Exclusive: another senior Countrywide exec is leaving the company

Another member of Countrywide's top table is leaving the company.

Kate Brown, Countrywide’s human resources chief with the responsibility for implementing what the company called “our people agenda”, is leaving in March - the latest in a long line of recent management moves within and out of the firm.

Estate Agent Today understands that an announcement on Brown's departure was made to senior staff last week; we were told by the Countrywide head office switchboard on Friday that neither Brown, whose title was Group Human Resources Director, nor her personal assistant were at work that day. It was not known if they would be at work this week. 

Brown was recruited in March 2015, joining from private medical operator Bupa - the same organisation for which Countrywide chief executive Alison Platt worked prior to joining the agency group. 

Brown, a qualified executive coach, worked in human resources roles for a range of other businesses before Bupa. 

On Friday evening a Countrywide spokesperson told us: “We can confirm that Kate Brown will be leaving Countrywide at the end of March to take a new role outside of the business. During her time with us Kate has made a significant impact on the business and we wish her well.”

Last summer Sam Tyrer - Countrywide’s managing director of retail - left the company for so far unexplained reasons. She had been a key driver in the company’s strategy of offering online sales services through many branches - an offer that is now formally ‘on hold.’

Just before Tyrer’s departure, chief financial officer Jim Clarke announced his retirement - he left at the end of 2017. 

In spring 2016 Andrew Pennells - then in charge of the company’s Building Our Future strategy having served for a decade as Countrywide’s sales director - quit the company too. 

A year earlier, in May 2015, Bob Scarff - was had been responsible for the then-800 strong branch network outside of London - left Countrywide at what was the start of the large scale management and operational restructuring of the firm.