Simon Brien appointed exclusive associate of Knight Frank in Northern Ireland
Belfast-based estate agency Simon Brien has been appointed as the exclusive associate of Knight Frank in Northern IrelandIt comes after the Republic’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission gave regulatory clearance for Simon Brien’s parent group Sherry FitzGerald to buy the Knight Frank business.Sherry FitzGerald, which is the island’s largest residential estate agent, acquired Simon Brien Residential (SBR) in early 2024.SBR has continued to trade under its own name since then, expanding from four offices to nine and adding 20 staff to take its headcount to 55.In February, the CCPC gave the green light to Sherry FitzGerald to acquire HT Meagher O’Reilly Ltd and HT Meagher O’Reilly New Homes Ltd, which trade as Knight Frank.The businesses, which were co-founded by James Meagher and Declan O’Reilly in 2004, later rebranded as Knight Frank Ireland.Knight Frank itself dates back to 1896 in London.The regulator said it would not “substantially lessen competition” in the Irish property market.Sherry FitzGerald is ultimately owned by CastleGate, the family office of technology entrepreneur Tommy Kelly, which acquired the business in 2022 for a reported €50 million.Simon Brien said the new link up will now enable it to directly access Knight Frank’s international network of buyers and investors.Simon Brien’s ‘fine homes’ listings will be featured on the Knight Frank website.“This is a significant and very positive development for our business and, more importantly, for our clients,” said Simon Brien, who continues to run the business in the north as its managing director.“Being Knight Frank’s exclusive associate in Northern Ireland gives us direct access to an extensive international network, while allowing us to maintain our strong local expertise and reputation across residential resales, new homes, lettings, and property management. “From a client perspective, it remains very much business as usual, with the added advantage of enhanced international reach where it adds real value.”
