The Presidential team is vital, as they act as a conduit to NAEA Propertymark’s membership, reaching out to members and championing their views to the Propertymark Board, helping shape the organisation so that it effectively prioritises their needs and truly represents them when working with local, regional and national Governments.
Both Liana and Stephen echo Kirsty Finney’s passion for education and will be looking to promote the benefits of gaining an industry qualification in preparation for RoPA. They are also big advocates for raising the professional profile of estate agents so that it’s seen in the same light as accountants and solicitors, a big part of this is getting qualified and promoting the benefits of education to our membership.
Liana has over 22 years’ experience in the property industry working in both large corporate and boutique agencies. Having started her career at the largest real estate company in her native Malta, Liana then re-located to the UK, in what was supposed to be a sabbatical. Her experience in “the most vibrant property market in the world” with one of the leading corporate agencies in London meant she never left.
When I first moved to the UK it quickly became evident that being an estate agent was not as well regarded as other career paths in the UK. This realisation came as a huge surprise to me as it’s a different story in Malta, where it is seen as a highly regarded profession.
My journey of trying to raise that professional profile started with NAEA Propertymark, which then led to a growing hunger to become qualified. I am obsessed with changing the face of the industry to allow all the great agents I’ve met across the country shine, which is one of the reasons why I am a huge believer in RoPA. I am absolutely elated to be President Elect for NAEA Propertymark because I am now able to make a difference and contribute to this process.
Stephen has worked within the property market in Northern Ireland for thirty years, starting out with Nationwide Estate Agents and working his way up the ranks to eventually open his own agency Donnybrook Estate Agents in 1997. Stephen has been an active NAEA Propertymark member for nearly thirty years, which has led him to be a Regional Executive for Northern Ireland before becoming Vice President.
Throughout my career, I have continually updated my knowledgebase through education. I firmly believe that every day is a school day, and I am a keen advocate of continual education and the good it does for our industry. I will be looking to promote further education with our members to help them prepare for incoming regulation.
Being recognised by my peers to become Vice President is both an honour and a privilege. I have been an NAEA Propertymark member for nearly thirty years and over that time I have watched with great interest the must needed change in our industry shaped to a large degree by previous Boards and Regional Executives. I am now becoming part of that history and look forward to playing my role in further advancing the aims and objectives of our members and Propertymark as a whole.
It’s fantastic to welcome Liana and Stephen to the NAEA Propertymark Presidential team. They are experienced property experts working in different markets across the UK, their input on behalf of members is crucial in directing Propertymark’s focus. I look forward to working with them to ensure that we understand members' needs and address the issues they face.
