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Knight Frank Appoints Mike Knowles to New Board-Level Lettings Role

Knight Frank has appointed Mike Knowles to the newly created board-level position of Head of Lettings Business Development. The new role consolidates several operational divisions under unified leadership.

Knowles will oversee the integration of Knight Frank’s Lettings Completion Solutions, Relocation and Corporate Services, and Short Lets functions into a single structure. He is set to join the lettings board when he starts on 13th July.

Knowles joins Knight Frank from CBRE, where he spent 12 years, most recently as Head of Residential Agency. His appointment comes at a time when the rental sector is attracting significant investment, with institutional interest in residential lettings described as robust.

Gary Hall, Head of Lettings at Knight Frank, stated that the restructure aims to align teams and improve operational efficiency. The consolidation of these divisions reflects broader industry trends, with build-to-rent investment reaching £3 billion in the first half of the year, indicating sustained demand for professional lettings services.

According to Hall, Knowles will set the strategic direction for the integrated Business Development function and lead efforts to strengthen client relationships across the divisions. The appointment highlights Knight Frank’s focus on streamlining its lettings operations as competition increases in the residential rental market. The board-level nature of the role signals the strategic importance the firm places on its lettings division amid changing market conditions.