7 Angus Raine Executive Chairman In February, the Raine & Horne Foundation made a generous donation of $20,000 to support Care Australia in aiding those who were profoundly affected by the earthquake in Turkey (Türkiye). The earthquake tragically claimed the lives of over 30,000 individuals. We also supported Rural and Regional Australia by offering grants of up to $10,000 for various causes through the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), a non-profit organisation dedicated to addressing the needs of rural communities. This includes funding Remote Writers Development Workshops in Katherine, Northern Territory, and supporting a preschool expansion in regional NSW. In total, the Raine & Horne Foundation generously pledged a substantial grant of $100,000 to FRRR in 2023 to help address the needs of rural communities. In addition to supporting rural communities, in July, we launched a new strategic approach for Raine & Horne Rural, which aims to strengthen the brand’s existing network of rural-focused offices in strategic regional centres across Australia. This initiative has already yielded promising results. This year, we welcomed several new rural offices to the network, bringing our total number of rural office’s to 25. Additionally, Raine & Horne Rural has updated its web presence at www.rh.com.au/rural to align with the strategic goals of the Rural brand. On the commercial side, our commercial network in November introduced the inaugural “National Auction Event, ”selling 12 high-calibre commercial properties with the total sales value of $40 million. This event presented a remarkable array of investment prospects, vacant properties, and development opportunities. The auction event occurred in person at a central CBD venue in Sydney and online, which was attended by over 600 viewers. By undertaking initiatives like this, we can establish a national platform for our agents to market their vendors’ properties while capitalising on their invaluable local expertise in their respective regions, which has always been Raine & Horne Commercial’s competitive advantage. In October, we unveiled a new coffee table book commemorating the company’s 140-year journey in the Australian real estate industry. Titled “From Homesteads to High-rises: Celebrating 140 Years of Raine & Horne,” the book brings our company’s remarkable story to life. The book showcases our resilience, global influence, and commitment to embracing and leading digitalisation and AI in the real estate industry. As one of the oldest privately-owned firms in the southern hemisphere and Australia’s oldest family-owned real estate company, Raine & Horne occupies a unique place in corporate history. I encourage all of you to explore “From Homesteads to High-rises” when you have the opportunity. In 2023, a year filled with so many successes, a sombre moment occurred on 22 February, just a few months before our official 140th anniversary of Raine & Horne. On that day, we bid farewell to one of the remarkable leaders of our company and my father, Max Raine. I expressed at the time, “There is a void in my family that time may mend but can never truly fill.” In the spirit of my father’s legacy, we remain committed to our growth trajectory, and will continue to pioneer industry-first products and services, honouring the entrepreneurial spirit that has always defined Raine & Horne. I look forward to us all reaching and exceeding our goals in 2024.
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