Highlights and Colour from the Bollywood Themed Awards Night
The Laing+Simmons Annual Awards night was held recently and it was an evening marked by high-profile names achieving high-profile honours, emerging talent being recognised, new names mixing with familiar faces on the podium, and a beloved long-term member of the group being remembered.
The Bollywood theme ensured plenty of colourful fun on the night, which bucks the trend of other awards programs by recognising calendar year performance.
Among the major winners on the night was the Laing+Simmons Armidale team, led by Principal Lachie Sewell. Individually, Lachie won Gold in the Highest Number of Transactions category, while the Armidale office took out the corresponding team award.
Never far from the spotlight, Luxe Listings star D’Leanne Lewis took out the award for Top Income Producer, now named The Bart Doff Award in honour of the long-term Principal of Laing+Simmons Double Bay, who sadly passed away recently.
Laing+Simmons CEO Leanne Pilkington entertained the crowd with some wonderful stories of her many years working with Bart in a fitting tribute on the night.
Kristina Paku of Laing+Simmons Mount Druitt won the Go Beyond Award for her inspiring work helping a tenant – a single mother of five – who lost her job through COVID and was sleeping with her family on the floor. Kristina relocated the family to a more affordable property, helped secure beds, furniture, clothing, kitchenware and food, and even secured the tenant a job, enabling her to purchase her car back and get back on her feet.
In other highlights, Paul Abassi collected the Office of the Year Award for The Abassi Group, encompassing Laing+Simmons St Marys | Ropes Crossing; Laing+Simmons Young Property took home the Community Achievement Award for The Studio, which supports local artists and raises money for important causes; and Laing+Simmons Narrabeen won the Auction Excellence Award for achieving the highest clearance rate.
Lyndell Pilkington of Laing+Simmons Quakers Hill | Schofields won the coveted Doug Laing Memorial Award.
CEO Leanne Pilkington congratulated all the winners on the night.
“The first year under our new ownership was a highly successful one for the group, where we welcomed new teams, introduced new programs and initiatives, and saw our network’s leaders once again prove why they’re at the forefront in their local markets,” Ms Pilkington said. “The Annual Awards is a fun and fitting way to acknowledge and reward the amazing people and offices that represent the Laing+Simmons brand with so much ability and class.”