Countrywide regional director is latest to quit the company

Countrywide's regional director Martin Coombes has quit the company, having worked for it since the early 1990s.

A statement to Estate Agent Today from a Countrywide spokesperson yesterday said: 

"After 23 years at Countrywide, most recently as Regional Director, Martin Coombes has left the business to take up a new opportunity. We thank Martin for his significant contribution to the group and wish him continued success in his future career."

There has been a series of senior management departures this year, as well as a controversial brand merging and branch closure programme.

Later this month the Countrywide Group is scheduled to release its trading figures for the third quarter of the year.

Countrywide's share price - for weeks on a downward path - moved back above the psychologically-important 200 mark for a short while yesterday but then drifted back to close at 197.80, still up almost three per cent on the day. 

It was one of several property companies that yesterday performed relatively well in response to speculation that the election of Donald Trump to the US White House may lead to more international buying of prime central London homes. 

Foxtons' price - reflecting some renewed optimism about the troubled London property market - also improved by more than 4.5 per cent to close at 114.75.

A five per cent rise for LSL Property Services - which operates agency brands such as Your Move and Reeds Rains - saw it close at 218.00.

Meanwhile Savills - the high-end agency arguably most likely to benefit from the suggestion that US investors may buy in London until they see how the policies coming from a Trump White House - dipped three per cent to close at 676.70.