Propertymark Trust announces five new ambassadors
Five new ambassadors have been appointed by the Board of Trustees of Propertymark Trust following an intensive and robust recruitment process.
The five are: Jess Masterton, Michael Omerji, Natalie O’Sullivan, Rachel Ollington and Ben Stokes.
Jess Masterton has been in the industry since 2011 and has seen first-hand the transformative impact learning, development and opportunity can have on people’s lives.
Michael Omarji is a highly experienced estate agent and respected property professional based in West London, with a career spanning over two decades in the industry. He is also Propertymark Regional Executive for West London.
Natalie O’Sullivan works for a small, independent estate agent based in Worcestershire where she is part of the senior management team.
Rachel Ollington founded, developed and successfully sold her own sales and rental agency, now working as an industry consultant. He has first-hand experience of the challenges agents face.
Ben Stokes has been in the property industry since 2004 and a Propertymark member since 2011. He has been actively associated with the organization and became the Vice President of ARLA Propertymark in 2025.
Current trustees Toby Martin, Mary Lou Press, Simon Leadbetter, Jasmine Deveraux, Sian Heming-Metcalfe, Richard Worrall, Hayley Elson, Sarah Goddard and Katie Fitzgerald remain in their roles.
Lauren Scott-Simpson, Chair of the Trust, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jess, Michael, Natalie, Rachel and Ben as Ambassadors and we are confident they will all make a vital contribution to building on the work we have already done and plan for the coming months and years.
“Having recently appointed five new trustees, we now have an extremely strong team of trustees and ambassadors, ready, willing and able to lead the Trust forward and build on the incredible work that has already been achieved.”
Lloyds Living appoints Chris Duggan as chief investment officer
Lloyds Living has appointed Chris Duggan as chief investment officer, bringing back a senior figure involved in the original launch of the platform as it looks to increase its investment in the UK rental housing market.
After several years at Legal & General, Duggan returned to the business he had helped found, where he was investment director in its single-family rental branch. Before joining L&G to focus on investment and operational strategy, he was part of the founding senior team of Citra Living, which was later rebranded as Lloyds Living.
He brings almost 15 years of investment experience to the role and has overseen the deployment of over £1 billion in single-family and multi-family rental housing during his tenures at Lloyds Living, Citra and L&G. Their work includes some of the largest institutional commitments ever made to the UK “living” sector.
Early in his career, Duggan spent seven years in capital markets at JLL and Knight Frank, advising institutional investors on residential and mixed-use transactions. He is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation.
As Chief Investment Officer, Duggan will be responsible for investment strategy, capital allocation and deployment across Lloyds Living’s single-family rental and affordable housing platforms. The business is one of the UK’s largest institutional investors in single-family rentals and plans to expand its portfolio in the coming years.
Partnerships are expected to remain a core part of that growth strategy, which includes investment partnerships with housebuilders and developers and development partnerships aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Chris has gained particular experience in this area through his work with institutional capital and residential developers.
His appointment comes as Lloyds Living expands its role in addressing the UK’s structural housing shortage against a backdrop of sustained demand for rental housing and growing institutional interest in the sector.
Matt Burgess, CEO of Lloyds Living, said: “He [Duggan] He played a key role in shaping Citra in its early days, and the experience he has gained since then – particularly in structuring large-scale partnership investments – makes him the perfect person to lead our investment strategy at this stage of our growth.
Dandara appointed Finance Director
Dandara has appointed Nick Davenport as Divisional Finance Director for its Housebuilding division, strengthening its leadership team as it pursues ambitious growth plans over the next five years.
Davenport joins Vistry Group where he held a number of senior roles including Divisional Finance Director of the West Division. He began his career as an auditor at Deloitte, working with clients such as Taylor Wimpey.
In his new role at Dandara, Davenport will oversee the financial performance of the company’s national homebuilding business. He will support regional growth across the board, including regional expansion and strategic land acquisitions, while helping to ensure the business remains efficient and flexible in a rapidly evolving market.
Based at Dandara’s Milton Keynes head office, Davenport said: “It is an honor for me to work for Dandara as the company embodies the values I believe a housebuilder should possess – a passion for building excellence and customer service, as well as a strong commitment to the communities it serves.
“Much of Dandara’s success is down to the fact that it does not operate like an anonymous corporation, the business is structured to give autonomy to regional management teams who know their local markets best. This ensures that the homes delivered in each region truly reflect the needs of local buyers. I look forward to spending time in the regions and supporting the teams as the business grows.
“While market conditions are currently challenging for the industry, homebuilding is inherently cyclical. Our focus will be on ensuring we are well-positioned to respond quickly and take advantage of future opportunities as they arise.”
Trevor Dempsey, CEO of Dandara, said: “Nick brings with him strong financial and operational experience from the housebuilding sector, making him a valuable addition to the team. His experience gives him insight into the day-to-day challenges of a housebuilding business, which go far beyond the balance sheet.
“He has an important role to play as we continue to grow the company and strengthen our delivery across private sales, affordable housing and partnerships. His expertise will be instrumental in helping us take the business to the next level, while ensuring we stay strong on the core values that define who we are.”