Sherry FitzGerald’s cofounder Mark FitzGerald has rejoined the estate agent’s board as a non-executive director.
FitzGerald previously stepped down from the board of the estate agent following the sale of the business to Tommy Kelly’s CastleGate Investments in 2022 for a reported €50 million.
FitzGerald, 68, was a cofounder of Sherry FitzGerald in 1982, building it into Ireland’s biggest estate agency.
Commenting on his appointment to the board after a four-year hiatus, Marian Finnegan, chief executive of Sherry FitzGerald Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Mark back to the board. His long-standing connection to the company, his strategic vision, and his deep commitment to Irish property make him a tremendous asset at an important moment for the group.
“As we continue to strengthen and evolve our business, Mark’s perspective and leadership will play a valuable role in shaping our path forward.”
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His appointment follows the recent acquisition by Sherry FitzGerald of rival Knight Frank, a deal that effectively marks its return to the commercial property market after an absence of about eight years.
Sherry Fitz operates a network of 105 branches, of which 31 are directly owned. It has a market share of about 15 per cent in residential property here, and also owns the Simon Brien agency in Northern Ireland.
Sherry Fitz’s wholly owned business sold about 4,500 new and second-hand properties here last year. In addition, its network of franchisees sold almost 4,600 homes between them.
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That was in a market where around 48,000 second-hand transactions took place, alongside the sale of 10,000 new homes.
In a recent interview with The Irish Times, Marian Finnegan outlined the growth opportunities for the company.
“I would love to see the investment in Knight Frank expanding, going into new business areas, it’s a huge opportunity for them and for us to look at a full service offering in the sector.
“We’d like to look at other opportunities in the North and in the medium to long term if you’re looking to diversify as a business you need to diversify outside one economy. I would like to look at the UK. London is the obvious choice but that’s just an aspiration rather than a plan.”