UK property consultancy Allsop has appointed Lesley Connor as its new chief financial officer (CFO) and chief operations officer (COO), as the 116-year-old firm expands its services and aims for an increasingly diverse partnership.
Connor joins from KPMG where she was a director leading internal transformation programmes. Having begun her career with the Big Four firm, where she qualified as an accountant, Lesley subsequently moved into deal advisory where she became COO.
Connor also held a variety of line management roles across the firm, helping drive its performance and growth. She has also previously worked in corporate business development for the Daily Mail Group within its consumer digital division, and as operations director for its digital recruitment division, which included brands such as Jobsite, Cityjobs and Broadbean.
Lesley will be responsible for supporting Allsop’s continued growth as the partnership announces 46 promotions including Dale Johnstone as one of the youngest ever equity partners.
Connor will report to Scott Tyler, senior partner at Allsop. She succeeds Wayne Taylor, who had been Allsop’s CFO and partnership secretary since 2000 and who will remain with the business as a consultant.
Scott Tyler, senior partner at Allsop, said: 'When we set out on what seemed like an impossible task of finding someone to fill Wayne Taylor’s shoes as CFO and partnership secretary, we couldn’t have imagined a candidate of Lesley’s calibre.
'Her experience at KPMG, both supporting the business and directly engaging with clients, will put her in excellent stead at Allsop - a partnership where everyone works together to offer clients the highest standards.
'As we continue to expand our services in line with market demand, Lesley will have much to offer the team – from our auction business to the increasing volume of work we do with clients on investment in industrial and logistics, as well as the likes of student accommodation and build-to-rent.'
Said Connor: 'Allsop is one of the UK’s most dynamic property consultancies and it is a privilege to be joining as CFO and COO.
'I’m excited to be joining such a people-focused partnership which fosters collaboration and camaraderie, attracting and retaining top clients across the business.
'I’m looking forward to contributing to its continued growth, building on its unique culture, supporting the firm as it embeds ESG principles into everything it does, and helping to maintain the success that the firm has enjoyed, even throughout the past two challenging years.'
In the past two years, the firm has seen rapid expansion particularly in its national investment, city investment and leasing, and residential valuation divisions.
Complementing the growth of the UK’s build-to-rent sector, the property consultancy’s Allsop Letting and Management subsidiary, which manages developments on behalf of the likes of Landsec, Goldman Sachs and Barings, is also growing quickly.
