As the week of the 36th annual Mipim commercial real estate conference comes to a close, walking up and down the Croisette filled with navy blue suits amid the sun, sea and rosé of Cannes, the issue of gender parity in the sector remains front of mind.
Gender equity is a widespread issue and one that the entire commercial real estate industry faces daily. As the event moves into the rear view mirror, it is fulfilling to reflect on a number of conversations with female leaders in the sector during this year’s event. These are part of a small, but growing, number of senior property professionals that are from a new generation. It was also heartening to hear other senior male leaders organically address advocating for, and supporting the positive impact of, such changes.
But how far has the industry really come with regard to gender parity? What progress has been made versus what is left to do and how? And what impact does it have on business outcomes?
CoStar News spoke to leading female real estate figures in the UK about what they think is working well when it comes to gender parity, what can be done to curb the issues in the industry and their advice for other women in, or looking to enter, the sector.
The lay of the land
Well-placed female talent has long been plentiful in the industry, but filtering the pipeline into senior roles has proved a challenge.
Sue Brown, managing director of Real Estate Balance, tells CoStar News: “Our latest industry-wide survey showed that, despite the huge strides forward many real estate organisations are taking to address gender equality, it remains a stubborn and persistent issue – particularly at board and senior leadership level.
“At Real Estate Balance, we’ve long understood that people of all genders need to work together to truly shift the dial on equality, which is why we’ve always involved and included men.
“Over the last year, I’ve been genuinely surprised and delighted to see the progress amongst our member CEOs who, regardless of their gender, are stepping forward and taking action.”
In January, the organisation held its CEO Breakfast series on the topic of gender, with 68 industry leaders in attendance, which she notes, “is a clear sign that this issue is being taken seriously and that mindsets and cultures are shifting in a meaningful way”.
She notes: “One of our male member CEOs shared that he makes a point of having his child on his lap during work video calls when he needs to, just to show his team that childcare isn’t only a women’s issue.”
This view was echoed by Sandra Burrows, chief operating officer at Round Hill Capital, who tells CoStar News: “This is not a conversation that excludes men. The most effective change I’ve seen has involved the support of male leaders. Inclusion works best when it’s collective… I’ve seen how powerful targeted support and sponsorship can be. Building a credible pipeline of board-ready women is powerful but culture and structural change inside organisations is what ultimately moves the needle.”
Outside her role at Round Hill Capital, Burrows is involved with The Boardroom, a leadership club for aspiring board members focused on preparing and positioning women for board roles through education and peer networks.
She adds: “Gender equality cannot just be about increasing female representation from the same educational and social backgrounds. We must think about economic diversity too, creating pathways into real estate for women who may never have considered it accessible. If we don’t broaden the pipeline, we limit the potential of the industry.
“It's my strong belief that the best person should always get the job regardless of gender. However, that only works if the process is genuinely inclusive and we actively encourage more women to apply, step forward and stay on the path to leadership. Confidence gaps are real; opportunity gaps are too.”
Rachel Hanniquet-Brooking, managing director of Apo Group, a third-party build-to-rent and private residential operator, states: "I'm grateful for the opportunity to lead a business and be a visible role model for women and the LGBTQ community in our industry.
Hanniquet-Brooking adds "a lack of capable women in our industry has never been the issue: the real challenge is ensuring that opportunity, progression and leadership roles are genuinely open to the best talent – regardless of gender".
Room for growth
Assessing what is flying under the radar when it comes to the systemic issues, Priya Aggarwal-Shah, founder and director of PREACH Inclusion, who works across the built environment and commercial sectors, says she wishes more people knew that: “…gender intersects with race, class, faith, disability, and culture. Women’s experiences are not monolithic, and policies that assume they are often fail the very people they’re meant to support.”
Implementing strategies that effect changes rather than over-intellectualising the issues at hand is important, she says. She adds: “Intersectionality isn’t an academic concept – it’s a practical tool for designing workplaces that work for all women.”
Also, in danger of going unnoticed are the silent effects of having to be the voice for change when you are part of the affected group, and more onus should be placed on recognising the impact this has on women.
“…The emotional labour of inclusion work is real,” she says. “Women – especially women of colour – are often expected to carry the burden of educating others, challenging bias, and 'representing' entire communities. This work needs to be recognised, resourced and shared.”
The sentiment that there is more to be done is one shared by Helen Hare, director of projects at GPE and President of British Council for Offices. “We are generally seeing more women entering the industry, which is encouraging, although in my view it’s still not enough,” she says.
“Many companies are improving their policies and approaches to attract and support women in the workplace, and that is making a difference. But there is still a significant lack of female representation at senior levels. At GPE, we have set clear targets to increase the number of women in senior roles.”
Hare was appointed chair of the British Council of Offices in July 2025, with Sam McClary also recently appointed chief executive of the organisation, taking it “from zero senior women to 100%”, Hare says.
“My sense is that confidence remains a challenge for many women in the workplace. It is important we are inspired and learn from the senior women around us. A great example of this is where one of our non-exec board members, Emma Woods has recently launched a podcast interview series titled 'Conversations in Confidence'. The series is focused on talking to inspiring senior women about confidence, leadership and career growth. Discussion around these key themes is incredibly important, especially as the audiences can often align to their own experiences and help apply many techniques that may have helped build their path.
Giving her advice on how women might tackle this issue she says: “It is completely understandable why confidence can falter. When you walk into a room full of men and you are the only woman, it can feel quite daunting for some…when a man walks into a room of men, he may not always be remembered however when a lone woman walks in, as the minority you are more likely to stand out and be remembered.”
She suggests: “…maybe channel your energy into thinking about how you choose to be remembered. After all, if you are in the room, you are there for a reason. Your opinion carries just as much weight as anyone else’s, and it is important to trust in that.”
Change is afoot
However, strides are being made in the right direction across the industry in a bid to encourage true equity. Aggarwal-Shah adds that despite it being “uneven” in the current landscape “there is progress”.
“The most encouraging shift is that conversations about gender equality are no longer confined to HR or 'women’s networks' – they’re increasingly being framed as core to business resilience, talent retention and organisational culture. More leaders now understand that gender equity isn’t a 'nice to have'; it’s a strategic imperative,” she says.
Day-to-day this looks like, “a rise in sponsorship models, where senior leaders actively use their influence to open doors for women,” according to Aggarwal-Shah. “This is far more impactful than traditional mentorship alone. Women are often over‑mentored and under‑sponsored, and the organisations that recognise this are the ones making the most meaningful progress,” she says.
Sarah Davies, senior director of projects at Get Living, has also seen “tangible” progress in her own experience over 20 years in the real estate and construction industry, she says: “Early in my career, I was frequently misidentified when visiting construction sites. Today, I’m more likely to be assumed to be an engineer, a small but telling shift that normalises the growing number of women working across an array of specialisms.
“It’s encouraging to see more women stepping into senior roles, although they still make up less than a quarter of leadership positions. Evidence shows that organisations with balanced leadership teams deliver stronger financial returns and make better decisions, so there’s plenty of reason to keep building on the progress we’ve made.”
Sabrina Klor, chief executive of 10 Design, has also recognised this shift in other business areas within the industry, she says: “Architecture is attracting extraordinary female talent, yet this is still not fully reflected at senior levels across the industry. The goal should never be to fill roles through quotas or tick‑box exercises, but to ensure that opportunities, visibility, and progression are genuinely accessible to everyone as their careers develop.”
This is what will help to effect change within businesses and across the built environment, as well as in the end product, according to Klor, who notes: “When that pipeline becomes fairer, leadership positions will naturally be filled by the most capable individuals and our industry will be strengthened by the diversity of perspectives shaping the places we design.”