Three London agency businesses have announced appointments affecting their prime residential services, according to Property Industry Eye’s industry roundup published on 4 November 2026.
Knight Frank has appointed Stuart Bailey and Rupert des Forges to jointly lead its London Private Office. The report says the team draws together advisers from private-office, residential sales and development operations, with access to wider commercial property and capital advisory services. The appointments reflect the firm’s stated focus on wealthy private clients and family offices; they are not independent evidence of wider market demand.
At Strutt & Parker, Aileen McCarthy joins from Savills and Courtney Rawlings from Chestertons. Their remit covers Battersea, Clapham and Wandsworth as the business expands its hybrid brokerage operation into south-west London. The firm says the move also connects its London service with its Home Counties network.
Aston Chase has reappointed Lee Koffman as head of flat sales and associate director. He returns nine years after leaving, having previously spent 16 years with the firm. The roundup reports that his career has included senior roles at UK Sotheby’s International Realty and Robert Irving Burns.
Why the actual team matters
For a homeowner, these announcements are a reminder to look beyond an agency’s name when comparing services. Ask who will provide the valuation, who will handle viewings and who will manage the transaction once an offer has been accepted. If several people share responsibility, establish how information will be passed between them.
A brokerage model also deserves a clear explanation at the instruction stage. Ask how the individual adviser’s local work connects with the wider firm’s marketing, administration and support. Compare the promised service in writing rather than assuming that every business model operates in the same way.
Treat experience as a starting point
A strong career history can be useful context, but it should sit alongside evidence relevant to your own property. Request an explanation of comparable transactions, the proposed marketing approach and the reasoning behind the suggested asking price. Discuss reporting arrangements and fees before making a decision.
These appointments show how agencies are organising their London teams. They do not establish a likely result for an individual sale. The most useful next step is a conversation with the people who would carry out the work, supported by a clear written proposal.