We’re thrilled to unveil this year’s list of influential leaders—individuals and organisations who we feel have made a significant impact on the Australian residential real estate sector.

Our selection celebrates individuals who have shaped the industry through innovation and leadership, redefining how real estate professionals and consumers engage with the market.

This year, our annual ranking takes a fresh approach. Instead of a traditional 1-to-50 listing, we’ve grouped our Top 50 into five categories that showcase their unique contributions to shaping the real estate landscape.

They are:

Thought Leaders

Thought leaders in real estate bring fresh perspectives and creative solutions to the industry’s most pressing challenges, transforming them into opportunities for growth—not just for themselves but for others as well. These individuals shape a more dynamic and forward-thinking profession, setting higher standards and fostering improvement across the industry.

Power Players

This category’s executives and industry leaders shape the sector at its highest levels through their decisions and substantial influence. They’re the driving forces behind publicly listed companies, record-breaking results and transformative strategies. Their impact resonates throughout the entire industry, setting the agenda for real estate’s future.

Rule Breakers

These industry pioneers are redefining what’s possible in real estate through unconventional approaches, innovative business models and bold leadership. From transforming traditional practices to introducing groundbreaking solutions, they demonstrate that breaking the rules—thoughtfully and strategically—can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

Game Changers

These leaders continually change how we think about property, pushing boundaries and creating new standards of excellence in the industry.

People’s Choice

Voted by the industry for the industry, these professionals exemplify excellence, innovation, and dedication in real estate. Here are our readers inspirations for 2024.

Within each category, entries appear alphabetically by first name, allowing us to better highlight the breadth of talent better and influence across the sector—from innovation and leadership to advocacy and transformation. The stars note how many times the person has appeared on this list (we’ve included this annotation for anyone who has been featured on this list for four years or more).

As always, the detailed criteria used to compile this list are included at the end of this post.

Samantha McLean Managing Editor – Elite Agent

 

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Thought Leaders 2024

‘True thought leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice—it’s about being the most trusted voice.’

Andy Reid | Speaker, Coach, Auctioneer

Andy Reid is director of Apollo Auctions Victoria, leading a full-service auctioneering company partnering with more than 130 real estate agencies across Victoria. Andy’s dynamic style and candid approach extend beyond the auction platform through his mental health advocacy in the real estate sector. His Elite Agent column, ‘Let’s talk about mental health in real estate‘, has resonated deeply with readers. Andy launched the ‘High Performance Humans‘ podcast in 2023, exploring success, influence, connection and happiness. His upcoming book, ‘Success Curious’, scheduled for early 2025, aims to make success more accessible to a broader audience.

Antonia Mercorella | CEO, REIQ
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In her tenth year as CEO, Antonia Mercorella earned recognition as a finalist for The Courier-Mail Business Person of the Year Award at the Lord Mayor’s Business Awards. Her leadership has transformed REIQ into a progressive industry body championing sustainable real estate practices and property technology advancement. Antonia’s advocacy extends to representing Australia’s real estate professionals before a Federal Senate Committee, particularly regarding balanced anti-money laundering legislation. Her commitment to social justice shines through her role as Ambassador for The Forgotten Women and former Board Director of the Sycamore School.

Fiona Blayney | CEO, Real+
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Fiona Blayney remains instrumental in transforming real estate businesses through strategic consultancy, training, and education. In 2024, she empowered professionals to harness data for operational excellence and team development.

Her dynamic, people-centric coaching style has made her a sought-after mentor for agencies looking to improve performance. At Elite Retreat, her “Unlock the Power of Numbers to Revolutionise Your Business” session showed how data analysis reveals hidden opportunities—turning simple mathematics into a strategic advantage.

Fiona Blayney is the only person to appear in “Influencers” for each of the six years this list has been published.

Jacob Caine | REIV President and CEO, Ray White Commercial Real Estate

Re-elected as REIV President in 2024, Jacob Caine spearheads the organisation’s modernisation through headquarters relocation, technology implementation and innovative education programmes. As CEO of Ray White Commercial Real Estate, Jacob manages extensive portfolios while representing the industry globally, including his role as a delegate at COP29 advocating for sustainable housing practices.

 

Mark Cohen | Vice President Product for Asia-Pacific, MRI Software

Mark Cohen‘s leadership in property technology (proptech) innovation culminated in the development of Property Management X (PMX), an AI-enabled platform revolutionising how commercial property professionals interact with data. The platform’s Ask Agora capability enables natural language queries across property databases, while PMX On the Go delivers mobile access to essential property data. His influence has positioned MRI Software as an industry pioneer in AI adoption, particularly significant as 76 per cent of commercial real estate executives are prioritising automation.

Mark McLeod | Chief Strategy Officer, Ray White
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Mark McLeod‘s strategic vision has delivered measurable financial benefits to Ray White businesses throughout 2024. His thought leadership, exemplified in Elite Agent articles like ‘Is Marketing Just an Illusion?’, champions the fusion of data-driven strategies with relationship building. At Elite Retreat, Mark’s candid discussion with Gavin Rubinstein explored the fundamentals of becoming a real estate powerhouse.

Matt Lahood | Co-Founder and CEO of Real Estate, The Agency

Matt Lahood‘s 35-year industry expertise drives The Agency’s strategic growth through key acquisitions. His 2024 initiatives expanded the company’s property management portfolio significantly, including the integration of Callagher and Kellys in Sydney’s Inner West, adding 1,500 properties, and the acquisition of Snow Real Estate in Toowoomba, contributing an additional 500 managements.

Scott Bateman | CEO, Kolmeo

Scott Bateman‘s innovative approach to property management came to life in 2024 with the launch of Kolmeo Plus, a platform that connects tenants and landlords with essential services. His thought leadership has shone at Elite Retreat for the past three years, where he analyses problem-solving methods through engaging “Harvard-style” case studies.

Sharon Fox-Slater | Managing Director, EBM RentCover

Sharon Fox-Slater has built EBM RentCover into an industry leader protecting 165,000 rental properties nationwide. Her 2024 partnership with Zurich Financial Services Australia positions the company for substantial growth. Under Sharon’s leadership, EBM RentCover distributed $47.5 million in claims throughout 2023, maintaining a 96 per cent acceptance rate. As one of Australia’s first women to complete the Advanced Diploma in Insurance Broking, she mentors emerging executives while maintaining strategic oversight.

Steve Carroll | Founder, Digital Live
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Steve Carroll‘s impact in 2024 extends beyond his Agent Profile Masterclass and digital leadership expertise. His British tour in 2024 strengthened vital leadership connections between the Australian and UK real estate industries, with some big initiatives to come in 2025. The Digital Live Charity Ride continues its social impact, with the 2025 Thailand cycling challenge raising $250,000 for Hands Across the Water – and pedalling into its biggest year yet.

 

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Power Players 2024

‘Power players are the architects of progress, leading with vision, strategy and influence far beyond their own organisations.’

Antony Catalano | Executive Chairman, Australian Community Media and View Media Group

Antony Catalano strengthened his market position in 2024 through considered acquisitions and key appointments. His View Media Group (VMG) acquired The Property Agency in August, adding 35 specialists to create a comprehensive property communications offering. VMG’s organisational evolution included appointing former Domain executive Damon Pezaro as Chief Product Officer and Sian Rowlands as Managing Director of Financial Services to oversee the ANZ partnership. Antony’s influence extends beyond real estate, with negotiations alongside ARN Media for a potential Southern Cross Austereo takeover, where he holds a 14.4 per cent stake. His Australian Community Media group has modernised its publishing model, balancing digital growth with considered print presence.

Dan White | Managing Director, Ray White Group
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As a fourth-generation leader steering Australia’s largest real estate network, Dan White’s direction has driven remarkable growth, with property sales surging 19 per cent to reach $86 billion in the latest financial year. Under his guidance, 2024 saw the successful launch of specialised divisions RWC Retail and RWC Medical, while the group’s technology platforms—Neoval, Ailo and NurtureCloud—transformed client and agent support systems. Dan’s hands-on management style reflects both his legal background and deep understanding of property investment, gained through his directorship of White & Partners. His philosophy captures the group’s ethos: ‘Curiosity keeps us young and ambitious, ensuring we continually improve while maintaining our unique identity.’

David Bowie | Senior Vice President and Managing Director, MRI Software Asia-Pacific

David Bowie’s 2024 achievements include orchestrating a groundbreaking partnership with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and revolutionising rental payment systems across the Australian marketplace. His leadership manifested in key appointments, including Audrey Nicoll as Senior Director of Growth and Marketing, and Dr Sarah Bell as Director of Strategic Partnerships. As Treasurer of the Rise Initiative, David champions mental wellness in property technology, actively contributing to industry wellbeing through advocacy and leadership.

John Foong | Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director – Agent Experience, Domain Group

John Foong’s leadership at Domain Group has yielded remarkable results throughout 2024. As Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director of Agent Experience, he helped Domain’s monthly audience reach 7.1 million visitors in October, maintaining consistent growth for six consecutive months. His flagship achievement was launching Audience Boost in July 2024, an AI-powered feature automatically promoting property listings across Facebook, Instagram and Google’s networks. The initiative delivered a 23 per cent increase in listing views, uniquely combining Domain’s proprietary data with AI capabilities to match properties with potential buyers. A respected industry voice with more than 10,000 LinkedIn followers, John regularly shares insights on leadership and market trends through leading property podcasts.

Kul Singh | Chief Customer Officer, REA Group

Kul Singh‘s 2024 approach doubled the organisation’s customer-facing teams, creating an integrated approach by combining product, sales, marketing and support functions. His commitment to community impact shone through Ready24, a landmark customer event featuring tennis legend Andre Agassi that raised $400,000 for homelessness charities, including Orange Sky and The Big Issue. Looking ahead, Kul has secured an impressive Ready25 lineup featuring Olympic champions Cathy Freeman and Saya Sakakibara, alongside thought leaders Rohit Bhargava and Dom Price, plus endurance athlete Nedd Brockmann.

Leanne Pilkington | CEO, Laing+Simmons and President, REIA
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Leanne Pilkington‘s appointment as REIA President in December 2023 marked a watershed moment, leading the organisation’s first all-female leadership team alongside Hannah Gill as deputy president and Anna Neelagama as CEO. Her leadership during REIA’s centennial year has strengthened its foundational mission of maintaining excellence across the sector, representing 46,793 businesses nationwide. Under her guidance, agents facilitate approximately 500,000 sales annually and manage 2.7 million rental properties. At Laing+Simmons, Leanne achieved significant expansion in 2024, establishing the company’s first Victorian presence in Point Cook, Melbourne’s western growth corridor.

Melina Cruickshank | Chief Product and Audience Officer, REA Group
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Leading a team of 700+ professionals across Product, Brand, Marketing, Engineering and PropTrack divisions, Melina Cruickshank‘s vision materialised in September 2024 with the launch of ‘NextGen listings’ on realestate.com.au. The platform, generating 2.4 billion monthly image interactions, now features enhanced capabilities, including larger dynamic images, AI-powered feature detection and an exclusive ‘Tour the Property’ function that has increased complete listing viewership from 7 to 58 per cent.

Owen Wilson | CEO, REA Group
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Owen Wilson’s leadership delivered exceptional results in the 2024 financial year, with revenue climbing 23 per cent to $1.45 billion and net profit rising 24 per cent to $461 million. The group’s flagship site realestate.com.au attracted 10.8 million monthly visitors with the REA Group achieving 127.2 million monthly visits. His decisions included completing the Realtair acquisition for $34 million and making four separate bids to acquire UK property portal Rightmove, ultimately demonstrating disciplined capital management by refusing to overpay. REA Group’s success extended beyond financial metrics, ranking as Australia’s fifth Best Workplace in 2023—the highest-ranked ASX-listed business in the top ten.

Phil Harris | Managing Director, Harris Real Estate

Phil Harris reinforced his position as one of South Australia’s most influential real estate figures in 2024, with Harris Real Estate claiming the Residential Agency of the Year title at the National REA Excellence Awards. The firm’s achievements include induction into the REISA Awards Hall of Fame for Large Residential Agency and silver in the Marketing & Communications category. Rather than pursuing interstate expansion, Phil maintains a focused approach on Adelaide, seeing substantial growth potential in both sales and property management divisions.

Simon Cohen | Founder, Cohen Handler

Simon Cohen’s leadership of Australia’s largest residential property buyer’s agency yielded remarkable results in 2024, facilitating close to $2 billion in property transactions and approximately 700 purchases. The family-owned business expanded to nearly 100 staff nationwide, opening its first ACT office and doubling Western Australian operations. Simon’s influence in luxury property remained prominent, introducing buyers for prestigious properties including the $80 million Alcooringa estate in Bellevue Hill. The organisation’s 15th year saw substantial growth across all divisions, including CH Secure and Costi Cohen, while key appointments included Nicole Jacobs as Managing Director of Victorian operations. Simon expanded his media presence as a judge on Channel Seven’s renovation series Dream Home, where his direct style complemented his extensive real estate knowledge.

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Rule Breakers 2024

‘True innovation comes from those willing to challenge conventions and create new paradigms for success.’

Avi Khan | Group CEO, Ray White AKG

A transformative leader in Queensland real estate, Avi Khan steered Ray White AKG to claim the prestigious Large Residential Agency of the Year at the REIQ Awards for Excellence. His fresh vision manifested through a significant organisational shift, introducing a service-oriented model and expanding his team. Avi’s theOne Conference brought together 500 industry professionals on the Gold Coast, while his ‘Call Me Successful’ podcast explores business, real estate and entrepreneurship. His influence spans multiple Ray White offices, including Daisy Hill, Brookwater, Greater Springfield and Marsden, maintaining his position as a Chairman’s Elite Business Leader.

Hannah Gill | Director of Property Management, The Property Collective
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Hannah Gill’s journey from accidental industry entrant to REIA Deputy President exemplifies transformative leadership. At The Property Collective, she has grown the organisation to 45 staff across multiple locations while maintaining exceptional team culture through her innovative ‘Culture Playbook’. The organisation’s comprehensive service model, offering maintenance, finance and marketing support, earned recognition as REIACT Large Residential Agency. Hannah’s leadership in REIA’s historic all-female team demonstrates her growing influence in shaping industry direction.

Jess Whatman | Founder and CEO, AgentSync

A pioneer in real estate support services, Jess Whatman has reshaped the virtual assistance landscape through AgentSync, establishing it as Australia’s premier real estate virtual assistant agency. Her innovative home-based model throughout the Philippines provides comprehensive support across administration, marketing, social media and accounting functions. A finalist in the Real Estate Business Awards’ ‘Innovator of the Year’ category for two consecutive years, Jess’s leadership emphasises ethical employment practices and mutual success, supported by a sophisticated four-step placement process.

Josh Cobb | CEO and Founder, Stepps

Josh Cobb has redefined property marketing through data-driven solutions at Stepps. His 2024 launch of Listd.com.au, Australia’s first property portal engineered to boost agencies’ website visibility on Google, offers a fresh alternative to traditional listing platforms. Under his guidance, Stepps continues to transform agency marketing through SEO-optimised websites and sophisticated digital strategies, while his ‘Real Estate Pros’ podcast remains a valued industry resource.

 

Josh Horner | Director, The Horner Agency

From centre stage to real estate stage, Josh Horner has brought theatrical flair to the Central Coast property market. The former professional ballet dancer and Dancing With The Stars judge has transformed traditional property transactions into memorable performances, complete with celebratory ‘sold’ dances that have become social media sensations. His agency, distinguished by its whimsical dancing gnome logo, has completed 27 property transactions in the Wyong region, bringing showmanship and precision to every sale.

Kristen Porter | CEO & Legal Strategist, O*NO Legal

Third-generation real estate professional turned legal innovator, Kristen Porter has revolutionised how Australian real estate agencies approach their legal needs. Her practical guidance through major industry changes, including the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, has proved invaluable. Nominated for the Women in Law Awards 2024, Kristenz’s influence spans privacy compliance, acquisitions and succession planning, while her firm offers both DIY legal templates and comprehensive custom legal services.

Nick Georges | Director, Wingman Group

Since launching in late 2022, Nick Georges has transformed Wingman Group into an offshoring powerhouse, approaching 1,000 team members and partnering with major brands across Australia. Beyond reshaping industry perceptions of offshoring, Nick’s social impact initiatives have gained recognition, with the recent Wingman Conference raising more than $100,000 for anti-trafficking efforts in the Philippines.

 

Nina Sutton | Managing Director, Property Management Partners

With over 20 years of industry experience, Nina Sutton has changed the game in property management training through her engaging approach at Property Management Partners (PMP). Her 2024 launch of PMP Academy offers comprehensive courses for all career stages, while her PM LEAD program features collaboration with high-profile industry experts. Nina champions property manager recognition through National Property Managers Day celebrations and the PM REVIVE conference.

Tim McKibbin | Chief Executive Officer, REINSW

Tim McKibbin strengthened his position as an industry innovator in 2024, spearheading REINSW’s appointment of Alice Ing as Australia’s first AI board advisor. His data-driven approach to industry challenges has highlighted crucial issues, including his analysis revealing 15,000 people monthly failing to secure rental accommodation in NSW. Tim maintains his characteristic straight-talking advocacy while embracing innovative solutions to enhance REINSW’s effectiveness.

 

William Yip | Director – Team YIP, Collective First National Wellington

William Yip‘s authentic leadership style has redefined success in property services. His multicultural team of eight professionals offers services in Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay, Hindi, and Vietnamese. William’s candid acknowledgement of his Asperger’s has become a cornerstone of his success, enabling exceptional problem-solving capabilities while maintaining emotional balance. His involvement in more than 400 community groups demonstrates his commitment to social impact over traditional industry metrics.

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Game Changers 2024

“Gamechangers in real estate are the ones redefining what’s possible. They’re the visionaries, and the people turning big ideas into real impact.”

Gavin Rubinstein | Founder, The Rubinstein Group
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Gavin Rubinstein continues to dominate Sydney’s luxury real estate market with record-breaking sales in 2024. His achievements include the sale of Tamarama’s ‘The Dixon’ penthouse for approximately $20 million. TRG’s expansion into Hunters Hill proved equally successful, with 17 Nelson Parade achieving $11.56 million, exceeding the reserve by over $1 million and setting a street record.

 

John McGrath | CEO, McGrath Estate Agents
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John McGrath led a transformative year for McGrath Estate Agents. In February, the company unveiled a comprehensive brand refresh, introducing a new logo, warm colour palette, and the tagline ‘Guiding you Home’. A significant shift occurred in June when McGrath returned to private ownership through a joint acquisition by Knight Frank and Bayleys in New Zealand, enhancing the firm’s international reach and market presence.

Josh Tesolin | Principal, Ray White Quakers Hill – The Tesolin Group

Josh Tesolin continued his remarkable streak of achievements in 2024, securing numerous prestigious awards across various categories. Here’s a summary of his notable accolades for 2024, including RateMyAgent’s Number one Agent in Australia for the fifth consecutive year. This year, he added to his already full trophy cabinet with the prestigious Ray White Awards—top Principal and Top Office. He was also the Top Residential Agent (Most Properties Sold) at the realestate.com.au 2024 AREA awards.

Laura Valenti | Principal and Director of Property Management, McGrath North Lakes

Laura Valenti’s influence extends beyond real estate through her co-founding of SafeHome Alliance, supporting vulnerable tenants in securing safe housing. As a Board Director of REIQ, she champions industry standards while advocating for community support, particularly for domestic violence survivors.

Marty Fox | Founder and CEO, WHITEFOX

Marty Fox‘s distinctive boutique brand, WHITEFOX, continued its impressive expansion in 2024, building upon its international presence established in New Zealand the previous year. The company’s growth trajectory and Fox’s rising profile in the real estate industry have been noteworthy.