Jeremy Helsby is to retire as group chief executive at the end of 2018.
He has spent 39 years at Savills, 11 of them as group chief executive.
Helsby will be succeeded by Mark Ridley, currently CEO of Savills UK and Europe, effective 1 January 2019. Helsby will join the Board of Savills plc as deputy group chief executive on 1 May 2018.
Ridley joined Savills in 1996 and brings over 30 years property experience in the UK, European and Asian markets. He was CEO of Savills UK commercial business from May 2008 and has been CEO of Savills UK since January 2013 and additionally of Savills Europe since September 2014. He has also been a member of Savills group executive board since its establishment in February 2008.
Nicholas Ferguson, chairman of Savills plc, said: “Under Jeremy Helsby’s leadership Savills has been transformed into a leading global real estate advisor, tripling revenue and offering the full range of transactional, asset management and consultancy services to clients in the world’s prime real estate markets. Jeremy has successfully both internationalised and diversified the business during his decade as chief executive.
“We are all delighted that, following his retirement from the board at the end of 2018, Jeremy’s experience and energy will remain available in an advisory role supporting our US management team in further growing the Savills US business.
“The board is delighted to appoint Mark Ridley as group chief executive on Jeremy’s retirement from the board on 31 December 2018. Mark is a highly experienced and respected senior Savills executive who will lead the group’s strong management team through the next phase of the development of the Savills business worldwide. The board and I very much look forward to working with him as group chief executive.”
Ridley said: “I look forward to working with Jeremy and the rest of the board over the year ahead as Savills continues to build on its global platform, delivering our clients with the very best service and ensuring we remain the international real estate advisor of choice in key global markets.”