Gary Keller rejoins Keller Williams as CEO

Keller Williams cofounder Gary W. Keller is returning to the company as its new CEO, a role that he stepped down from back in 1995. He replaced the previous incumbent John Davis, as of last week.

In a statement, Keller said he was returning to help the company focus on its technology transformation and to help lead the real estate industry into the future.

“Since its founding in 1983, Keller Williams has always been a pioneering company focused on growth, innovation, and culture,” Keller wrote in an internal memo. “Nothing has changed. I am as committed as ever to positioning Keller Williams to lead the real estate industry into the future.”

Keller’s return comes after the Keller Williams brand acquired a startup called SmarterAgent last year. SmarterAgent sells tools that allow real estate agents to create their own branded mobile applications. In addition, Keller Williams has teamed up with a company called KUNGFU.AI in order to develop more skills for Kelle, an AI-based personal assistant that Keller Williams has built for its real estate agents.

“2019 marks our complete transformation into a technology company that provides unique agent solutions and consumer experiences, positioning us to lead the industry in the years ahead,” Keller said. “Most importantly, our leaders and associates, the secret sauce of our company, are all in alignment as we move forward.”

Keller and Joe Williams founded Keller Williams in 1983. Keller served as the company’s first CEO. The company now boasts more than 190,000 sales associates across 980 global offices.

Also last week, Keller Williams announced that Josh Team, its chief innovation officer, has been promoted to president. Team has been leading the company's marketing, training, and operational activities for the past few months.