Knight Frank names first affiliate brokers as new London model gains traction

Simon and Mark Lee were previously based in the firm’s Canary Wharf office, which has transitioned into a City & East London Hub, covering Canary Wharf, Wapping, Shoreditch, London/Tower Bridge and Southbank. Mark Ruffell has previously led the firm’s Hyde Park and Southbank offices. They are all now fully operational as Knight Frank affiliate brokers.

Since becoming affiliate brokers, the trio have already completed several deals, including a four-bedroom penthouse in Butler’s Wharf with a guide price of £6.25 million, led by Simon Boulton, and a three-bedroom apartment in Casson Square, guided at £6 million, led by Mark Lee.

Rory Penn, Head of London residential sales at Knight Frank said, “This marks a pivotal moment for our London residential business, and we are delighted that Simon, Mark Lee and Mark Ruffell are our first affiliate brokers in London. Simon has been a star performer across the prime City and East market for many years with Knight Frank and has engineered some of the City’s landmark residential transactions. Mark Lee led our high-volume Canary Wharf office and has an outstanding reputation for transaction execution and client care. Mark Ruffell brings a strong track record from his leadership of two Knight Frank offices. Together, they form the foundations for our affiliate broker network.

“Alongside our exceptional local offices, which are fundamental to our business, the new affiliate broker model enables us to grow at pace into new markets. The industry response has been hugely positive, with almost 100 enquiries from prospective affiliate brokers already. We’re working closely with our recruitment team to identify best-in-class, entrepreneurial agents to join us”.

Mark Lee said: “Becoming an affiliate broker felt like a natural next step for me. It allows me to build my own business while still having the backing and reach of Knight Frank. I have the freedom to run things in a way that feels right for my clients and, as a new parent, the flexibility to manage my time more effectively. It’s a setup that gives me balance, autonomy and the opportunity to grow, without losing the support of a trusted, established brand.”

The firm’s new affiliate broker model enables exceptional self‑employed brokers to work independently while remaining fully aligned and partnered with Knight Frank. Brokers within the network will operate on patches adjacent to Knight Frank’s existing London offices, enabling them to pitch and win instructions, manage clients end‑to‑end, and build their own pipelines with full operational and regulatory support behind them. Brokers will earn high levels of commission, and can earn additional fees for referring clients into any of Knight Frank’s 150 residential and commercial service lines across its global network in the UK, US, Europe, MENA and Asia Pacific.

Knight Frank will soon announce a tranche of key hires to support its expansion into new London markets, including Putney, Totteridge and Kingston, with further growth plans to be confirmed. This forms part of a wider strategy targeting 36 markets for expansion.

For further information on becoming a Knight Frank broker, please contact Andrew Groocock (Andrew.Groocock@KnightFrank.com).