Douglas Elliman Appoints Scott Durkin CEO

Scott Durkin, the president and chief operating officer of Douglas Elliman, has been promoted to CEO of the real estate brokerage, taking over the role formerly held by Dottie Herman, who has been appointed vice chair.

Douglas Elliman Executive Chairman Howard M. Lorber and Ms. Herman hand-picked Mr. Durkin, the brokerage stated in a press release.

Mr. Durkin joined Douglas Elliman in 2015 as executive vice president of acquisitions and growth, was promoted to chief operating officer in October 2016 and named president in 2017.

“Douglas Elliman has proven to be my most rewarding professional experience to date,” Mr. Durkin said. “I look forward to expanding upon the legacy of our brand built by my friend and mentor Dottie Herman as the market leader in luxury real estate. I also welcome the opportunity to further advance our technology-focused initiatives that allow our agents to work faster and more efficiently on behalf of their customers and clients.”

As vice chair, Ms. Herman will advise Mr. Lorber and Mr. Durkin and will continue to mentor Douglas Elliman executives and agents across the country.

“It is a thrill to pass the CEO title to my friend Scott Durkin, whose career I have watched since acquiring Elliman in 2003, when I joined the New York City brokerage community,” Ms. Herman said. “I am impressed by his experience, tenacity, and his appeal to agents, managers and staff alike. Elliman is in excellent and very capable hands.”

Mr. Durkin is credited with being instrumental in the last two years in launching the firm’s new brand look and feel, a new Elliman.com and advertising campaign dubbed “The Next Move is Yours.” His other projects include The Douglas Elliman Podcast Channel and Elliman Cares initiative.

He helped oversee expansion efforts in New York, Florida, California, Massachusetts and Texas as well as the restructuring of operations in Westchester, Connecticut and the Hamptons.

“As president and COO of Douglas Elliman, Scott has taken our firm to the next level with major initiatives to strengthen our brand, our culture, our technology and most importantly, the way our agents conduct their business,” Mr. Lorber said. “Scott is a talented, solution-driven and results-oriented leader, as demonstrated by his truly incredible performance helming the brokerage during the extremely challenging COVID-19 pandemic. He has established himself as a highly valued and respected executive, and I am very proud to make this announcement.”

Mr. Durkin began his career as a sales agent with the Corcoran Group in 1991, becoming a protégé of Barbara Corcoran. He was involved in many Corcoran Group milestones, including the sale of the company to NRT and the acquisition of brokerages in the Hamptons, Palm Beach and New York.

Mr. Durkin was recently appointed to the board of directors of God’s Love We Deliver, which helps people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. He is an avid equestrian with a passion for the dressage style of riding.

He and his husband live between Manhattan, upstate New York and Wellington, Florida.