Realestate News

realestate.co.nz rolls out the welcome mat for new sales leadership

Written by realestate.co.nz | May 19, 2025 10:38:23 PM

 

  • Rishi Ankus newly appointed General Manager – Sales for realestate.co.nz
  • New faces and promotions bringing fresh direction to realestate.co.nz’s strategic sales leadership
  • New appointments made as realestate.co.nz looks to 30 years in the industry

There’s more than just property moving at realestate.co.nz - Rishi Ankus joins the country’s trusted real estate brand. 


Ankus, newly appointed General Manager – Sales, brings with him more than 10 years of senior sales and leadership experience, having held key roles across New Zealand’s media and property sectors.

Ankus will be supported by recently appointed Sales Directors Tonia Dixon (Auckland), Ryan Steven (Central & South), and Karl Bradford (Commercial and Business Development).  

Sarah Wood, CEO of realestate.co.nz, says Ankus’ appointment reflects the breadth and depth of leadership expertise required in New Zealand’s dynamic property market.

“Rishi has proven experience of building high-performing teams and delivering commercial impact,” says Wood. “That deep understanding of what drives sales success in a thriving, customer-focused industry, will further elevate our team to continue to provide meaningful service to real estate professionals across New Zealand.”

Ankus is looking forward to working with the team to strengthen partnerships, grow realestate.co.nz’s presence, and deliver meaningful results to the industry.

“New Zealand’s longest-standing property website, realestate.co.nz, has been around longer than Google and next year it will celebrate 30 years in business. I’m looking forward to being part of this next phase and helping our customers get the most value from our platform.” 

Solutions-focused leadership

A further addition to the realestate.co.nz team is Tonia Dixon, Sales Director – Auckland. Bringing more than 15 years of sales and leadership experience to her role, Tonia will lead a team of eight Account Managers dedicated to the Auckland region.  

“Tonia is committed to collaborating closely with clients and providing effective solutions. Her experience in educating and supporting customers will be a real asset as the business continues to grow and evolve,” says Wood.  

Supporting the rest of the country is Ryan Steven who, after managing the Waikato region for realestate.co.nz for the past few years, steps into the Sales Director – Central & South role. He will lead a team of six Account Managers. 

Wood says it’s always satisfying to grow people within the team.  

“Ryan has done an exceptional job looking after the Waikato region, with proven results in growing our support and revenue in the area. We are looking forward to seeing him continue to grow in a role with far greater scope.”  

Karl Bradford, has stepped into a new role as Commercial and Business Development Director after 18 months with realestate.co.nz, where he has primarily supported commercial agents.  

In this more strategic leadership position, he will now also support property managers and the Chinese-speaking community.  

“Karl’s expertise and leadership will be instrumental in driving growth and innovation in key areas of our business.  

“We’re confident this new leadership team positions us well for the future," says Wood.

Pictured: Tonia Dixon, Karl Bradford, Ryan Steven.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Hannah Franklin | hannah@realestate.co.nz

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