Media release - 19^th December, 2013

Raine & Horne to expand digital footprint

Former Fairfax Media digital marketing strategist, Greg Oddy, has joined Raine & Horne as the leading real estate group doubles its efforts to expand its online footprint in 2014.

With a resume that includes a turn with REA as the leading real estate portal’s National Learning and Development Manager, and as its state manager for Victoria and Tasmania, Mr Oddy will be working with Raine & Horne’s national franchise office network to increase their efforts to attract more appraisals, listings and sales through the internet.

“Greg is one of the most tech-savvy operators in property, having worked with Fairfax and REA, and he effectively marries this experience with significant industry expertise as a licenced real estate agent and in senior management positions with a number of other real estate franchise groups,” says Angus Raine, Executive Chairman and CEO of Raine & Horne.

“I’m thrilled that he has decided to join Raine & Horne and help drive our digital marketing and SEO strategies, social media reach, our database marketing and online profiling.”

Mr Oddy, who has a qualification in E-Business Marketing from the Newcastle Graduate School of Business, says working in all facets of real estate including agency, franchise management and online has him perfectly placed to deliver digital marketing advice to the Raine & Horne network.

“I’ve worked with some fantastic people in the industry and some very successful businesses, including REA where I was one of only 30 employees when I started with them in 2002,” says Mr Oddy.

“By the time I left in 2009, REA was employing hundreds of people and had a presence in multiple countries – it was a steep learning curve and an excellent experience which I continue to call on.”

Mr Oddy is also a strong advocate of the pervasiveness of mobile transactions – and with good reason.

Mobility is an increasing feature of online participation, with 7.5 million Australians using the internet via their mobile phone during June 2013, an increase of 33 percent (or ten percentage points)[i] compared to June 2012, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), and a telling 510 percent since June 2008.

“It’s indisputable that the growth of the mobile device is already a significant factor in the way Australians transact, and it’s up to the real estate industry to respond and embrace this new method for transacting,” says Mr Oddy.

–ENDS–

For further media information contact:

Greg Oddy, Business Support & Development Manager (Digital), Raine & Horne on 0498 003 724

Andrew Harrington, National Marketing & Communications Co-ordinator on 02 9258 5400

[i] http://www.acma.gov.au/theACMA/Library/Corporate-library/Corporate-publications/australia-mobile-digital-economy

Digital marketing whiz joins Raine & Horne