First National Real Estate’s former Online Services Manager Suzi Cowperthwaite has returned to the group in the newly created role of National Experience Manager.
Ms Cowperthwaite’s appointment expands First National’s executive management team to four and completes a restructure of the network’s marketing, recruitment and management sectors.
After departing First National in 2011 to pursue her ambitions in business marketing consultancy, Ms Cowperthwaite has been in demand for more than a decade across industries incorporating real estate, recruitment, sporting organisations, consumer goods, finance, small business and State Government.
First National’s chief executive Ray Ellis said Ms Cowperthwaite’s customer experience expertise would “not only deepen the relationship between the network and its members, but also between the brand and Australian consumers”.
After more than a decade’s absence from First National, Ms Cowperthwaite said she was excited about her return to the network.
“First National plays a critical role in Australian real estate,” she said. “It has proved that a not-for-profit ‘Adaptive Cooperative’ is not only relevant, but effectively competes head-on with franchise brands to deliver more leads, marketing resources and business support.”
Ms Cowperthwaite said she was impressed by what First National has been delivering in terms of training, technology, marketing, industry advocacy and is enthusiastic about advancing its membership experience.
“It’s plain to see that the management restructure has created opportunities to fully leverage all of the network’s advantages and I look forward to seizing hold of these opportunities,” she said.
Mr Ellis said the industry, as well as its expectations of major brands, had completely changed since the onset of COVID-19 and led many Australians to rethink their real estate goals.
He said First National was experiencing unprecedented membership inquiry “and Ms Cowperthwaite’s appointment will assure new heights are achieved”.
