The Man Who Built Foxtons and Learned What He Got Wrong

Introducing Peter Rollings, the UK’s most respected and closely watched figure in real estate will be returning to Australia again.

He was here a few decades ago and his impact can still be seen across the industry today.

Peter Rollings is one of the most recognised figures in UK residential property — a veteran operator whose career spans four decades at the top of London’s estate agency market. Known for his straight-talking, commercially rigorous outlook, he has built a reputation not just for growing businesses, but for articulating, without apology, what it takes to run them well: strong fees, strong people, and service that earns its keep.

Rollings began his career at Foxtons in December 1985, joining early enough to witness — and shape — what it means to scale a scrappy start-up into a serious business. He rose steadily through the firm, ultimately becoming Managing Director in 1997, a role he held until 2005. During this formative era, he played a central part in establishing the operational tempo and commercial culture that would come to define the Foxtons brand.

In 2005, he acquired Marsh & Parsons, leading the business for more than a decade. Under his tenure, the firm underwent what Foxtons later characterised as significant expansion and value creation — a period that cemented his standing as one of the most effective leaders in London residential agency. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), an accreditation that reflects both professional discipline and a career grounded in the realities of the market rather than theory.

Rollings returned to Foxtons in a governance capacity in December 2021, taking up an appointment as Independent Non-Executive Director.

Rollings is a prominent voice on the challenges of the real estate industry. Across interviews and industry commentary, his recurring argument is that success in this business is less about magic and more about maths and motivation. In a 2023 guest article, he warned that the sector risks a race to the bottom, and that the agencies best positioned to thrive are those willing to reject unprofitable business, invest seriously in talent, and back premium fees with premium outcomes. When fee income is squeezed, he argues, everything else follows — marketing quality, team retention, and ultimately the client experience.

At The Business of Real Estate in September, Peter will present two riveting sessions. Everything I know about How to Fail in Real Estate and Buying, Building and Re-energising a Brand.