From Golfing Dreams to Rating Expertise: Meet Adam Brooke

In this edition of Meet the Team, we sit down with Adam Brooke, Director at Dunlop Heywood, to hear about his proudest career moment, day-to-day role and his perspective on the challenges and opportunities in the business rates industry. What’s been your proudest career moment so far? Being asked to join the Leadership Team at Dunlop Heywood stands out as a key milestone. It wasn’t just recognition of personal contribution, but also the opportunity to play a bigger role in shaping the company’s future. What does a typical day look like for you? Much of the day revolves around case work – analysing data, writing appeals, and speaking with prospective clients about new opportunities. Alongside this, there’s ongoing communication with existing clients to update them on current work. A rewarding part of the role is also mentoring younger members of the team, offering guidance across all these tasks to help them grow. What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the rating or property industry in the last 5-10 years? The shift from dealing directly with Valuation Officers to funneling through a central inbox has been one of the biggest changes. Previously, there was regular personal interaction with individual officers, which often helped progress cases more efficiently. That direct connection has largely disappeared. What trends or challenges do you think businesses need to be aware of right now? Technology is driving towards ‘perfect knowledge’ – the mass collection and sharing information. Within business rates, this means companies will increasingly be required to supply detailed data. Businesses should prepare for a future where transparency and disclosure become a bigger part of the system. What’s something people might not know about you? When it’s time to relax, I love picking up the guitar. Music is a great counterbalance to the day-to-day pressures of the job. If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing? It would still be something involving numbers and maths, as that’s where my natural interests lie. But in my dreams? I’d be a professional golfer, chasing the sun across the world and competing in tournaments.