Ex-CEO of LJ Hooker Grant Harrod joins LocalAgentFinder board
LJ Hooker’s former CEO, Grant Harrod, has joined the Board of comparison website LocalAgentFinder as a non-executive director to help drive the company’s real estate network.
LocalAgentFinder provides property owners tools to compare local real estate agents or property managers for the sale or leasing of their properties.
The business, led by Matt McCann, the former CEO of iSelect, is continuing to explore its strategic options including an Initial Public Offering (IPO) as part of its growth strategy.
Harrod is the CEO of Pro-Pac Group (ASX: PPG) and from 2008-2013 built Salmat (ASX: SLT) into a leading multi-channel communication services company, the Elite Agent reported.
He quit LJ Hooker in January this year after the board of the real estate agency ditched plans for its $400 million float on the ASX.
LocalAgentFinder’s chairman, Pat O’Sullivan, said Harrod’s joining its Board was a “vote of confidence into the LocalAgentFinder business model”.
“While LocalAgentFinder continues to experience strong growth in terms of agent registrations and visitors using the platform, Grant will be able to provide invaluable insights into both these audiences that will inform the business’ thinking and targeting strategies moving forward.”
Pat O’Sullivan was appointed chairman of LocalAgentFinder in May and is also a director of CarSales (ASX: CAR), iSentia (ASX: ISD) and APN Outdoor (ASX: APN).
Harrod said LocalAgentFinder has the potential to further cement itself as the first port of call for Australians looking to compare real estate agents before listing a property.
“What drew me to the LocalAgentFinder business was its simple value proposition for agents and vendors of real estate,” he said.
“Agents can be objectively compared against their peers while benefiting off these comparisons through leads that required no prospecting on their behalf.
“On the flip side, vendors have access to insights on an agent such as performance data, independent homeowner reviews and fees and commissions to help them make informed decisions about who is the right agent for them to list with.