Jon Cooke steps down as non-executive director at GPEA
Jon Cooke has stepped down as a non-executive director at GPEA, the former owner of Fine & Country and The Guild of Property Professionals, ending more than 35 years in the UK and international property sector.
Cooke was involved in the 2024 deal that transferred ownership of Fine & Country and The Guild of Property Professionals to The Property Franchise Group. During that period, he provided strategic oversight to both brands.
He joined The Guild of Property Professionals as a non-executive director in 2001 and was involved in its development over the following two decades. Cooke also co-founded Fine & Country with Malcolm Lindley, which has since expanded into an international network of licensed estate agency offices operating in the upper segment of the residential market.
Beyond agency, Cooke has been involved in charitable activity within the sector. He served as a trustee of The Fine & Country Foundation, which supports initiatives addressing homelessness and poverty, and has participated in fundraising activity since the foundation was established.
Cooke has also been involved in the development of Nurtur, a technology business supplying services to the financial services and estate agency sectors.
Over the course of his career, Cooke has worked with teams delivering brands, technology and data products to the financial services and property industries. In addition to Fine & Country and The Guild of Property Professionals, he has been involved in the establishment of businesses including iamproperty and Intercounty, and in the expansion of companies such as YourMove and Lomond through organic growth and acquisitions. He has also advised management teams on carve-outs, private equity funding rounds and exits to both private equity-backed and listed companies. Moving forward, he will continue to focus on innovation within the property sector.
Iain McKenzie, CEO of The Guild of Property Professionals, commented: “Jon’s contribution to The Guild, Fine & Country and the wider property industry has been nothing short of exceptional. I have had the privilege of working alongside Jon for many years, and together we have helped shape the strategy and direction of the business through periods of significant growth and change.
“His customer-first mindset, passion for technology and clear vision have left a lasting legacy. On behalf of everyone at The Guild and Fine & Country, I would like to thank Jon for his outstanding service and wish him every success in the future.”
Senior changes at Savills
Savills has appointed Sam Kirkaldy as the new head of its South East development team, covering its Sevenoaks, Guildford and Brighton offices. Samantha McDermott has also been appointed head of development in Guildford, replacing Kirkaldy.
Kirkaldy has worked at Savills for 25 years and has led the Sevenoaks development department for the past eight.
In that role, he oversaw development land sales, strategic land advice, valuation and consultancy work across Kent, Sussex and the southern London boroughs.
He succeeds Ian Fowler, who has been with Savills for more than 25 years and has led the South East development team for the past 15 years from the firm’s Guildford office, where he will continue to be based.
Kirkaldy said: “We are very appreciative of Ian’s leadership, which has been instrumental in shaping our success to date.
“With such an experienced and talented team covering the region, we are well positioned to maintain our momentum and continue to thrive.”
McDermott replaces Kirkaldy as head of Guildford development. She has worked at Savills for more than 13 years, and specialises in all aspects of residential development within Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire and West Sussex, including consultancy and valuation work together with Red Book valuations.
She commented: “Thank you to Ian for his exceptional support and guidance – it has been a privilege to learn from one of the very best in the industry.
“I am looking forward to the next chapter, leading and continuing to work alongside such an excellent team.”
Patrick Eve, head of UK Regional Development at Savills, added: “With both Sam and Samantha’s collective experience of development land throughout the South East, I am in no doubt that they will ensure the team continues to provide our clients with the excellent service they are used to in their respective new roles.
“I would also like to thank Ian for the dedication he has shown in both leading and growing the team for the last 15 years.”
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