Meet the Team
Andy SYMINGTON - Director
Andy qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1996 whilst working at a niche investment practice in London's West End. Gaining wide experience in the property profession with a focus on commercial investment, Andy moved to a larger practice, Nelson Bakewell, in 1999. Here he worked on the £300m takeover of MEPC, as well as the active management of GE's Property Investment Portfolio. In 2001, he moved to Edinburgh to join the Asset Management team at RBS, working on the Core Property Strategies in London and Bristol with a pivotal role in the £290m acquisition of Brindleyplace in Birmingham. He moved to Chamonix in 2004 where he lives with his wife and 2 sons. He is a Trustee of Kennedy's Disease UK, an Ambassador for Crowd With Us and loves his skiing and cycling.
Matt EDELSTEN - Director
Matt has worked in London's West End in commercial valuation and investment at national surveying firm, Lambert Smith Hampton. Qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor in 1997, Matt concentrated on commercial investment throughout the UK, with a focus on retail and industrial property. Matt moved to Nelson Bakewell in 1999, specialising in commercial investment agency, becoming an Associate Director in 2001. In 2004, he decided to mix his property knowledge with his love of the mountains by moving to France to establish Mountain Base with Andy. As well as juggling business and family, he loves to ski, play tennis and cycle. Matt lives with his wife, Charlotte and three children.
Fiona LAMBERT - Agency Director (Morzine)
Fiona had a love of France from an early age, moving permanently to Morzine in 2006 with her husband and son to set up a luxury catered chalet business. Her background, flying around the world as long-haul cabin crew, gave her a global view and an understanding of clients’ needs. With the experience gained from renovating a Savoyard farmhouse in Montriond and project managing the build of her own oak framed chalet in Morzine, Fiona has a wealth of knowledge to share on life in the Alps.
Amanda GOTTHOLD - Sales Agent
After having studied French in Paris and Real Estate Law at Stockholm University, Amanda worked for her family’s business, Mäklarhuset, one of the top real estate firms in Stockholm. Born in Sweden, Amanda has been in France for the last 10 years and speaks fluent French, English and, of course, Swedish. She decided to settle in Chamonix because of her love for the mountains, particularly the skiing and mountain biking. Amanda joined the Mountain Base team in 2019, working as a negotiator.
Max RAINS - Sales Agent
Max studied French and Politics in Oxford and Grenoble, graduating in 2012 and cementing his passion for France. At this point he made the move over to Chamonix to work for TUI Group in several roles, namely reservations, transport and purchasing, responsible for securing contracts in accommodation and services. Building up a portfolio of contacts throughout the Alps, he has a deep knowledge of all the resorts. Max is a keen skier during winter and tennis player during summer, he also enjoys hiking with his rescue dog (named Max) on the trails around the Chamonix Valley. He joined the Mountain Base team in 2021 as a negotiator.
Stephanie GRIEVES - Sales Agent
Steph moved to the Cote d’Azur at a very young age and went to a French school to study sales, later settling in the mountains. Helping run a family restaurant business for many years, she studied real estate in her spare time and recently decided to dedicate herself to that full time. Steph lives in Chamonix with her partner and daughter and has been a part of the Mountain Base team since early 2023.
Hamish CRAWFORD - Sales Agent
Hamish studied Chemistry at Imperial College London, graduating in 2010 before working for the Royal Society of Chemistry as publishing editor. His passion for the mountains led to a change of career, moving to Morzine in 2015. He has many years’ experience working in property and operations management in both Morzine and Les Gets, giving him an excellent knowledge of the area and the rental market. He loves skiing and mountain biking and is looking forward to passing his passions on to his young son. He joined Mountain Base as a negotiator in 2023.
Hannah ZERMATTEN - Assistant
After graduating from Durham University in 2006 with a degree in Economics and French, Hannah lived and worked in a variety of mountainous spots including Queenstown, Whistler and Méribel before finally settling in Chamonix in 2011, where she now lives with her husband and young son. French-speaking and a committed Francophile, Hannah manages the Chamonix office and looks after the sales instructions alongside other administrative tasks.
Mélissa CHALENCON - Assistant
A born and bred “Morzinoise”, Mélissa has seen the village evolve over the years. Having studied Negotiation & Customer Relations, inspired by human psychology and sales, she first worked in the food industry but then wanted to develop her career in the real estate sector. Mélissa is passionate about the mountains: hiking, fitness and ski touring, she is always on the lookout for new summits and new landscapes to explore.