Home of the REB Top 100 Agents

Former retail powerhouse returns to Brisbane commercial agency

By Orana Durney-Benson
23 November 2023 | 11 minute read
david sheppard ben armstrong reb awbjrk

The ex-QIC leasing manager has come home to LJ Hooker Commercial Brisbane after being away for almost a decade.

QIC’s David Sheppard has returned to LJ Hooker Commercial Brisbane, the agency where he first began his commercial property career in 2006.

During his eight-year stint with the agency, Mr Sheppard progressed to become a general manager of sales. Now, he reported, he is keen to return to LJ Hooker Commercial Brisbane, this time as director of the agency.

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“LJ Hooker Brisbane has been a central player in the evolution of Brisbane’s commercial property market over the decades,” Mr Sheppard said.

“With developments in technology, the team’s knowledge and acumen have seen its services sought out right across the state.”

In his previous role with QIC, Mr Sheppard reportedly manages leasing strategies for shopping centres throughout the nation, including the Forest Lake Shopping Centre, Kippa-ring Shopping Centre, Hinkler Central in Bundaberg, Bathurst City Centre, and Pittwater Place in Sydney.

He is eager to use his expertise to help clients of LJ Hooker Commercial Brisbane to “optimise their property portfolios and divest for premium outcomes that support their business and wealth objectives”.

Mr Sheppard will work alongside his two co-directors, Ben and Kerry Armstrong.

Mr Armstrong expressed enthusiasm about the new addition to the agency’s leadership team, describing Mr Sheppard as “a dynamic operator whose management experience will bring fresh perspectives to our client offering”.

“He’s worked with many of our team previously and appreciates the culture that we’ve developed at LJ Hooker Commercial Brisbane,” stated Mr Armstrong.

LJ Hooker’s network head of commercial, Tom Donnelly, shared: “It’s a great vote of confidence in our brand when we have talent return.”

“It’s especially pleasing when they return as an owner, keen to lay a platform for their future,” he added.

“The Armstrongs have created an exceptional commercial business, and David will use the experience he’s gained at QIC and elsewhere to further shape its capabilities,” Mr Donnelly concluded.

The appointment of Mr Sheppard as director of the network’s Brisbane branch comes less than a month after Mr Donnelly took over as LJ Hooker Commercial’s new head of commercial.

Like Mr Sheppard, Mr Donnelly was another homecomer to the brand, having started out his property career with LJ Hooker.

At the time, network CEO Christine Mikhael stated: “Tom’s insights, appreciation of the needs of business owners and connections will be a great asset to our network.”

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