LJ Hooker Group names its new head of marketing

Following an international search, LJ Hooker Group gave James Boulton the new role of head of marketing for its house of brands.

James Boulton

Boulton, who brings more than a decade’s international and local real estate marketing experience to the role, officially started 1 February.

Speaking about the appointment, LJ Hooker chief performance officer Christine Mikhael, said she was pleased to welcome someone as experienced and revered in the international real estate industry as Boulton.

“I’m thrilled we have been able to attract a person of James’ calibre to lead marketing across the LJ Hooker Group, which includes Australian superbrand and our franchise network, LJ Hooker and our company-owned brand, Atlas by LJ Hooker.

“James is creatively driven, results-focused, and customer-obsessed, having led marketing and communication teams at several world-leading companies including tech-focused real estate group, Compass, and global money transfer business, Xe.”

At Compass, Boulton developed brand marketing and acquisition strategies to support its strategic growth in new markets across the United States.

“His track record at Compass was outstanding. James played a key role in the attraction of top agent teams to support Compass’ rapid expansion across the United States, and his development of marketing onboarding operations and integration processes led to a talent retention rate of 99.7 per cent,” Mikhael said.

“Most recently, James led the global repositioning of international money transfer and solutions provider Xe, as it expanded its services to more than 40 new countries.”

Before moving to the United States, Boulton was the marketing manager for McGrath Limited.

“Despite navigating two years of various lockdowns and challenging conditions, the LJ Hooker Group had its strongest year on record thanks to the dedication of our offices and the platforms, processes and teams we have in place to support them,” Mikhael said.

“We opened 13 LJ Hooker offices in new markets around Australia and two new Atlas offices in premium Sydney markets.

“The momentum of both our brands for 2022 is strong, and James’ appointment reflects the strategic importance and growth potential of our offerings to our network of offices and consumers.

“We are laser-focused on ensuring we continue to deliver value and do more for them at every stage of their journey.”

Supporting Boulton is a team of marketing specialists across brand, performance marketing and social media for LJ Hooker, Atlas and the LJ Hooker Group.

On his appointment, Boulton said his focus – and that of his team – will be to articulate the LJ Hooker Group’s compelling vision for its brands so that they can cater to the needs of each market they operate in.

“It’s a clear point of difference for the LJ Hooker Group in having a multi-brand business model so they can better serve their real estate agents.

“I’m looking forward to leading the LJ Hooker brand into a new era as it nears its centenary in 2028.”