Di Jones Real Estate is excited to announce the appointment of Keith Walker as its new Head of Sales.

Mr. Walker will be responsible for delivering the strategy, growth and sales performance of the firms' highly successful sales team, which boasted in excess of $530 million in property sales over the last twelve months.

Di Jones Real Estate General Manager, Kylie Walsh said the senior executive position would seek to capitalise on its rapid expansion plan after the recent announcement of its merger with LJ Hooker Wahroonga, due to take place on April 2, 2016.

“This is an extremely exciting appointment for Di Jones Real Estate. Keith is a multidisciplinary property professional of the highest calibre, and is highly regarded by those in the property industry. His extensive experience in sales, digital platforms and management will be invaluable in both driving performance and delivering our growth strategy. I look forward to working with him as we look to continue to build strong, trusted relationships with clients and grow our business nationally” said Kylie Walsh, General Manager.

Mr. Walker celebrates an impressive career spanning more than 20 years in the property sector, having held Company Director, Managing Director, Licensee, Auctioneer and Sales/Marketing positions in both public and private companies, including LJ Hooker, Sugar International and Ray White. He joins Di Jones Real Estate from RE/MAX Australia and RE/MAX New Zealand where he recently held the role of Regional Owner and Franchise Director and was responsible for the opening of 35 new offices within three years in Australia.

Mr. Walker said: “I am excited to be joining Di Jones, which has a strong heritage in the residential property sector and provides compelling residential property investment opportunities. My attraction was secured by the calibre of the people, platforms and performance, and I look forward to building upon the underlying quality of the property business as we take it to the next level.”

Mr. Walker will take over as Head of Sales on March 1st, 2016.

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Notes to the Editor:

About Di Jones Real Estate

Di Jones Real Estate Is synonymous with prestige marketing and superior negotiation skills that achieve record results throughout the Eastern Suburbs. Di Jones was already a successful agent before founding her own agency in 1992. Now, gender is no barrier when it comes creating a career in Australian real estate. The ethos and approach is to listen first and understand the needs and goals of clients then formulate a winning strategy that incorporates the best professional recommendation to achieve a seamless result every time.

Di Jones is clear and straightforward about the agency's personality. The brand has traditionally held the Number One market position in Woollahra and Paddington for close to 20 years and in 2013 – 2014 sold twice as much as its nearest competitor. The company offers sound advice based on local knowledge, industry experience and tailored individual marketing campaigns that complement the property and suit the timeline requirements of the families who own them.  Managing every process for the clients efficiently, effectively, care for the sale and management of the property as if it was their own is standard. The reputation and distinctive boutique style has consistently set the bar at a premium high as they achieve outstanding results in the Sydney property market. With a commitment to excellence and superior standards of service, Di Jones Real Estate are the brand of choice for discerning local, international and high-profile clients.

About LJ Hooker Wahroonga

Robert Ward founded LJ Hooker Wahroonga, and has led a team of passionate local people since 2003, establishing himself and his business as the market leaders in the area. The award winning office performed at the top of the LJ Hooker Australia network, and its Rob and the passionate team behind him that ultimately drive this success.

Their team of agents each bring their own set of skills and strengths to the agency. Over half of these agents have achieved the prestigious LJ Hooker's “Captain” status, which means they are ranked in the top 15% of the LJ Hooker Australia network, an achievement rarely found in any other LJ Hooker office in Australia.

They are proud of the high percentage of repeat and referral business, a testament to the dedication to their clients, and believe knowledge of the local market, exceptional service to both vendors and buyers, and ability to deliver outstanding results time and time again, made LJ Hooker Wahroonga stand out as the leading agency for Sydney's beautiful North Shore.

Management Team

Rob Ward – Chief Executive, Australia

Kylie Walsh – General Manager, Australia

Nicki Washburn  – Head of Finance

Keith Walker – Head of Sales

Alexandra Hainsworth – Head of Marketing

Bridgette Barker – Head of Property Management

Lisa Boyle – Community Collaboration & Brand Manager

Management Team Bios

Rob Ward – CEO Di Jones Real Estate

Rob Ward is well respected within the real estate industry & brings 15 years of industry experience.  Through implementing innovative ideas and industry best practices, Rob was recently recognised as running one of the top 100 sales businesses in Australia by REB.  Well respected throughout the industry, Rob Ward has personally sold in excess on $1billion worth of real estate.  An experienced and high performing salesperson, Rob has been recognized as one of Australia's top 100 agents 3 years running by REB, and top 3 worldwide in Australia's largest real estate franchise group.

Kylie Walsh – General Manager Di Jones Real Estate

Kylie Walsh is General Manger of Di Jones Real Estate and a Licensed Real Estate Agent. With over twenty years' experience in the industry she has held a variety of roles that have taken her from the beach to the bush in positions of increasing responsibility.  Most recently elected to board of directors of the REI NSW, in addition to other industry qualifications, Kylie holds Diplomas in Marketing, Accounting and Business Management and is an Accredited Trainer.  She has won numerous real estate industry awards at the elite level for sales and property management and was a previous State finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the year award.

Keith Walker – Head of Sales

Keith Walker brings a wealth of industry experience and respect to this new role. Keith was a very successful salesperson, Licensee, Auctioneer, Sales/Marketing Manager, Company Director and Managing Director of the Ray White Hunter Valley Group.  He then transitioned into a National Business Consultant role with Sugar International for two years before joining LJ Hooker for eight years where he was NSW Senior Regional Manager and then QLD Senior Franchise Manager with a portfolio of 47 franchises.  In January of 2012 Keith was the Regional Owner and Franchise Director RE/MAX Australian and RE/MAX New Zealand.  He was responsible for opening 35 new offices within 3 years overseeing their growth in a rapidly changing environment.  Keith's professional affiliations include being a past Chairman REINSW Hunter Valley Chapter, Franchise Council of Australia member and Director Australian Property Finance and New Zealand Property Finance.

Lisa Boyle – Community Collaboration & Brand Manager

An accomplished professional with over 20 years' experience in media, advertising, digital and property markets. Lisa progressed through a number of sales roles over 13 years with Fairfax Media in Sydney and Melbourne, and moved back into the property sector in a sales management position at realestate.com.au before transitioning to National Sales Training Manager, working with stakeholders and trainers to develop sales and digital capability of the national sales force in the rapidly emerging digital space. Lisa is motivated to utilise her specialised market knowledge and skills at Di Jones, engaging with current and prospective clients and helping to promote the brand to new and exciting heights.

Alexandra Hainsworth- Head of Marketing

Alexandra Hainsworth located to Australia in 2012 having previously resided and worked in Las Vegas. During Alex's time in Las Vegas she worked in the Events and Branding industry. Alex was responsible for planning and coordinating large scale events for multi-national companies as well as brand strategy and positioning conferences. She has always had a flare for the way a company's story is presented and the experience that will mean for the consumer. Alex has a degree in communications and business management and her interests in assisting businesses increase their profile through a variety of marketing strategies and aligning these to the company's corporate vision to increase revenue and market share resulting in her accepting a role with LJ Hooker. Alex worked with LJ Hooker in WA and then moved into the Marketing & Technology team at LJ Hooker's Corporate office in Sydney. Alexandra joined Di Jones Real Estate in 2014, her extensive experience aligns perfectly with the company's future vision and direction.

Nicki Washburn

Nicki has had a natural progression during her career, she started as the bookkeeper for a customs agency in Woolloomooloo and then took time out to have three boys, run her own sole trader bookkeeping business and returned to the workforce as the Accounts Manager for a specialty engineering firm and then Raine & Horne North Sydney. Nicki joined Di Jones Real Estate in 2014 and has not looked back. With a passion for real estate, company growth, change and innovation Di Jones Real Estate is the perfect partnership.

Bridgette Barker

Bridgette Barker offers a wealth of real estate experience with over 13 years in residential property management. Bridgette is driven and passionate about property management and her positive attitude and communication skills instantly put her clients at ease. Bridgette is perfectly attuned to the needs and expectations of landlords and tenants. A highly skilled negotiator Bridgette provides unrivaled experience, professionalism and integrity not just to our clients but also to the industry. Bridgette is committed to tailoring individual strategies to suit any situation as she understands that all client needs are different.