Zoopla chief quits to pursue own business interests

Zoopla’s Chief Operating Officer Rich Hayes (pictured) has quit the portal to concentrate on his own business interests.

Hayes had been in the role for exactly three years before deciding to step down as a director as well.

He is a strategic adviser at Mojo Mortgages, a company he co-founded, and a non-executive director at AI financial advice platform Unbiased.

Rich Hayes has decided to move on from Zoopla after three years to pursue his ambition of leading a business again.”

A Zoopla spokesperson told The Neg: “Rich Hayes has decided to move on from Zoopla after three years as COO, he leaves to pursue his ambition of leading a business again. We thank him for his contribution and wish him well.”

Former senior executive Paul Whitehead was appointed CEO at Zoopla in March last year, after he returned from collapsed online car retailer Cazoo. At that point it was said Hayes would be in charge of day-to-day running of the portal.

Hayes describes AI as being a game changer on his LinkedIn profile: “AI is the most exciting technology shift of my career. At Zoopla, we’ve increasingly embedded AI into how we build software, develop products and operate the business.”

Last year, in an exclusive interview with The Neg , he said that estate agents were feeling “a bit squeezed” by the day-to-day costs they face, and that Zoopla was mindful of this. Any progress Zoopla makes “must not be at the expense of agents”, he added.

Later in the year he wrote to agents to stress that the portal remained a “vital marketing partner” just a few days after reporting losses of £5.8million.

Hayes said in the interview that when global giant Co-Star Group bought OTM in 2023: “We haven’t got a sore neck from looking over our shoulder.”

Although he did admit the Zoopla team became “a bit more focused”.