Directors
Kevin Beastall
DIRECTOR
Many, many years ago I’d finished studying and went to a careers meeting. They fed my interests and characteristics into a computer the size of a filing cabinet and it spat out my most perfectly aligned career…………estate agency, and so it looks like I was destined to do what I have always done.
I started at a very small local independent agent in 1987 before moving a year later to Whitegates. By 1990 I’d taken up my position as Branch Manager for Cornerstone Abbey National in their Huddersfield office. The industry had just suffered a huge property market crash, and little did I know that Huddersfield was their biggest loss maker in the Region. What I lacked in experience I made up for in raw energy and enthusiasm. In fact, my lack of experience helped me, as I’d pretty much only known a housing market on its knees and to me that was normal, and so I got on with making the most of it whilst seasoned hands moaned about conditions.
The Abbey National sold Cornerstone and it ran as an Independent for some time before being acquired by Reeds Rains (who in turn were later acquired by LSL). I managed to pull a handbrake on the losses and then beat each preceding years profit concluding with the final couple of years at the helm being companywide record breakers. This led to a Hall of Fame Award, the plaque for which I still cherish to this day.
Area and Regional management followed during which I spent the next 15 years wrestling to loosen the constrictions of the PLC corporate straitjacket that arrived, in my view, to hinder our ability to be estate agents. What a relief it has been to take the Reeds Rains brand back into independent ownership.
The last few years have been a joy, as well as incredibly hard work getting Favsco23 set up. We’ve managed to get back to some core beliefs and put property first rather than it being overshadowed by cross sales, or by chasing vanity projects. As a PLC our paymasters were effectively city stockbrokers, and so the main goal at that time was all about share prices and this led to decisions being made for the short term. Now we are making decisions to build for a stronger future, and I very much feel my responsibility as one of the custodians for a brand that has been around since 1868. Reeds Rains need to be in rude health and making the most of the next 150 years.
I have a few core beliefs that guide me and are never very far from mind. The first one is that you can’t sell or let what you haven’t listed. Get me in any scenario today whereby I can talk about being in a valuation and see me light up……….and struggle to shut up. The next is always trying to see things from the other point of view to help you make the right decisions and always be one step ahead. An oft quoted example of this is a property only being worth what someone is willing to pay, which in essence means valuing it through the eyes of the potential Buyers. From a business strategy point of view this translates to what do the customers actually want rather than trying to dictate that to them. Finally, I think our business should be run from the bottom up as much as possible, with strategy designed for local markets rather than a one size fits all. We should guide and support people but ultimately allow our sales force to be able and make an on-the-spot decision when it matters the most.
Another revelation for me in the last few years has been going back to school and studying for some fresh qualifications. I thought I’d reached an age where all of that was in the rear-view mirror but do now have IOOSH and ARLA qualifications under my belt.
My quote is somewhat stolen from a previous Reeds Rains great, Steve Minchin, ………. we aren’t a single business with 46 branches, but instead 46 businesses operating under a single umbrella.
I’m an instinctive estate agent and a ‘blue blood’ through and through.
Regional Managers
Jamie Knights
DIRECTOR
Starting my career as a trainee negotiator and progressing through every level of the business, I now lead 19 offices across Residential Sales, Lettings, and our Property Management Centre as Regional Director.
My journey has given me a deep understanding of the property industry - from frontline operations to strategic leadership - which allows me to drive performance while staying closely connected to the customer experience.
I am ARLA qualified and studied Business at both Manchester and Leeds universities.
I pride myself on being a modern and innovative leader, committed to challenging outdated thinking, investing in people, and using technology and data to strengthen our service and results.
My passion lies in developing high-performing teams and raising industry standards. I believe that exceptional results come from empowered people - individuals who feel supported, informed, and driven to deliver the best customer outcomes.
Having worked my way up from an industry trainee, I understand the importance of opportunity and continuous learning, and I’m committed to creating a culture where everyone can grow and succeed.
My leadership is grounded in integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
I expect high standards, but I also ensure my teams have the tools, knowledge, and confidence to meet them.
I’m focused on creating high-performing, business-minded teams that think strategically, act with accountability, and drive results
Quote:
"You don’t know what you don’t know - my goal is to turn knowledge into confidence, and confidence into results, for both my team(s) & customers."
Nick Bower
REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR
Now with over 35 years of property market experience under my belt, I’ve had the pleasure of working with and learning from so many great people during that time.
Most of my youth was spent playing and watching sport, and I dreamt of making a living playing Football or Rugby, but I also vividly remember being happy every Thursday afternoon when the local newspaper landed on the doormat!! Prior to the dawn of the Internet, each local Estate Agency advertised their newly Listed properties in a weekly pull-out supplement, and every Thursday evening I asked one of my parents to test me in a game of ‘guess the house price’. This sparked what was to become a keen interest in Estate Agency.
With the passing of time, it became very apparent that I wouldn’t make a professional sportsman, so only one of my desired career options remained and upon completing my A Levels I was delighted to land a position with an Estate Agency based in Macclesfield.
I picked up valuable experience working in three different branches as a Negotiator and then as Branch Manager in several other locations, dealing in both Sales & Lettings. I worked in contrasting geographical areas with differing demographics but learnt that good Estate Agents are successful regardless of where they operate.
Nowadays I predominantly look after the sales side of the business across Cheshire, Lancashire & North Wales and am proud that our highly skilled managers and branch colleagues deliver truly excellent standards of service to our many customers throughout the Region. It’s also gratifying to see how colleagues pitch in to help one another when needed and seeing a great many friendships being forged because of that. We’re quite a big company, but small enough to feel like one big happy family.
My passion has always been rooted in delivering the desired outcomes for our customers in a timely fashion and in treating everybody -customers & colleagues alike- with the utmost respect.
I’m a great believer in doing the basics consistently and to a very high standard. When in my mid-20s, the Reeds Rains Managing Director at the time regularly repeated that ‘The small things done on a regular basis will always bring great results’ and I most definitely concur with that. Consistency is key!!
Bryony Kilpatrick
REGIONAL LETTINGS DIRECTOR
Entering the property industry at just 17, I began my career as a part-time Saturday viewing representative in Lytham St Annes —mainly because I was admittedly a little nosy and loved the idea of seeing inside people’s homes, and my mum told me I needed to start paying towards my upkeep and my extra-curricular interests in owning horses!!!
That early curiosity quickly grew into a genuine passion, and I went on to complete a degree in Property Management and Investment, all while continuing to work part-time in the industry. These early years gave me a real appreciation for the people, the places, and the stories behind every property.
My career then took me to an agricultural estate agency in Staffordshire, but it didn’t take long for me to realise that my heart was firmly in the residential world—especially lettings. There’s something uniquely energising about the pace, the variety, and the responsibility that comes with helping people find a home and helping landlords protect their most valuable assets.
Over the years, I’ve worked across nearly every part of the property sector—from sales and new builds to learning and development—collecting qualifications, experience, and lifelong friends along the way. Those experiences have shaped the way I work today: with empathy, curiosity, and a deep respect for the ever-changing legal and market landscape that lettings demand. It’s an industry that keeps you on your toes, and that’s exactly why I love it. It holds my whole heart and passion.
Now, with nearly 30 years’ experience in the property sector, I bring together strong market insight, practical hands-on knowledge, and a truly customer-focused approach. I care deeply about building long-lasting relationships, creating a supportive and positive team culture, and ensuring every property is managed with the same care and professionalism I’d want for my own home. For me, lettings isn’t just a job—it’s a career built on people, trust, and the joy of helping others move forward in their lives.