Compass expands C-suite; Damian Eales to join REA Group’s board 

Editor's note: As an industry with millions of agents and over 100,000 brokerage companies, new leaders rise to the top every day. Here we highlight executives and other notable leaders who've recently taken on, or stepped away from, roles that influence the residential real estate landscape. 

Compass promotes marketing exec

Compass announced today that Felipe Hernandez, the brokerage's vice president of marketing for the past decade, has been elevated to the C-suite. Hernandez will now serve as CMO, a newly created position at the mega brokerage.

Before starting at Compass in mid-2016, Hernandez held marketing roles at a handful of large retail brands, including Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, and worked in real estate marketing with the Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group for about two years. At Compass, he has founded the firm's luxury division and will in his new role "build on that experience to reinvigorate the Compass brand and lead new consumer marketing initiatives," according to a news release.

Neda Navab, who was tapped to serve as Compass' president earlier this year, announced Hernandez's promotion during the firm's annual RETREAT event in New Orleans. In addition to moving Hernandez into the C-suite, Navab announced that Rachel Hocevar will now oversee the firm's regional agent experience and operations teams while Courtney Smith will be a strategic advisor to Compass and its top agents.

Hernandez, Hocevar and Smith are each "focused on helping Compass agents turn the company's network, technology, and resources into opportunities to grow their businesses," the company said.

REA Group to add 'extra dimension' to its board

REA Group said today that Damian Eales, CEO of Realtor.com and parent company Move, Inc., is slated to be appointed to the Australian company's board next month. The announcement comes about 15 months after rumors began swirling that Eales was under consideration for the top leadership role at the company, which runs realestate.com.au.

Eales is poised to fill the role that will soon be vacated by REA Board Director Tracey Fellows, who is stepping down Nov. 13. Fellows has been on the REA Group board for 12 years and served as the company's CEO for five years.

Eales is expected to be nominated to the board on Nov. 14 by News Corp Australia. He will face an election with REA Group shareholders at the company's 2027 annual meeting, according to a news release.

"I am delighted to welcome Damian to the Board," REA Group Chairman Hamish McLennan said, adding that Eales "is already well known to REA through his role as CEO of Realtor.com."

"His experience and perspectives will be valuable, and his North American insights will provide an extra dimension to the Board," McLennan said.