Winkworth Estate Agents

Winkworth Franchising is a UK-based franchised estate agency, with over 100 offices in total. Its core business is the franchising of estate agency sales, residential lettings and property management services under the brand name ‘Winkworth’.

Winkworth is traditionally associated with the London property market, where the majority of its offices are based. Further offices are situated in key locations across the UK, as well as in Spain.

In 1967, the Winkworth business was purchased by Mann & Company, an estate agency business founded in 1891 and purchased in the late 1930’s by the father of Winkworth’s current non-executive Chairman, Simon Agace.

In 1974, the Winkworth business and its three offices were acquired from Mann & Company by Simon Agace who became sole Director and gained control of the Winkworth business. Under Simon Agace’s direction, Winkworth grew to eight owned offices by 1980.

Having observed the successful growth of the franchise model in the USA, Simon Agace saw this as a means of securing talent within a business. In 1981, Simon began converting the eight wholly owned offices to franchises.

The Group went on to expand across the Capital and into other key provincial markets.

The Franchising Business model

With the roll-out of national brands, estate agents looking to set up their own businesses recognise the value attached to a brand name in their local market place. Winkworth provides the brand recognition that they require to help them to maximise their competitive position in their chosen market.

Winkworth Franchising’s business model offers a branded platform to estate agents from which to access Winkworth’s compliance, marketing, public relations and administration services. Winkworth Franchising also offers additional products such as financial services, auctions, surveying and commercial property sales.

Winkworth

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The original Winkworth business was established by Henry Winkworth in 1835 and operated from Curzon Street, Mayfair.

Winkworth PLC Directors

Dominic Agace Chief Executive Officer

Dominic was appointed CEO in 2006. He joined Winkworth Franchising in 2001 to head up its Research Department and in 2004 was appointed Executive Director with specific responsibility for Marketing, IT (website and software) and the growth of the franchise. He was directly responsible for accelerating the growth in the number of franchised offices and oversaw the admission of Winkworth to AIM in 2009.

Dominic is a qualified member of the NAEA, holds the Institute of Directors certificate in company direction and is a graduate in Politics from Newcastle University.

Andrew Nicol Chief Financal Officer

Andrew joined Winkworth as CFO in 2016 with a focus on finance, risk and developing the group’s central infrastructure. He has also played an important part in developing the group’s digital strategy and its implementation. Prior to working at Winkworth, Andrew held positions in both the corporate sector and in consultancy, notably with The Boston Consulting Group and Oxera Consulting.

Andrew qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG Peat Marwick, is a member of ICAEW and holds a degree in Geographical Studies with International Studies from St. Andrews University.

Simon Agace Non-executive Chairman

Simon Agace became Managing Director of Winkworth in 1974 having qualified as a Chartered Auctioneer and Estate Agent and a Chartered Surveyor in the 1960s. Under his direction, Winkworth grew to eight wholly-owned offices covering much of Central London and the West End.

During the 1980s, Simon was involved in investment syndications in America where he learnt about the American franchising model and, in 1981, introduced the concept of franchising to the UK, converting Winkworth’s eight offices into franchises.

As a Fellow of RICS and a member of the NAEA, Simon has been involved with many industry issues, serving on a number of RICS committees including the Home Buying Reform Group, the Agenda for Change in 2001, and the Lettings and Management Group. He has also contributed to management coding for Housing in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and, together with the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (now known as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister), regulation and licensing.

Lawrence Alkin

Non-executive director

A qualified solicitor, Lawrence practiced law prior to entering the property business, gaining extensive experience in many aspects of the property market in the UK, Europe and the US.

In 1982, he became a director of Holmes Place Health Club Limited, where he was responsible for site acquisition and development, together with group advertising. In 1992 he was appointed Joint Chief Executive and Development Director of Holmes Place plc.

John Nicol Non-executive director

John qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Peat Marwick Mitchell (now KPMG) and has considerable financial experience having worked at Morgan Grenfell, now part of part of Deutsche Bank and as the Finance Director of two major aggregate producers in West and South West London for over 30 years. He was also previously Finance Director of Wessex Trust Plc, at the time a Main Market listed property investment company.

Winkworth UK offices:

Bagshot Banstead Barnes Barnet

Basingstoke Bath Battersea Beaconsfield Beckenham Bishopston Blackheath Borehamwood & Elstree Bourne Bow

Brighton & Hove Canterbury Cheam Cheltenham Chislehurst Chiswick Clapham Clerkenwell & City

Crediton Crouch End Crystal Palace Dartmouth Devizes Dulwich Ealing & Acton Eaton

Exeter

Farnham Ferndown Finchley Forest Hill

winkworth.co.uk

Fulham Fulham & Parsons Green Golders Green Grantham Greenwich Hackney Hammersmith Harringay Harrow Hellesdon Hendon Herne Hill Highbury Highcliffe Highgate Islington Kennington Kensal & Queen’s Park Kensington Kentish Town Kingsbury Knightsbridge & Chelsea Leigh - On - Sea

Lewes

Long Melford Market Deeping Marlborough Maida Vale Milford-on-sea Mudeford New Cross Newbury North Kensington Northampton Notting Hill

Paddington & Bayswater

Palmers Green Petersfield

Pimlico & Westminster Poole Poringland Putney Reading Romsey Sailsbury Shepherd’s Bush Shoreditch Sleaford South Kensington Southbourne Southfields Southwold St John’s Wood Streatham Sunningdale Surbiton

Surrey Quays Sway Tiverton Tooting Torbay

Tunbridge Wells West End West Norwood Westbourne Weybridge Wimbledon Winchester Worcester Park Worthing