Notoriously a man’s world, property has built a name for itself as a chaps’ playground. As the industry progresses, this stereotype is slowly being chipped away.
With organisations like Women in Property, Property Week’s Open Plan campaign and RICS Visible Women platform, key industry names are playing a pivotal role in challenging the industry’s attitude to women. Events like The Presidents Club, the Gender Pay Gap and even the unravelling story of Harvey Weinstein, have all acted as an incubator for change. Eyes are now slightly ajar to the disparity between the treatment of women in the workplace compared to their male counterparts.
This week (13th-14th June) in Mayfair – seen by many as the old school male bastion of finance and property – is the London Real Estate Forum. The line-up of speakers is impressive at first glance, but even better is the diversity amongst those taking the podium. As a nod to some great women in the industry, here is our roundup of the top 5 women driving change and speaking at London Real Estate Forum:
Director of Development, Grosvenor Group
One of the world’s largest privately-owned property businesses, Grosvenor Group, welcomed Anna in 2008 where she climbed from Senior Development Manager to become Director of Development in 2015.
Anna has led several diverse development portfolios -from the small and medium development teams, to ownership of the residential development sector as well as the large project development portfolio.
What began with developing swamps, pastures and orchards into London’s fashionable Mayfair in the 1720s, the Grosvenor Group is a name synonymous with world-class real estate. This talk from a woman who works with its portfolio up close and personal is not one to miss.
- Sadie Morgan
Founding Director, dRMM
Stirling prize-winning English designer Sadie Morgan is a force to be reckoned with in the industry. In 1995, she founded dRMM, the RIBA Stirling Prize-winning architecture practice, with Alex de Rijke and Philip Marsh. The firm is most renowned for its award-winning No. One Centaur Street project for which Morgan was Design Director.
A woman not uncomfortable with the public eye, Morgan has been seen speaking on how design can provide solutions to social problems, and as the only architect on the UK’s National Infrastructure Commission, has vowed to put design at the heart of a £100 billion revamp of UK infrastructure.
Her talk is bound to inspire, educate and challenge the audience, so be sure to attend.
Founder, Publica
Lucy Musgrave is the founding Director of Publica, a London-based urban design and public realm practice. They survey neighbourhoods and undertake rigorous research to help make cities more “efficient, integrated, vibrant and safe”, and going by their work, they stick to their word.
Over a notable 25-year career, Lucy has and still actively plays a key advisory role in policy recommendations, strategic planning and the advocacy of design quality. She is currently a Mayor’s Design Advocate and sits on the Mayor’s Night Time Commission and the Sounding Board for the Mayor’s Public London Charter.
Since its inception in 2010, the practice has had restored and creatively reimagining some of London’s most significant streets and civic spaces. Don’t miss a chance to hear the woman behind this magic speak.
Property Disruptor & Founder, CoCreations & VivaHouse
Currently the Founder & Managing Director of CoCreations, Rajdeep was formerly the Head of European Expansion at WeWork. Having held the role from early 2014 to 2016, she was responsible for the huge expansion of the company, including taking it to new heights in London and Amsterdam.
Having started her career on a London trading floor, Rajdeep has expertise in real estate disruption, technology start-ups and financial market innovation. She has been involved in the scale-up of fast-growing start-ups and huge corporations and investment banks alike.
Her current company CoCreations, whose clients have included eBay and Merrill Lynch, is a consultancy and venture builder which specialises in property disruption. CoCreations also fosters its own businesses such as VivaHouse, a modular pop up accommodation solution.
From a consultant standpoint, Rajdeep’s talk promises some useful insight.
- Annelie Kvick Thompson
Principal, Grimshaw
Annelie joined Grimshaw in 1997 and has since progressed to a senior member of the practice’s international design team. Before her return to London in 2016, she played a central role in the establishment of Grimshaw’s office in Sydney in 2010. Her experience straddles a comprehensive range of sectors including strategic urban and master planning projects, aviation and transport infrastructure, commercial, residential, public domain integration, industrial design and education and research.
Grimshaw Architects is an architectural firm based in London. One of the pioneers of high-tech architecture and recipient of the Royal Institute of British Architects Lubetkin Prize, Grimshaw boasts a portfolio of incredible work including the design of transport projects such as Waterloo International railway station and the award-winning Southern Cross railway station.
Annelie’s directs and leads large and complex projects which often integrate transport with mixed-use regeneration so from a future of cities point of view, her talk is one to watch.
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