Michael Cook, Group Managing Director, and Allison Thompson, National Lettings Managing Director
Following completion of the sale of Leaders Romans Group (LRG), one of the largest property services groups in the UK, to Platinum Equity last month (February 2022), the company is delighted to announce two promotions within the company’s leadership team.
Michael Cook brings broad industry experience to the position of Group Managing Director, while Allison Thompson steps into his former role as National Lettings Managing Director. Prior to this, she has held the role of Managing Director Lettings South since 2016.
Michael’s and Allison’s career paths have run in parallel with LRG’s growth, with both having progressed through the ranks from humble beginnings. Michael joined the company over 16 years ago; he was part of the original team in Romans’ Basingstoke office when the branch first started trading. And Allison started out as Administrator at one of the first Leaders branches in Brighton in 1992. She became Branch Manager and then Area Manager; she was later promoted to Lettings Director in 2008, before becoming Managing Director in 2016.
Both Michael and Allison played pivotal roles in the merger of Leaders and Romans to create Leaders Romans Group in 2016. Since the merger, Michael has been successful in both building and managing the group’s lettings portfolio in the UK, driving continuous improvements and fostering a standardised approach and unified culture in lettings across the group. Allison has used her 25 plus years’ industry experience and people skills to support her team’s career progression into senior and leadership positions within the company.
Peter Kavanagh, LRG’s Chief Executive Officer, comments: “We are delighted to offer two well-deserved promotions to valued members of our leadership team and extend huge congratulations to both Michael and Allison.
“We are particularly proud to support career progression within the Group and across our acquisitions portfolio. Both Michael and Allison have grown with the business, with their career progression closely aligned to LRG’s key growth milestones, and this continues to be the case as we begin an exciting new chapter in the company’s ongoing success story.
“Under Platinum’s ownership, we have strong ambitions for growth over the next five years, including ongoing organic growth; continuing with our strong M&A strategy; investing in technology and automation; and supporting ESG policies.”
Michael Cook said: “I have been fortunate enough to work with some great people, as well as having some great opportunities with LRG over the years. I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey with the company.
“This new role enables me to use my past and varied experiences to bring value across the group. While my focus will be on corporate lettings, block management and our acquisition growth strategy, I will continue to support lettings – under Allison’s leadership – and add value to sales and other central services. I am also really excited by the prospect of driving innovation in tech to improve the customer experience.”
Allison Thompson added: “I am passionate about this business, our culture and our people, and I am proud to have been part of LRG’s journey. I have seen the company through so many important stages in its growth and I’m excited to be an integral part of its future.
Lettings is a very important part of the group’s portfolio – with our new ownership comes renewed interest and investment in technology and automation to improve the customer journey. Michael leaves a legacy of solid senior leadership and I very much look forward to continuing to strengthen the team and support career development in lettings.”
LRG strengthens leadership team under new ownership
Following completion of the sale of Leaders Romans Group (LRG), one of the largest property services groups in the UK, to Platinum Equity last month (February 2022), the company is delighted to announce two promotions within the company’s leadership team.
Michael Cook brings broad industry experience to the position of Group Managing Director, while Allison Thompson steps into his former role as National Lettings Managing Director. Prior to this, she has held the role of Managing Director Lettings South since 2016.
Michael’s and Allison’s career paths have run in parallel with LRG’s growth, with both having progressed through the ranks from humble beginnings. Michael joined the company over 16 years ago; he was part of the original team in Romans’ Basingstoke office when the branch first started trading. And Allison started out as Administrator at one of the first Leaders branches in Brighton in 1992. She became Branch Manager and then Area Manager; she was later promoted to Lettings Director in 2008, before becoming Managing Director in 2016.
Both Michael and Allison played pivotal roles in the merger of Leaders and Romans to create Leaders Romans Group in 2016. Since the merger, Michael has been successful in both building and managing the group’s lettings portfolio in the UK, driving continuous improvements and fostering a standardised approach and unified culture in lettings across the group. Allison has used her 25 plus years’ industry experience and people skills to support her team’s career progression into senior and leadership positions within the company.
Peter Kavanagh, LRG’s Chief Executive Officer, comments: “We are delighted to offer two well-deserved promotions to valued members of our leadership team and extend huge congratulations to both Michael and Allison.
“We are particularly proud to support career progression within the Group and across our acquisitions portfolio. Both Michael and Allison have grown with the business, with their career progression closely aligned to LRG’s key growth milestones, and this continues to be the case as we begin an exciting new chapter in the company’s ongoing success story.
“Under Platinum’s ownership, we have strong ambitions for growth over the next five years, including ongoing organic growth; continuing with our strong M&A strategy; investing in technology and automation; and supporting ESG policies.”
Michael Cook said: “I have been fortunate enough to work with some great people, as well as having some great opportunities with LRG over the years. I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey with the company.
“This new role enables me to use my past and varied experiences to bring value across the group. While my focus will be on corporate lettings, block management and our acquisition growth strategy, I will continue to support lettings – under Allison’s leadership – and add value to sales and other central services. I am also really excited by the prospect of driving innovation in tech to improve the customer experience.”
Allison Thompson added: “I am passionate about this business, our culture and our people, and I am proud to have been part of LRG’s journey. I have seen the company through so many important stages in its growth and I’m excited to be an integral part of its future.
Lettings is a very important part of the group’s portfolio – with our new ownership comes renewed interest and investment in technology and automation to improve the customer journey. Michael leaves a legacy of solid senior leadership and I very much look forward to continuing to strengthen the team and support career development in lettings.”
LRG is now recruiting for the role of Lettings Managing Director South to replace Allison – more details can be found here.
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