Senior figures from Connells, Foxtons and OnTheMarket will speak at this year’s EA Masters conference on 3 November. The event will examine key challenges facing estate agents, including falling lettings margins, artificial intelligence and lengthy property transactions.
Confirmed speakers
Chris Rosindale, chief operating officer at Connells Group, is among the confirmed speakers. He will be joined by Guy Gittins, chief executive of Foxtons, and Jason Tebb, president of OnTheMarket UK and Europe.
Other speakers include Richard Waind, who leads UAE-based estate agency Betterhomes, and Marian Finnegan, chief executive of Ireland’s Sherry FitzGerald Group. The conference will feature industry figures from the UK, Ireland, UAE, New Zealand, Australia and the US.
OnTheMarket is sponsoring the event, while broadcaster Lucia Fox will return as host.
AI, lettings margins and transaction delays on the agenda
This year’s programme will focus on the challenges facing estate and letting agents. One session will explore the growing use of AI and automation. Speakers will debate which tasks should be automated and where human involvement remains essential.
The discussion will cover lead qualification, valuations and administration. It will also examine whether some claims about AI’s capabilities have been overstated.
Another session will focus on lengthy property transactions and potential solutions. Landmark will discuss Project 28 and the Local Land Charges programme. LMS will examine lender-related delays, while legal experts will consider barriers to faster completions.
Other topics include landlord retention, pressure on lettings margins and lessons from overseas property markets.
Peter Knight, founder of EA Masters, said the event would address some of the industry’s biggest challenges. “Reflecting the World Class theme, this year’s EA Masters conference will involve more than 60 industry exhibitors and participants from across the globe as we examine the hottest issues in the industry right now, from landlord retention and margin pressure in lettings, to the positives and negatives of AI and the issue of ever lengthening transactions.”
He added: “This will be a genuinely stimulating learning opportunity as participants will leave with a practical playbook of world class tips to take back to their office to improve and grow their business.”
Industry awards to be announced
The conference will also host the Best Estate Agent Guide and Best Conveyancer Guide awards. Winners will be recognised during an awards lunch, with the latest edition of the Guide published on 4 November.
