Wendy Forsythe promoted to COO at eXp Realty

Wendy Forsythe has been promoted to chief operating officer of eXp Realty, moving into the role after two years as the brokerage’s chief marketing officer, the company announced Tuesday.

Forsythe brings experience as an agent, brokerage owner and senior executive at multiple large firms. Before joining eXp, she served as chief operating officer at HomeSmart International, president for Compass’ California and Hawaii region, and chief strategy officer at Fathom Holdings, according to the announcement.

She began her career as a real estate agent and later owned and operated a brokerage, a background eXp is highlighting as the company focuses on what it calls an “agent-centric” model across its cloud-based platform.

“As eXp Realty continues to scale, our operations must be as agile and innovative as our brand,” Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty, said in a statement. “Wendy’s combination of field-level agent empathy, operational excellence, and a proven track record of scaling large brokerages and brands makes her the right leader for our next chapter.”

During her tenure as CMO, Forsythe led what the company described as its most significant brand transformation to date, including modernizing its global brand identity, expanding social media reach and elevating agent events such as eXpcon.

In the new role, Forsythe will oversee brokerage operations, technology integration, agent programs and transaction support. She will also continue to provide strategic direction for the marketing organization during a transition period, the company said in its announcement.

“Having started my career as an agent and a brokerage owner, I view every operational system and technology tool through the lens of our customer, the eXp agent and team leader,” Forsythe said in the release. She added that the company is positioning for an inflection point driven by AI, technology and a shifting competitive landscape.

Forsythe succeeds Patrick O’Neill, who is departing the company. eXp thanked O’Neill for his “leadership and operational contributions” in the announcement.

The COO change comes as large national brokerages work to streamline operations, integrate new technology and manage margin pressure in a slower transaction market. For brokers and team leaders at eXp, operational leadership will shape how quickly new tools, support programs and process changes reach the field and impact agent productivity and profitability.

This article was generated using HousingWire Automation and reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication.