Sparrow was appointed chief executive of Savills UK and EMEA business in May 2018. The business comprises 12,000 people in more than 185 offices in 20 countries. He completed a degree at Reading University before joining Savills in 1988. He qualified two years later in 1990 as a chartered building surveyor. He started his career undertaking project management working in primarily commercial property in London. He subsequently set up the affordable housing business at Savills and worked with many of the larger local authorities and housing associations in the UK, the most notable of which was working with Glasgow Council on the stock transfer of its 100,000 properties to a newly formed housing association. He worked on many inner-city regeneration schemes. The business evolved to include student housing, PRS and healthcare. He was appointed on the commercial board of Savills in 2009 and on to the board of Savills UK when it was formed in 2013. Sparrow was responsible for all the professional services businesses including valuation, building and project consultancy, housing, healthcare, lease consultancy, rating, capital allowances and recoveries. He became chief executive of the Savills UK business in May 2018 and chief executive of the Savills EMEA business later that year. He currently chairs the Property Advisors Forum the membership of which comprises the CEOs of all the large UK general practice surveying firms.