Meet Conor Lynch, Finance Manager at Grayling Properties
Conor Lynch has been part of the Grayling team since 2018, overseeing finance across the company’s residential portfolio. His route in was anything but linear — from engineering and data-centre operations to night-school accounting, and, somewhere in between, an 18-month stint in Australia and a road trip from Canada to Panama. In this Q&A, Conor talks about the finance behind good property management, how technology (and now AI) is reshaping the function, and why Grayling still feels like a place where ideas get heard.
What is your role at Grayling Properties?
I’m the Finance Manager for our residential property management team. My role is quite varied and involves working across the financial management of our residential portfolio.
On a day-to-day basis, that means working closely with clients, auditors, tenants, regulators, our asset management team and property managers. We also manage our own company accounts, so the finance team really touches every part of the business.
It’s a broad role, but that’s one of the things I enjoy the most. Finance is involved in almost every aspect of how the company operates.
How did you get into property finance?
It wasn’t exactly a traditional route. I originally studied engineering and worked in data centre operations and IT infrastructure. This involved a lot of shift work, nights and weekends, so I eventually decided to change direction.
A friend of mine who was working in accounting offered me an opportunity to cover a maternity leave contract. I realised I really enjoyed the work, so I went back to college at night to complete an accounting degree while working full-time. From there, I moved into commercial property accounting before joining Grayling in 2018.
What attracted you to Grayling?
When I joined, the company was much smaller than it is today. Meeting the leadership team and hearing their vision for the business really stood out. There was a clear ambition to grow, and the role itself offered exposure to far more than a traditional accounting position.
Rather than sitting in a finance department removed from the business, I’m involved across operations, asset management and client relationships. That variety was really appealing. Looking back now, it’s been rewarding to see how much the company has grown.
What does a typical day look like?
No two days look the same — genuinely. One day it’s financial reporting and cash-flow management; the next it’s problem-solving with property managers, fielding auditor queries, or helping another team untangle an operational issue. We’re an agile business, so departments talk constantly, and finance is rarely far from the conversation.
From a finance perspective, what makes Grayling different?
One of the main differences is the company’s willingness to invest in both people and technology. Residential property management is constantly evolving, particularly with institutional investors requiring increasingly sophisticated reporting and analysis.
Grayling has been proactive in adopting systems that allow us to meet those expectations while continuing to scale the business. At the same time, the company remains agile enough to adapt quickly as the market changes.
What are the biggest financial priorities when managing residential assets?
Cash flow is always the number one priority. Whether you’re working with private clients or large institutional investors, everyone has financial commitments and reporting deadlines to meet.
Good communication with clients, tenants and internal teams is essential to keeping everything running smoothly and ensuring obligations are met on time.
How is technology changing the finance function?
Technology is changing accounting at a rapid pace. Our migration to Yardi has been one of the biggest projects we’ve undertaken in recent years. It’s brought together property management and finance into one integrated platform, reducing manual administration and significantly improving reporting capabilities.
Automation is already creating huge efficiencies, and we’re now exploring how AI can further improve our workflows. Rather than replacing people, it allows us to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time analysing data, supporting clients and adding value to the business.
What trends are you seeing across the residential property market?
The market has become much more regulated in recent years.
Smaller private landlords seem to have left the market because of the increasing administrative and compliance requirements, while institutional investors have continued to grow their presence.
Those investors expect much more detailed reporting and analysis, which is another reason technology has become such an important investment for property managers.
What stands out to you about the culture at Grayling?
The people have always been the biggest strength. From the day I joined, there has been a very open culture where new ideas are encouraged, and people are trusted with responsibility.
What achievement are you most proud of since joining Grayling?
Seeing the company’s growth has been hugely rewarding.
More recently, leading the finance team’s transition to Yardi has been a significant milestone. Migrating years of financial and resident data into a new system while continuing day-to-day operations has been a major undertaking.
It’s still evolving as we continue to roll out new functionality, but it’s already transformed how we work.
Finally, tell us something your colleagues might not know about you.
Before settling into finance, I spent time travelling around the world.
I lived in Australia for 18 months, spent a year in Canada and then travelled by car from Canada all the way to Panama with friends.
I’m also a former hockey player and had the opportunity to compete in European championships with my local club. They’re memories I’ll always look back on fondly.