(from left) Gemma Roxburgh, Chris Breckenridge, David Doran and Gordon Douglas
Scotland’s largest privately owned property factor, Hacking & Paterson, has unveiled a refreshed leadership team featuring a major new hire after more than a century in business.
Property industry heavyweight Chris Breckenridge has joined as chief growth officer, marking one of the most significant senior external appointments in recent years as the business looks to expand into new markets.
Chief executive David Doran, who also serves as chair of The Property Institute Scotland, said the business is entering a new phase after decades of steady, largely organic growth.
“We’ve done things the same way for a long time, and we’re proud of where that has taken us, ” he added. “We have built a strong, stable business and established our company as Scotland’s leading property factor, but our ambitions now are much broader.
“We need to look at the business differently. That means investing in people with different skillsets, experience and perspectives, and bringing in Chris is a big part of that. He brings real gravitas in the property sector and will help us challenge how we think about growth.
“The business itself has changed dramatically over time. When I started, everything was manual. Now the pace is completely different. Customers’ expectations have changed and the level of service required is far higher. The industry is improving and we need to make sure we continue to lead it.
“We recently kick-started our new era with a full staff strategy day, which was key in bringing all our staff along with us on this journey and gave them further insight into our impending brand change and office move.”
The appointment follows the recent arrival of chief financial officer, Gemma Roxburgh, a senior leader with over 20 years’ experience in the finance sector, who joined from the Scottish Event Campus. She has been heavily involved in the creation of the firm’s new strategy for the future and is leading a wider transformation programme across finance, systems and operations.
David added: “Gemma has already played a key role in building the platform for our next stage of growth. We are making better use of our systems, improving how we use data and creating a more stable structure across the business so we can scale with confidence.”
Chris, who has more than two decades of experience across the property sector, working with Slater Hogg and Howison, Savills, and most recently as a partner at premium estate agency Corum, has plans to tackle public perception of the industry as part of his new role.
Chris said: “People don’t always have a positive view of our sector, and that is something I want to help change.
“There is a real opportunity to improve the experience for customers by bringing different parts of the property journey closer together. Having worked across the sector, I have seen where the gaps are and how frustrating that can be for buyers and homeowners.
“Growth will come from a combination of expanding into new areas and looking at acquisitions within the sector. There is also a wider opportunity as markets evolve beyond Scotland, particularly in England and Wales as commonhold develops, as well as in Northern Ireland and Ireland.
“From day one, I will be looking at mergers and acquisitions to see how we can provide more complementary services.”
Gemma, who has significant experience in mergers and acquisitions in her previous roles, added: “Coming into the industry from a different background allows me to look at things through a fresh lens while learning from the depth of expertise already within the business. I’m excited to work closely with Chris and build on the strong start our new leadership team has made in the last 10 months.
“We are in the middle of a transformation programme across finance and operations. The processes we have are strong, but there is a significant opportunity to improve how we use data, automation and AI to make the business more efficient.
“The aim is to remove some of the more manual, repetitive tasks and give people more time to focus on what really matters: working with customers, building relationships and delivering a consistently high level of service.”
Completing the new-look leadership team are Gordon Douglas, who last year moved into the chief operating officer role after more than 20 years in the business and is driving transformation of the business’s operations, and Neil Watt, who has been with the business for 44 years and takes the position of non-executive chairman of the group.
Alongside the introduction of efficiencies through artificial intelligence, there are plans for a recruitment drive in the coming year, adding to its team of 130.
Hacking & Paterson Management Services manages close to 80,000 properties across Scotland and is the country’s largest property factor, with offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh. The group’s other property factor, Your Local Factor, has offices in Stirling and Aberdeen.
The firm is also planning further investment of around £2m in systems, people and processes, as well as a new office and training centre, alongside a broader push on sustainability. This includes the development of its fleet of electric vehicles, a reduction in paper-based processes and other ESG initiatives.