Following the departure of Grenville Turner earlier this month, Countrywide’s Chief Information Officer, Oliver Skagerlind, is now yet another senior employee to announce his impending departure from the business.
Having come from a financial background, Skagerlind began working at the property giant in February 2011 and since managed the information technology within the company. His official departure date is said to be 31st March 2016, when he will “explore new opportunities”.
Since spring of last year, there has been a whole host of managers leaving Countrywide, including both the Managing and Commercial Directors, as well as Chairman, Grenville Turner shortly after the start of the New Year. Countrywide are reported to have scouted internally for suitable replacements, and have now hired professional headhunters to take charge of succession planning.
It is now up to Chief Executive, Alison Platt to lead Countrywide to safer ground, and is slowly moving the business towards a more retail focussed culture. Platt is allegedly planning to consolidate the number of sub-brands within the business, and may even buy up a technology SME in order to move towards becoming an online agency.
Investors are favouring the appointment of external successors to the senior roles, as this is said to invite fresh and independent minds into the supposedly constrained practices.
Commenting on the latest departure, a spokesperson for Countrywide said: “After 5 years, Oliver Skagerlind decided it is time to move on and explore new opportunities and will leave the Group on 31st March 2016. We wish Oliver all the very best for the future.”
