Mr Diamond, a partner and head of residential property at Lindsays, has worked in the residential property sector for nearly three decades and has been a non-executive director of ESPC for more than five years.

He succeeds Gordon Kerr, who is stepping down after seven years in the role.

Mr Diamond joined Lindsays in 2012 through the firm’s merger with MacLachlan & MacKenzie, where he began his legal career in 1992. He has an in-depth knowledge of the residential property market across Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and is highly regarded for his market knowledge and negotiation skills.

He said: “ESPC plays a vital role in the property market across the regions in which our members operate and I am delighted to be taking up the chairmanship. I have worked closely with outgoing chairman Gordon Kerr, so it feels like a natural progression to step up from being non-executive director.

“We have an excellent chief executive in Paul Hilton, supported by a strong executive team and staff. As a board, we will be working to ensure we provide the level of support and guidance required to allow them to carry on the good work they are doing.

“We support our member firms, helping them to innovate and find new ways of working through technological advances, and deliver high quality solicitor estate agency services. This secures real benefits for buyers and sellers alike.

“I am keen that we build both on that and on our role as a voice for solicitor estate agents. We have recently enjoyed positive engagement with the Scottish Government on a range of issues and I would like to continue this.”

He added: “In our 50th anniversary year, it’s important to reflect that ESPC is a very different organisation to the one it started out as. Our core principle of supporting our members and their clients remains, but we are constantly evolving and reinventing ourselves.

“The role we play changes as the market, the needs of buyers and sellers, and the needs of our members change. As a board, we will ensure that the team has the support it needs to continue to evolve.”

Paul Hilton, CEO of ESPC, said: “Andrew Diamond has a wealth of experience in the residential property sector and I am delighted for him to take on the role of ESPC chairman. Gordon has been a real asset to the business as chairman for the past seven years and I have no doubt that Andrew will continue this excellent work.

“ESPC and our agents have been helping people buy and sell homes for 50 years, and over this time we have evolved and adapted. I look forward to working with Andrew to continue developing ESPC to ensure we are offering buyers, sellers and solicitor estate agents the best possible services.”