Dear Affiliates:
Christie’s International Real Estate continues to roll out new initiatives to our global Affiliate network, keeping us at the forefront of luxury real estate marketing and sales worldwide. Most immediately:
- Christie’s International Real Estate magazine will be produced by August Media, an award-winning U.K.-based firm. Their first directive is a complete re-design with lifestyle editorial to complement our portfolio of the world’s most beautiful homes. August Media has launched and edited some of Europe’s largest consumer newsstand titles, for clients as diverse as Whole Foods, Discovery Channel, and the London real estate brokerage Kinleigh, Folkard & Hayward.
- The printing of the magazine will transition over to Christie’s, which produces elegant catalogues for 800 sales each year.
- Our Web platform, www.christiesrealestate.com will be expanded into a truly international platform and best-in-class website by Gabriels Technologies, a recognized expert in digital design and optimization. New features will include the launch of 17 languages, 49 currencies, mobile capabilities (iPhone, Droid, mobile web), agent websites, enhanced property data management, and much more. Gabriels currently powers over 9 million online real estate listings worldwide.
We will be issuing complete information on each of these initiatives in the weeks ahead, beginning with a full overview of the magazine project next Monday.
These developments are part of the overarching Global Strategy, introduced in 2009, to develop Christie’s International Real Estate into a network that is truly global in scope and performing to the highest standards of innovation and marketing excellence to the benefit of our valued Affiliate network.
As part of a recent review of our business worldwide, and to further align ourselves with our parent company and our esteemed brand, we have decided to consolidate our marketing efforts in London and New York, which are Christie’s World and North American headquarters, respectively.
The Client Service role will be centralised in the New York office and expanded to include an account review process to ensure that every Affiliate in the network can maximize their association with the Christie’s brand. These new Client Service Associates, based as a team in New York, will also continue to deliver the network’s “help desk” solutions.
The Production staff will also be headquartered in New York. By having these both responsibilities in the same office as our Managing Director for the Americas, Jarvis Slade, and our Chief Marketing Officer, Ben Phillips, we will accelerate the response time not only for Affiliate servicing and queries but also for referral activity involving the real estate network and the art auction house.
As a result of these changes, the company’s Santa Fe office will phase out and close by July, 2012. This decision in no way reflects on the performance of the staff in Santa Fe, which is recognized throughout the network for their passionate expertise and exceptional client service. The decision means, however, the majority of our colleagues in Santa Fe will be leaving the company in the coming months. We are sorry to see some longstanding and highly-valued colleagues move on and wish them every success in their future.
Lisa Bessone, VP Global Communications and PR; Monique Sofo, PR Manager, Americas, and Global Social Media Manager; Kaysha Velarde, who will assume the new role of Manager, Global Training; and Kathy Haggerty, Advertising Sales Manager will continue with the company. Monique Sofo is relocating to New York while Lisa Bessone, Kaysha Velarde, and Kathy Haggerty will work remotely.
Your Regional Senior Vice President will be contacting you to confirm receipt of this letter. They will also be extending to you an invitation to join a regional conference call with Jarvis Slade, Managing Director, Americas; Ben Phillips, Chief Marketing Officer; your new Client Relations Associate, and current CSRs to discuss new processes and upcoming marketing initiatives.
Know that we remain steadfastly committed to delivering the highest standards of brand quality and client care. I am available, as always, to answer any of your questions and concerns.
Kind regards,
Neil
Neil Palmer MRICS
Chief Executive Officer
+44 (0)20 7389 2889 direct
[mail_to email=”npalmer@christies.com”]npalmer@christies.com[/mail_to]
8 King Street, St. James’s
London, SW1Y 6QT
UK
+44 (0)20 7389 2551 tel
+44 (0)20 7389 2403 fax
Christie’s International Real Estate | 20 Rockefeller Plaza | New York | NY | 10020