board on October 1.

Gill has 20 years’ experience as a property executive including as finance director and group commercial director of Connells, executive director, estate agency at LSL Property Services PLC, and group chief executive of Leaders Romans Group.

Helm has over 30 years’ marketing expertise, largely as a chief marketing officer in businesses including Zoopla, McDonald’s, Moneysupermarket, Mars and Homeserve.

Gill says: “There is no question that Purplebricks’ proposition is relevant and differentiated, and that it can return to being a profitable disruptor. [Chief executive Helena Marston] has put in place a clear and focused plan alongside a team which is clearly working at pace to deliver it. I am looking forward … to bring my expertise to the table and help ensure the business delivers for its customers, its people and its shareholders.”

Helm comments: “I am incredibly excited to be joining Purplebricks as a non-executive director.  I am confident the group has a valuable brand which is certainly relevant in today’s market.”

And Marston herself states: “Since becoming chief executive in April, my priority has been to put in place the strongest possible executive leadership team (ELT) that combines the right capabilities, experience and mindset I believe we need to succeed in delivering our turnaround plans.

“The subsequent appointment of Adrian and Gareth to our Board is complementary to our ELT, providing additional industry and marketing expertise which will be invaluable to me and our Board, as well as providing positive challenge for the ELT.”