Former Propertymark chief executive turns up in new property role

Tim Balcon, who lasted just four months in the role of Propertymark chief executive before a mystery resignation, has now become the CEO of another industry organisation.

Balcon has tweeted: “I’m delighted to be joining CITB [Council and Industry Training Board] as their new CEO, a great organisation which does so much to help attract people into the construction sector and support their development within it. I join on 1st Sept and can’t wait to get started!”

There has never been any formal explanation from Propertymark as to why Balcon left, apparently hurriedly, in February this year. 

When appointed over the winter he described his role as unifying Propertymark’s constituent parts - the National Association of Estate Agents and the Association of Residential Letting Agents, plus industry groups NAVA, ICBA and APIP.

His departure from Propertymark was just one of many at the time - NAEA President Kirsty Finney left midway through her term of office, while ARLA chief executive David Cox departed a year ago, and former Property Ombudsman Chris Hamer left his role as NAEA chairman too. 

None had more than a cursory statement from the organisation on their departure, with one insider claiming it was the widespread use of confidentiality agreements within Propertymark stifling the true reasons for their departures - and the sizes of their pay-offs - from ever seeing the light of day.

The organisation appears to have become more stable under the leadership of the popular and respected agent Nathan Emerson, who is officially the interim CEO; however there appears to be no process underway to find a successor.