Watford-based housebuilder Barratt David Wilson North Thames has recently made two new promotions within the division, which operates across the Homes Counties including Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Former sales and marketing director Karly Williams will now take the lead as operations director, while Marc Woolfe, previously senior sales manager, will step up as head of sales for the division.

Karly Williams’ expansive 20 year career firmly has its roots within Barratt, having joined the business in a customer service role following similar roles in other industries. Within three months Karly was promoted to manager, where she then decided to undertake a business degree and specialise in sales. With a flair for sales and marketing, Karly has risen through the ranks, becoming sales and marketing director in 2014. In the eight years that followed, Karly worked on dozens of schemes across London and the South East, leading sales team both domestically and internationally. 

Karly comments:

“I absolutely loved my time in sales and marketing – it’s fast paced, and no two days are the same. The property cycle over the past two years has been remarkable, and I have gained valuable experience in a variety of sales environments; from tackling international sales and navigating the prime London market during a less buoyant period, to overcoming site-specific challenges in order to consistently hit and exceed sales targets.

“However, the turning point for me was undertaking Barratt’s bespoke CATALYST training programme in 2019, which helped me think about what was most important to me. For the first time, I began to reconsider my career path and ultimately decided to change course and aim for Operations Director.”

Barratt’s CATALYST training programme is a bespoke self-development course for women, with a view to encourage self-reflection and confidence.

Karly continues:

“The CATALYST programme is one of the most valuable courses I have ever undertaken in terms of recognising my own capabilities. It’s designed to benefit the individual, and it set me on the path to becoming operations director, which I have now succeeded in.

“As operations director, I will get to focus on other elements of the business such as land, planning, technical and commercial. The training process to get to this point has been eye-opening, as I have been able to get stuck into so many departments outside of my discipline, which I have really enjoyed. I am now looking forward to helping steer the division into our next phase, as we enter the new financial year.

“It was a big decision to change course and walk away from my sales team this year, but I am incredibly proud to have helped shape a well-structured, cohesive department that I can leave comfortably in the hands of Marc.”

Marc Woolfe initially joined the company in 2012 on Barratt’s ASPIRE Graduate Scheme, working in the South Midlands division. After successfully completing the programme, he was seconded to a Barratt Group project before returning to South Midlands as a sales manager in 2014.

Marc comments:

“I initially joined Barratt as a graduate ten years ago, and rotated around various departments for two years whilst I completed the ASPIRE programme. As soon as I settled into my placement with the sales team, I knew that was where I wanted to be. There was always something interesting happening, and I found it thrilling to be involved with the department. After my secondment with Group, I was keen to get back into sales with South Midlands.”

After five years, Marc relocated to North Thames division, where he joined as a senior sales manager. Responsible for a team of sales managers, Marc led his team throughout the challenges of the pandemic, adapting quickly to the ever changing property landscape, and maintaining excellent sales targets for the division. Following a successful three years in this role, Marc was promoted to head of sales in July.

Marc adds:

“I love the varied nature of working in sales – each day presents something completely different, whether it’s getting out on site or meeting with senior stakeholders. Primarily I am responsible for ensuring that the department achieves challenging sales targets alongside supporting the Board in achieving the overall key business priorities.

“One of my favourite parts of the jobs is visiting our sites and seeing first-hand the sales teams performing well. As I undertake my new role, I want to continue to drive the department forward and ensure we consistently secure the excellent results that we have achieved over the past few years whilst ensuring we continue to develop our employees.”

Barratt North Thames is behind a number of innovative new developments across the Northern Home Counties, including its flagship 2,500-home mixed-use Kingsbrook scheme in Aylesbury delivered in partnership with the RSPB that sees nature and people co-exist.