Real estate advisor Hollis has appointed property director Andy Hay as its new CEO in an effort to deliver ambitious growth plans.
Hay, who will formally join the business in May 2024, will be tasked with leading the company into its next phase of growth, as it targets raising its turnover in the next five years to £100 mln.
His previous appointments included CBRE, where he held positions on the Global Asset Services and EMEA Operations Boards. Most recently he was managing director at Colliers, where he was responsible for delivering the first pan-European property management service line, as well as driving the digitalisation and ESG offering across Europe.
Hollis, which was founded just over 30 years ago, currently operates out of the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain and Germany.
Hay will take over from interim CEO Digby Flower, who since joining the business in September 2023, has been instrumental in setting it on a renewed footing towards growth. This has included implementing a new board structure with regional managing directors, as well as driving the recruitment process to secure a permanent successor. Flower will remain with the business to become Chairman, in a move that ensures continuity for the organisation and its clients.
Founder and outgoing Chairman John Woodman will remain close to the business as founding partner.
Woodman said: 'Over the years we have explored many ways of growing and pushing the business forward; my desire has always been to maintain our independence and put our people first. Switching to an employee owned trust two and a half years ago was the first step of putting a succession plan in place that secured this independence. We already have a group of directors who are among the best in the industry at what they do; together with a new CEO and strategic directors who bring with them experience from outside of Hollis, they will be able to grow our business even further.'
