Cohen Handler Conference 2026: Creating a Chain Reaction

The biggest outcomes rarely come from one defining moment. They are built through the smaller actions repeated every day: the conversations we have, the standards we maintain, the way we support our colleagues and the care we bring to every client interaction.

That idea shaped the Cohen Handler 2026 Conference.

Under the theme Chain Reaction, the conference brought our national team together for a day of learning, honest discussion and connection. The focus was not simply on achieving bigger outcomes, but on understanding the individual actions that set those outcomes in motion.

One action creates the next

Founder and CEO Simon Cohen opened the conference by reflecting on the role every person plays in Cohen Handler’s continued growth.

Every client experience involves a chain of moments. A carefully considered question can clarify a buyer’s brief. A conversation with a selling agent can uncover an opportunity. Thorough due diligence can protect a client from making the wrong decision. Consistent follow-up can turn one successful purchase into a relationship that lasts for years.

No action exists in isolation. Each one influences what comes next.

That message carried throughout the day as our speakers and team explored performance, communication, leadership and the customer journey.

Learning from Josh Altman

One of the highlights of the conference was hearing from keynote speaker Josh Altman of The Altman Brothers Real Estate.

Josh has built a career in one of the world’s most visible and competitive property markets. His session gave the team an opportunity to hear an international perspective on performance, relationships and what it takes to operate consistently at a high level.

While major results often attract the attention, sustainable success is built behind the scenes: preparation, discipline, responsiveness and the willingness to keep improving.

It was a fitting message for a conference centred on the cumulative effect of everyday actions.

One link in a chain reaction

The morning panel, One Link in a Chain Reaction, brought the conference theme into the day-to-day experience of our team.

Cohen Handler works across multiple cities, property markets and specialist businesses, but every person contributes to a connected client experience. Nicole Jacobs ran this session with a panel of some of our brightest agents — James Navybox, Nikki Carrodus and Thomas Alpe and they explored how individual responsibilities affect the wider team and why collaboration matters at every stage of a property search.

It was a reminder that a strong outcome is rarely the work of one person. It comes from shared knowledge, trusted relationships and people taking ownership of their part in the process.

A perspective from Marcus Chiminello

The team also heard from Marcus Chiminello, Director at Marshall White Stonnington, who brought the perspective of one of Melbourne’s most respected real estate professionals.

For buyer’s agents, understanding how selling agents communicate, build relationships and guide a transaction is invaluable. Marcus’s session provided an opportunity to examine the other side of the property process and consider how professional relationships can create better, more efficient outcomes for everyone involved.

The best transactions are not built on unnecessary friction. They are built on preparation, clarity, mutual respect and a strong understanding of the people involved.

Reading minds and understanding people

Property may be the asset, but people remain at the centre of every purchase.

Jordan Navybox hosted our Reading Minds session which examined the human side of communication and decision-making. Buyers and selling agents do not always say exactly what they are thinking or feeling.

Being able to listen closely, read the situation and respond with empathy is therefore an essential part of representing a buyer well or ensuring a successful deal with a sales agent.

The session reinforced an important principle: small improvements in how we communicate can completely change the way a client experiences their property journey.

Leadership and the customer journey

The afternoon continued with a Simon Cohen’s CEO Masterclass, focusing on improving communication skills with clients and potential clients followed by a session examining the customer journey and how small actions today become bigger outcomes later.

From the first enquiry to the final negotiation and often well beyond settlement, clients form an impression through every interaction they have with Cohen Handler.

The customer-journey session challenged the team to examine individual moments and identify where greater consistency, care and attention could have the largest cumulative impact.

Bringing our national team together

With buyer’s agents and support teams operating across Australia, our annual conference is a valuable opportunity to step away from the usual pace of the property market and spend time together.

The day allowed people from different markets and areas of the business, including CH Secure, RENTTA and Cohen Farquharson, to share ideas, strengthen relationships and learn from one another.

The conference concluded with a team photo, drinks and dinner at Bianca in Brisbane, giving everyone the opportunity to celebrate the work completed over the past year and the relationships behind it.

What it is like to work at Cohen Handler

Working at a buyer’s agency requires much more than an interest in property.

It requires curiosity, commercial judgement, detailed local knowledge and the ability to understand what a client needs—even when the right answer is not immediately obvious. It also means continually strengthening relationships with selling agents and keeping pace with changing market conditions.

At Cohen Handler, professional development is not treated as a one-off event. Our annual conference is one part of an ongoing commitment to helping our people develop their communication, negotiation, leadership and client-service skills.

As Australia’s largest property buyer’s agency, our team includes people working across residential buying, property investment, prestige property, negotiation, research, operations and client service. What connects these roles is a shared responsibility to represent buyers and help them make informed property decisions.

For someone considering a career in a buyer’s agency, the work is varied, fast-moving and highly personal. Every brief is different, and every successful purchase depends on a chain of research, relationships, judgement and execution.

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