Women In Property WIP August 2016

Nomzamo Radebe

Championing the cause of women in property

in property

August 2016

Audit • Tax • Advisory

Reason says:

stick to the tried and tested.

Instinct says:

adapt to change and embrace diversity.

In order to grow and meet the challenges of a rapidly changing business environment, leadership needs to be bold and step beyond the ‘tried and tested’, by embracing a diverse range of perspectives.

At Grant Thornton we understand that gender diversity improves the bottom line and opens new opportunities for growth.

To help unlock the potential for growth in your business contact us:

www.grantthornton.co.za © 2016 Grant Thornton South Africa. All rights reserved. Grant Thornton South Africa is a member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd. Grant Thornton International Ltd.

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contents

in property

WOMEN

August 2016

in property

August 2016

Abland

Abreal Nomzamo Radebe

Championing the cause of women in property

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Nomzamo Radebe: firm but fair Trailblazing the path of women in property Tintswalo: the feel-good factor AECOM embraces diversity and inclusivity Hogan Lovells Airports Company South Africa Amrose Women in facilities management: The sky is the limit Delta CDH’s gender-diverse real estate team helps to drive change Independent thinkers Tétris Boudry Architects Motseng GoIndustry DoveBid Quoin Online Regus Winender Group Shree Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd Turner & Townsend Women’s Property Network STANLIB Direct Property Investments

Oilgro

FOR EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES, email editor@mpdps.com Published by SAPOA, Paddock View, Hunt’s End Office Park, 36 Wierda Road West, Wierda Valley, Sandton PO Box 78544, Sandton 2146 t: +27 (0)11 883 0679 f: +27 (0)11 883 0684 Editor in Chief Neil Gopal Editorial Adviser Jane Padayachee Managing Editor Mark Pettipher Copy Editor Ania Rokita Production Manager Dalene van Niekerk Designers Wade Hunkin, Eugene Jonck Sales Robbie Pansegrauw e: rob@mpdps.com; Riëtte Stevens e: sales@sapoa.org.za Finance Susan du Toit DISCLAIMER: The publisher and editor of this magazine give no warranties, guarantees or assurances and make no representations regarding any goods or services advertised within this edition. Copyright South African Property Owners’ Association (SAPOA). All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from SAPOA. The publishers are not responsible for any unsolicited material.

Printed by Designed, written and produced for SAPOA by MPDPS (PTY) Ltd e: mark@mpdps.com

P R O P E R T Y e: philip@rsalitho.co.za

F U N D

women in property’s leading lady

Nomzamo Radebe: firm but fair In South African Property Review’s one-on-one conversation with SAPOA President Nomzamo Radebe, we talk about women in property and the changing face of what was once a bastion of male domination

By Mark Pettipher

N

omzamo Radebe is no stranger to leading organisations.

She is the Chief Executive Officer of JHI Property Group, a company with an asset value of more than R150-billion and a footprint in Africa that includes South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, DRC, Nigeria and Ghana.

Yet somehow she managed to find time to be last year’s President of the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) and SAPOA’s President Elect as well, in addition to also being a member of the Women’s Property Network (WPN). Now she has joined the ranks of SAPOA’s former women presidents: Lynette Finley, Marna van der Walt and Amelia Beattie.

The past month has been particularly busy for Radebe. It began with her taking on the reins as President at SAPOA’s 50th Anniversary Convention and Property Exhibition in Sandton at the end of June, after which she travelled with

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SAPOA Chief Executive Officer Neil Gopal to this year’s BOMA International convention in Washington DC. While at BOMA, she participated in a panel of five women, discussing women in real estate – the challenges they experience, how to find a balance between business and home life, how to build confidence in speaking about topics such as remuneration or professional recognition, and how to be assertive in the work environment. “What is interesting and relevant to us in South Africa is that the issues a First World country such as the US has are similar to those we have here,” she says. “The solutions we discussed are just as relevant to us in South Africa.”

Accredited as a retail property expert through the International Council of Shopping Centers, Radebe proudly says that the methodologies we use locally are pretty much the same as those that are used internationally.

Photograph by Mark Pettipher

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Photograph supplied

women in property’s leading lady

“Being vocal, leading the way in furthering the cause of women and transforming the property industry can only help our engagement with government” 4

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“We are on a world-class footing, bringing back many of the ideas discussed at BOMA,” she says. “Perhaps we can integrate some of the US literature and methodologies, thereby enhancing how we in South Africa go about working in our property industry.”

With this knowledge, Radebe is happy to incorporate the ideas learnt at BOMA and champion women in property in South Africa. “I’ll not be starting conversations that are new – but we’ll be continuing those conversations, doing tangible things that make a difference and looking at existing opportunities

around upliftment, education, upskilling and making sure that property as a career is available and open to all,” she says.

Her own 18-year path to becoming the Chief Executive Officer of JHI has been through education and driving herself to be the best. She came into the property industry via finance, treasury and investment management. It was while she was the Chief Financial Officer at Pareto that Radebe advanced her property education at the University of Pretoria and through SAPOA’s Property Development Programme, further cementing her passion for the industry.

As Chief Financial Officer, she was responsible for Pareto’s asset management team. While looking after its retail-focused R6-billion asset base – and building those assets to the value of R16-billion over a seven-year period – she built up her property skills through financial management, and her people skills by managing her colleagues and the expectations of their clients’ portfolios.

Radebe’s philosophy – one that she’s taken into her role as CEO – is to do the very best she can and to be the best every day. While she’s not looking for perfection from her teams, the individuals must give each task their best shot and always be focused on the end goal.

She believes that education is important – but commitment is just as important. Her advice to young women coming into the industry is that they must work hard.

“People will facilitate opportunities but it’s a twoway street,” she says. “Commitment and effort must be put in. Newcomers to the industry need to be conscious of that – they must excel. Young women need to be headstrong, resolute and prepared to make the sacrifices that need to be made. It’s worth it. We are just as intelligent as the next person, and we must not see men as competition but as our colleagues. Everyone brings a different package to the table – we all compliment one another.”

The agenda of women in real estate is something that Radebe is passionate about, and she intends to be vocal about it. In addition to putting forward and championing the upliftment of women in real estate and in the country, she says it’s important that SAPOA, too, is visible in this regard.

The South African government is taking on this challenge not only by encouraging transition in corporates but in small businesses as well. If SAPOA is seen to be encouraging transformation in the property industry and encouraging the cause

women in property’s leading lady

Radebe’s philosophy – one that she’s taken into her role as CEO – is to do the very best she can and to be the best every day Photograph by Mark Pettipher

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of women, this will help to smooth the way for engagement with local and regional government.

“SAPOA represents an industry that contributes significantly to South Africa’s economy, and is already recognised as a powerful voice,” she says. “Being vocal, leading the way in furthering the cause of women and transforming the property industry can only help our engagement with government.”

She is encouraged to see that more than 70% of the Bursary Fund recipients are young women.

This figure, coincidentally, reflects the ratio at JHI. “Better-educated mothers will bring better-educated children, which in turn will lead to a better-informed society,” she says. “That 70% of young women are attaining the bursaries will encourage women to choose the property industry. They will be aware of it as a career choice at a much younger age, which will hopefully drive a new generation of property professionals to join the industry.”

Being a woman of Africa, Radebe has observed that society in South Africa is changing – in the workplace and at home. We are moving towards a more matriarchal society. “Women by nature are nurturers,” she says. “We see, as more women enter the workplace and rise to management positions, that there is a softer and perhaps more inclusive approach to business, in addition to a culture of high performance. That is not to say that the older masculine encouragement of saving for one’s future and building capital investment is being put aside.

On the contrary: family wellbeing, health issues and caring about one’s colleagues are being added.

“In societies of the past, the man of the house had to travel far from home and consequently was

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generally not present as he had to live in another city, away from his family. With the change in democracy and the development of better urban and spatial planning, we see that the family unit tends to be much stronger. Dad doesn’t need to travel for work, the paternal side of the family has greater influence on it, and so families are much stronger.”

Appointed as the first black female President of SAPOA, Radebe feels that she represents a breakthrough, and highlights that black women are being recognised in the property industry. The appointment also crystallises that black women can be trusted in the industry and moves women forward significantly. It also reflects on the many black women in senior positions in South Africa’s property industry.

She aims to continue to encourage the placement of women in the right positions. To this end, she plans to develop a bigger database of women in the property industry, which will also encourage a closer working relationship with WPN. “It has given quite a few people hope that our industry is continuing to grow and to challenge itself to transform,” she says. “For me to be recognised as SAPOA’s first black woman President is quite humbling. I have to ask myself what makes me the presidential choice and what characteristics I have that the next black woman doesn’t – and I’m humbled to realise it’s me. Becoming SAPOA’s President has placed a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. This is a milestone for the organisation, reached over a 50-year period. I need to make sure the practice of change continues, and that there is continued transformation. We should strive not only to push women – black and white – into having an equal voice,

but also to see that black practitioners in particular have a greater say in our industry.”

Radebe feels that she needs to continue to amp up SAPOA’s presence. She intends to build on the strong team around her, and will be working towards a focused action plan that will marry the SAPOA work with the work she does as JHI Chief Executive Officer.

The plan is important because there is a lot of advocacy involved, and government engagement will be greater.

Being the past president of SACSC has provided her with the experience she needs to make her SAPOA presidency successful. She also recognises – and is encouraged to be able to draw upon – the support from other women in the industry, including Portia Tau-Sekati of the Property Charter, her two Board members Ipeleng Mkhari (Chief Executive Officer of Motseng Investment Holdings) and Nnema Byrd (Asset Manager at Stanlib), and of course the three female SAPOA Past Presidents Lynette Finley, Marna van der Walt and Amelia Beattie.

Experience, advocacy and the upliftment of women in property, combined with compassion and a firm but fair commitment to getting things done well will be the lasting legacy that Radebe wants to put in place as her tenure as SAPOA’s first black woman President unfolds.

t: +27 (0)11 911 8000 www.jhi.co.za

Photograph supplied

women in property’s leading lady

SAPOA women in property

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investing in women power

Trailblazing the path of women in property Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Motseng Investment Holdings Ipeleng Mkhari talks about being an entrepreneur in the property industry

By Phil Ruimte

Ipeleng holds a Bachelor of Social Science degree, has completed the Executive Development Programme at Wits Business School and is an Archbishop Tutu Fellow.

She has served on various boards of unlisted and listed businesses, public sector agencies and non-profit organisations. She is currently a non-executive Director of KAP Industrial, Nampak and the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA), and a board of governors member of St John’s Diocesan School for Girls.

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B

eginnings are always strewn with challenges, and Ipeleng Mkhari’s path towards the commercial property industry was no different. Her first serious career post was as the marketing manager of a CCTV company – nothing at all to do with the property industry. Seeing an opportunity and heeding her entrepreneurial spirit, she established the first black woman-owned CCTV company in South Africa. Soon afterwards she met up with her school friend Sandile Nomvete and agreed to go into business with her.

“Operating out of my father’s study, my first CCTV contract was with the Kuene Brothers,” she says. “I did not have any credit or money to buy equipment, so

I had to get bridging loan. What made me stand out in the bank’s eyes was that I was asking for funding for something quite different. I also went in with a thought-out business plan. But what really secured the loan was that Kuene Brothers contract. One of the conditions of the loan was that I needed to pay the money back within a month. Making sure that the installation was perfect, we were paid and I honoured my commitment to the bank. That deal was the seed capital for Motseng.”

Ipeleng and Sandile co-founded Motseng Investment Holdings (MIH) in 1998. It has grown into a multi-faceted organisation that employs almost 600 people. The company initially specialised in the provision of soft services, including security and cleaning, but has since diversified into the industrial, textile manufacturing and property sectors, among others.

“My entry into the sector was not deliberate,” says Ipeleng. “At the time, my investment holdings business was a partner in a security services entity. The approach by Marriott Corporate Property services in 2002 to form a 50/50 joint venture was aligned to the company strategy to grow in the built environment.”

Once established, Motseng Marriott Property Services became a fully staffed and operating management services business. It later spurred Motseng to invest and start up allied property-related businesses.

The year 2004 saw Motseng’s next stage in its evolution with a three percent acquisition of KAP International Holdings, a listed diversified group involved in specialised contractual logistics and passenger transport on one hand and diversified industrial activities, timber, chemicals, automotive components and the manufacture of bedding on the other.

In the same year, Motseng Facilities Management was established to fulfil the growing demand for a self-contained company entity focusing solely on the facilities management arena.

investing in women power

As a practitioner in the industry I have always seen my role as one of advocacy and awareness.

The SAPOA board equally has an important mandate to address education and transformation, which I personally take very seriously.

A major turning point and a milestone for MIH came in 2005 when it achieved a turnover in excess of R100-million. This rapid growth meant Ipeleng was in a solid position to acquire Marriott Corporate Property Services’ 50% stake in the business, giving MIH 100% ownership. Motseng Mariott was renamed Motseng Property Services.

Motseng Corporate was established in 2007, as was Motseng Strategic Investments. That year also saw Motseng offload the company’s security and cleaning services.

“In 2008, MIH embarked on a bold strategy to upwardly integrate and extend the business beyond a service provider to landlords,” says Ipeleng. “The shareholders and executives set out to acquire commercial assets with long-term government leases as an initial soft landing into the ownership space. It took a while, but within about three years, Motseng had acquired just under R1-billion worth of assets off its own balance sheet. The company had limitations around its own ability to keep acquiring assets and decided to raise more capital through a listing. The Motseng-owned assets were then sold into an SPV. Additional assets were acquired (a total of 20), and the Delta Property Fund was listed on 2 November 2012.”

Something that Ipeleng has in common with SAPOA’s recently elected President Nomzamo Radebe, is the role of Chairperson of the Women’s Property Network (WPN), where part of her focus was on education and mentorship.

“As the chairperson in 2008, I launched the education trust and mentorship programme,” says Ipeleng. “It was extremely important at the time for WPN to rebrand itself as an entity that had progressed to a more developmental organisation. WPN’s national Exco at the time was very passionate about seeing more women entering the industry, and encouraging junior and middle-management women to rise in property industry’s ranks.

“The education trust was ground-breaking in the industry because it focused exclusively on supporting women of colour to study property with the leading tertiary institutions. I’m very proud of both initiatives; I believe they have contributed positively to the advocacy and transformation of the sector. I still act as a trustee of the education trust.”

Ipeleng’s view is that, for the sake of success of South Africa and our neighbouring countries, it’s imperative to get transformation right in our country.

“The property industry contributes hugely to a sector that includes finance, real estate and business services,” she says. “The sector contributes 21,6% towards South Africa’s GDP but the industry is still largely untransformed from a direct or indirect ownership standpoint. The industry is working hard on providing a clear narrative and direction around the property sector charter scorecards, and in so doing has the responsibility to see this through. We have seen a positive increase of previously disadvantaged entrepreneurs addressing this issue, however, more still needs to be achieved in the ownership space.”

“Nomzamo represents to me what I want to see as a practitioner and as a woman in property. Black women are still playing on the periphery of the sector and economy, so to have her elected as SAPOA President in its 50th year of existence is clearly a reflection of the strides that have been taken – but equally of a how much more needs to be done. Her presidency will intrigue and hopefully expose many, many more young black women to this sector.”

Ipeleng’s advice to young women wishing to enter the property sector as a career is that commercial property is a stable, long-term investment option, whether they’re providing services or acquiring or developing assets. “For a young woman, it’s a very interesting and growing industry in need of more women,” she says. “I would strongly advise them to research and understand it better.”

Ipeleng was named the Cosmopolitan Mover of the Year in 2006 and was a finalist in the inaugural Entrepreneur Businesswoman of the Year Award (Association) in the same year. She was the Property Network Chairperson between 2007 and 2009. She was named one of CEO magazine’s Most Influential Women in Business in 2008 and has been featured in The Times (March 2012) as one of 20 Movers and Shakers in Africa, Ipeleng was awarded Forbes Pioneer Woman of they year award in November 2015

t: +27 (0)11 267 8000 contact@motseng.co.za www.motseng.co.za SAPOA women in property

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hospitality in focus

Tintswalo:

the feel-good factor Chief Executive Officer Lisa Goosen heads up the luxurious Tintswalo Group.

South African Property Review spent a little time finding out a bit more about the people behind the success of the brand Words and photographs by Mark Pettipher

“T

intswalo is a Shangaan expression meaning ‘the intangible feeling of love, gratitude and peace bestowed upon someone offering a meaningful and worthy gift’,” says Lisa Goosen, CEO of the Tintswalo Group. “This describes our family and our business philosophy perfectly as we strive to provide investors and tenants alike with viable, well-planned developments that provide increasing asset values and enhance the areas in which they are located.”

Established in 1975, Century Property Developments’ – now run by Lisa’s brother – original focus was on the development of shopping centres in rural areas.

Over the years the group has evolved to encompass award-winning, flagship residential developments across Johannesburg; leading retail centre developments across South Africa; and Tintswalo Lodges – a collection of five-star boutique hotels located in South Africa’s most sought-after tourism destinations.

I put a question to her – being in the hospitality business – to find out whether she is a “people” person. About 21 years ago, she started working after school at front of house in the reception of the family business. “One of my attributes is that I deal well with people,” she says. “I don’t have a lot of tolerance for complaints, though… But intrinsically, yes, I’m a people person.”

It was not a natural progression for her to go into the family business. Lisa didn’t consciously think about property as a career. A school friend of hers, who’d often stay with her, was temping as a receptionist – and being a receptionist seemed to be a good option.

At that time, the Century Group was looking for a receptionist, and Lisa’s mother suggested she try it out. “My first task was having to call each of the candidates and tell them that the position had been filled,” says Lisa. “I was by no means handed the job on a plate – I had to work at the position just like any other employee.”

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As time went on, Lisa become her mother’s personal assistant. “It was during that time that I saw what my mother had to tackle,” she says. “She taught me to love business. We work very well together and are very close.

“My mother has very good control over the finances, and my father is the creator. He is the inspiration and tone-setter behind the creation of the group, but it’s my mother who controls and keeps us on the chosen path.

“Without a doubt the person who has had the greatest influence on my life has been my mother.

She has an incredible ability to make things right.

I’ve watched her for many years, knowing that no problem was too big for her. I have watched her carry the stress of all the problems without making them anyone else’s. She’s been a vital role model in my life – something that I’ll pass onto my daughter.

The three of us think similarly.”

Also part of the Tintswalo Group family is Lisa’s husband, Warwick. He is the Group’s CEO responsible for property development.

Giving back to the community

Lisa is all about building on the early principles of ensuring that there is always some kind of community involvement with every property development. “We started with the Youth Human rights programme in the Bushbuck Ridge area, where we looked at various education development opportunities and uplifted the standards of education in the community,” she says. “It was part of our ethos to make sure that there was something left behind – we had fun doing it. Each of our properties and lodges has their own projects.”

The burning down of Tintswalo Atlantic got the family thinking. While the lodge was being rebuilt, the group retained all the Tintswalo Atlantic staff – and to occupy their time, the staff were involved

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hospitality in focus with the Hout Bay community. Among other things they painted the NSRI building, baked at the local community centre and painted the a crèche.

“Every year on the anniversary of the burning of Tintswalo Atlantic, we will choose a cause that is in the forefront of our mind at the time and dedicate our time and fund-raising efforts to it. This year on 3 March, the Annual Phoenix Dinner held at Tintswalo Atlantic, raised about R400 000 for the NSRI. “Down at Safari Lodge we are passionate about rhino conservation, and are actively developing an awareness, and engaging with children from the local area, taking them on game drives and developing a sense of social responsibility and an understanding of what is involved in caring for the environment and the species. We are also developing a crèche and daycare facilities to support the community.

“In Johannesburg, our family is greatly involved with the Riversands HUB – my sister Tracy runs it.

It’s a 40 000m² entrepreneurial incubation hub, an exceptional programme funded by Century Developments and the Jobs Fund.

“We also have a social development plan linked to Riversands. My brother is going to be developing an industrial area near Diepsloot. The area has a major workforce but no industrial sector to feed.”

The Tintswalo Group has been involved in supporting Diepsloot for a number of years. Since 2012, when Lisa’s sister, Tracey Henly launched the Diepsloot Youth Programme, the programme has had a marked effect, and a substantial positive change on the lives of children in the township.

In addition, the programme has sent a team to a primary school in Diepsloot. That team is currently working towards stemming and preventing drug abuse among the children at the school. In February alone, Tintswalo conducted 30 “Way to Happiness” workshops with 1 106 students, completed 121 precepts and handed out numerous “Way to Happiness” booklets.

The programme is also aiming to implement a maths literacy programme by providing coaches to the school. The coaches will all be trained and equipped to raise the educational standard of the children.

In support of this initiative, 20 computers have also been donated for a maths holiday programme. To ensure that the children continue to benefit from the computers, the Tintswalo

Group has also provided better security has been provided in the classrooms through the addition of measures such as burglar bars.

Working in conjunction with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the SAPS youth desk, a drug awareness campaign has been initiated to reflect the negative impact that substance abuse has on people’s lives.

The Tintswalo Group has been involved in supporting Diepsloot for a number of years.

Since 2012, when the group launched the Diepsloot Youth Programme was lauched, the programme has had a marked effect, and a substantial positive change on the lives of children in the township Having identified schools that are classified as being in high-risk areas, regular educational workshops for the youth are hosted to help further drug awareness. The ultimate goal is to equip learners with the relevant presentation skills and background knowledge on drug awareness, so they in turn can become ambassadors of change and positively impact their peers.

Lisa says that the positive results of the programme are encouraging. “The high degree of participation in the Diepsloot Youth Programme definitively proves that the community has taken our programme to heart, and that its core principles are starting to materially help turn around the lives

of young people who have been affected by the scourge of drugs.

“Moving forward, we intend to keep supporting this good work, and ensure that the programme helps inspire a long-lasting and tangible change for the Diepsloot community.”

Employee and customer relations

As an employee within the Tintswalo Group, there are opportunities to progress within the group; employees can make a path for themselves. This is something that is close to Lisa’s own journey in the company. Hard work has led her to the position of Chief Executive Officer. “My MBA has come from the school of hard work, and from seeing the opportunities arise and taking them,” she says.

“The company is big enough for people to grow with us – we are fortunate that there are people who have been with us for years. I will never design a career path for any of the staff; they must do that, and they must want the next step. I’m happy to delegate to the member of staff who wants to progress.”

Lisa is a firm believer in the cross-pollination of ideas. “No-one can work in isolation. Crosspollination is how our team leaders and managers grow – and this way, each property manager gets to stay at each of our properties,” she says. “They are encouraged to critique the properties and see how our brand’s look-and-feel and philosophy are maintained throughout. We welcome their point of view.”

According to Lisa, the controlling eye over the group’s look-and-feel belongs to her and her mother, in collaboration Caroline Wright (who is their interior decorator). Many of the smaller details are applied painstakingly by Lisa’s mother herself. “Over the years, we’ve grown to understand the value of continuity in our brand’s look and feel, the value of loyal, dedicated staff and – most importantly – a customer base that appreciates the understated luxury that we offer,” says Lisa. “Our main aim is to provide out clients with that lasting Tintswalo experience.”

t: +27 (0)11 300 8700 www.tintswalo.com SAPOA women in property

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in profile

in profile

AECOM

embraces diversity and inclusivity Shevira Bissessor is a sterling example of the diversity and inclusivity embedded in the core values of AECOM. As an executive in the Buildings + Places: Africa business unit, the highlight of her career to date was leading a high-profile team in Qatar

T

he biggest challenge facing Bissessor has been the combination of her gender and age. “Not many people will take you seriously until you prove yourself and make your mark,” she says.

She started making her mark while working at legacy company Davis Langdon in 2004 as a first-year student. Upon completing her BSc degree in property development, Bissessor was awarded a bursary that allowed her to complete an Honours degree in quantity surveying.

She received the International Golden Key Award from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, awarded to the top 15% of students from all disciplines who have completed at least one year of study.

She was promoted to Associate Director at the age of 26 and Executive Director at the tender age of 29.

In 2015, she was a nominee for the Young Achiever Award at the Women’s Property Network Awards.

Bissessor says the highlight of her career to date was managing and leading a team, in conjunction with another associate, on a full-time, four-month secondment in Qatar from November 2012 to February 2013. “I definitely learnt a lot from the international experience,” she says.

In 2013, she attended SAPOA’s Property Development Programme, held in collaboration with the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. “The group I was part of was placed first for providing the best design, feasibility study and construction solution for a given site in Cape Town,” she says. She now also lectures in feasibility studies at the same programme.

“There will always be this challenge of being a woman in a male-dominated industry,” she says.

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“But it’s not about gender – it’s what you know and are positively contributing to the industry and projects that matters.”

She pays tribute to the women who have risen to the forefront of the construction industry, from architects to engineers, project managers and quantity surveyors. “Most women are perfectionists,” she says. “We need that quality to be able to implement successful projects, and also to manage successful businesses.”

Bissessor believes that the construction industry has changed in terms of gender and inclusivity issues. “There are more and more women in the construction industry and in leadership positions in companies within the built environment. The industry is a lot more mature, and understands the importance of diversity and equality.”

Climbing the corporate ladder as a woman in a leading position in a blue-chip company such as AECOM fills Bissessor with immense pride. “I also feel the responsibility to do what I can to ensure that the next generation of talented women has the opportunity to reach the top.”

Bissessor is clearly determined and hungry for success, and will not stop here. She also gets inspiration from her parents, who have been her pillar of strength, and have given her the tools to become the person she is today and to achieve what she has thus far.

In addition, she pays tribute to the leadership and the culture at AECOM, where diversity and inclusivity are embedded in the core values. “Our innovation is enhanced by our ability to draw from a wealth of different backgrounds and experiences,” she says.

“Our diversity enables us to better understand our clients and the communities in which we live and work. We’re committed to working effectively across differences such as gender, culture, age and race. We not only accept these differences, we honour them through inclusivity.”

About AECOM

AECOM is a premier, fully integrated professional and technical services firm. It designs, builds, finances and operates infrastructure assets around the world for public- and private-sector clients. In Africa, AECOM has offices in more than 20 countries, including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda.

With top-level professionals in multiple locations, AECOM understands Africa’s specific infrastructure needs, as well as the challenges of working on the continent. Its multidisciplinary teams of award-winning engineers, planners, architects, environmental specialists, economists, scientists, consultants, and cost, project and programme managers are committed to delivering projects that improve the quality of life of communities throughout Africa.

t: +27 (0)11 666 2000 Shevira.Bissessor@aecom.com www.aecom.com

in profile

Hogan Lovells W

ith its global spread and international footprint, Hogan Lovells is able to respond to client needs wherever they’re based. The firm can provide a consolidated approach across jurisdictional borders.

As a Tier 1 global law firm, this makes Hogan Lovells the ideal legal partner in South Africa.

The firm’s real estate team has a thorough understanding of the legislation governing immovable property and all related legal disciplines.

It advises property developers and corporate clients on all aspects relating to real estate matters and developments, including implementation strategies relating to the acquisition and disposal of real estate.

With its deep roots in real estate, the South African office is recognised as a leader in all aspects of real estate transactions, from township establishment and property development to the registration of complex commercial bonds, participation bonds, and debt and trade securities, including special and notarial bonds.

Emili Souris

Partner Emili Souris has practised as a property law professional for more than 25 years, in all areas of property law, including township developments, transfers and property securities.

Today, her niche area of speciality is complex corporate bonds, where she secures the rights of lenders in all aspects of banking finance transactions.

Souris is privileged to count all five major banks as her clients.

During her articles, she was exposed to property transactional work, and her love for property and the law of property became cemented. She has BA and LLB degrees from Wits, and is admitted as an attorney, notary and conveyancer. She joined Hogan Lovells at a time when the firm wanted to develop a strong property department.

Souris believes that although the property sector has been dominated by men in the past, over the years women have become more prominent in all aspects of property. “It is wonderful to see how successful women have become in the property industry,” she says. “Our team was the recipient of the Property and Construction Team of the Year award at the 2015 African Legal Awards.”

She is passionate about skills transfer, and works with a team of juniors to whom she is transferring her vast skills and knowledge.

Penny Chenery

Partner As a candidate attorney, Penny Chenery began her legal career in the litigation department.

It didn’t take her long to realise that although she had a passion for law, the destructive and aggressive nature of the work was not for her.

She moved to the real estate department and immediately knew that this was the industry on which she wanted to focus her career. “Working with property developers from inception of a project until its conclusion is very fulfilling,” she says.

She’s observed a change in the property industry over the years. “The mix in the industry has become more diverse, not just in relation to the male/female ratio but also in relation to colour, culture and creed,” she says. She believes organisations such as the Women’s Property Network, of which she is a member, are working to support the growth of women in the industry, to make the sector inclusive and to transform it.

Chenery has a BCom degree with majors in law and marketing, and a postgraduate LLB degree from Wits. She is admitted as an attorney, notary and conveyancer.

She did her articles in 2002 at Routledge Modise (now Hogan Lovells), and has been working for the dynamic firm ever since.

Hogan Lovells is a Tier 1 Top 10 global law firm with more than 45 offices around the world. Its Johannesburg office has approximately 100 legal professionals who are regarded as high-calibre sector practitioners, acting both in the country and across the continent

t: +27 (0)11 286 6900 info.johannesburg@hoganlovells.com www.hoganlovells.com @HoganLovellsSA SAPOA women in property

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in profile

Khanyi Nene

Ciska John

Zinhle Ntanzi

Senior Manager: Spatial Portfolio

Advertising Portfolio Specialist

Senior Manager: Property Development

Ciska John was born and raised in Port Elizabeth.

She joined Airports Company South Africa in August 2003 as the youngest female employee at the time.

A promotion in January 2005 saw her relocate to Durban to take on the responsibility for the commercial advertising portfolio across the eight domestic airports.

She was involved in Durban International Airport’s relocation to King Shaka International Airport, assisting with the development of the advertising master plan and ensuring that the airport design catered for advertising infrastructure requirements. The task included the relocation of contracted advertising sites and embarking on a tender process for new opportunities.

A series of promotions culminated in her current appointment as Advertising Portfolio Specialist.

While in the employ of Airports Company South Africa, she attained a BCom degree in management. It was awarded cum laude by the University of South Africa.

While it was initially a challenge to enter the male-dominated advertising industry, she says it was (and continues to be) a rewarding experience.

She quotes Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who said, “The heights by great (wo)men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”

Zinhle Ntanzi completed a BSc degree in property development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2009, after which she joined Airports Company South Africa in the property department at the then-Durban International Airport. In the role of Workstream Leader for Airport Relocation and Transfer, she was involved in the relocation of Durban International Airport to King Shaka International Airport, dealing with relocation and risk planning for staff stakeholders, furniture, fittings and equipment. She was also involved on the property side, ensuring tenant sites were ready for occupation prior to the commencement of operations.

In 2013 she was appointed Assistant Manager: Property for regional airports, responsible for property asset management and development. She has since been involved in several development projects, including the completion of a 20-hectare solar PV panel development at Upington International Airport and the conclusion of a deal for the development of a private hospital facility at Bram Fischer International Airport, to be operational in the first quarter of 2017.

“Growing a property asset portfolio in smaller regions of the company has proven to be difficult but not impossible,” she says. “The airport environment is particularly challenging, especially with the current economic cycles, as we are trying to play in the space of non-core business. My responsibility is to ensure we play in that space effectively, and the reward is to see a completed and fully operational development.”

Infrastructure and Asset Management Division

Khanyi Nene has a BA from the University of Zululand, a Certificate for the Commercial Property Practitioner and a Certificate in Advanced Real Estate Investment.

In 2014, she took part in the Property Development Programme, and today she busy completing her postgraduate diploma in property management and development through Wits.

She began her career as an administrator at Ithala Development Finance Corporation in KwaZulu-Natal.

In 2005, she joined Airports Company South Africa as a Property Administrator and was later promoted to the position of Assistant Property Manager. In 2008, she joined Transnet Freight Rail as a Regional Property Portfolio Manager, and in 2012 was appointed Senior Manager of the National Property portfolio.

During her time at Transnet Freight Rail she gained valuable insight into the world of property and asset management, particularly management of state-owned facilities. In 2013, she returned to Airports Company South Africa where she now works as a Senior Manager: Spatial Portfolio. She is responsible for optimisation of the non-aeronautical revenue and proclamation of land owned by Precinct 2A, which is a subsidiary company wholly owned by Airports Company South Africa. Precinct 2A consists of about 237 hectares, with 100 hectares earmarked for commercial development opportunities.

Nene is proud of her role and contribution as a woman in the industry.

t: +27 (0)11 723 1400 / +27 (0)71 442 0186 Khanyi.Nene@airports.co.za www.airports.co.za AIRPORTS COMPANY SOUTH AFRICA_LOGO.indd 1

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t: +27 (0)32 436 6833 / +27 (0)82 308 4939 Ciska.Welcome@airports.co.za www.airports.co.za AIRPORTS COMPANY SOUTH AFRICA_LOGO.indd 1

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t: +27 (0)41 507 7448 / +27 (0)82 450 2027 Zinhle.Ntanzi@airports.co.za www.airports.co.za AIRPORTS COMPANY SOUTH AFRICA_LOGO.indd 1

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in profile

Alinee Padayachee

Michelle Rosenthal and Lisa Schewitz

Senior Manager: Spatial Portfolio

Amrose Commercial Properties

Alinee Padayachee, a Qualified Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, graduated with a BProc and LLB degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and is a qualified solicitor of England and Wales. She practised commercial law locally, and worked in the UK in insolvency law. On returning to South Africa, she joined Airports Company South Africa, where she worked in the legal and procurement department before moving to the commercial property division, which she sees as dynamic, energetic and exciting.

“The property sector is still male-dominated but more women are joining it, albeit at a slow pace,” she says. “I’m proud that ACSA has a strong focus on woman empowerment. Women hold a number of key positions throughout the country and are responsible for property asset management and property development. ACSA is a forward-thinking organisation and recognises the value and diverse skills that women contribute to a business environment.

“Airports are generators of direct and indirect employment and business opportunities. ACSA has identified more than 1 000 hectares of remote land around its nine airports, which is not required for aviation-related activities and which is earmarked for development. The land is suitable for commercial development as it is well located and connected, flat and secure, and is partially serviced or has bulk services available in a close proximity. We are really looking forward to developing the land!”

Amrose Marketing Consultancy is a professional commercial property brokerage in the Eastern Cape. It was started in 2007, when Lisa Schewitz and Michelle Rosenthal found a niche and decided to specialise in an industry that needed professional service, integrity and sound advice. Today, it is the commercial brokerage of choice for clients around the country who are seeking property transactions in the Eastern Cape.

Schewitz’s 10 years of experience with Investec and Rosenthal’s marketing and strategic experience at MTN have made this duo a formidable force in the industry. Their client-centric business focuses on presenting suitable opportunities and assessing individual requirements, creating long-term relationships with clients, landlords and tenants.

The strength of Amrose lies in the women’s handson approach: they are proactive and they try to add value to every transaction.

Rosenthal’s network of connections is a tremendous advantage in the industry, while Schewitz’s biggest strength is that she is tenacious and more than willing to go the extra mile. The greatest challenge is the risk of time and effort to the transaction. They put the same amount of time, effort, energy and commitment into a small transaction as they do into a large one, so the returns don’t always compensate the diligence.

Having both left the corporate world as a result of personal commitments and children, Schewitz and Rosenthal started their career in the commercial property industry in 2006 working for an established agency in East London. A year later, they took the plunge and started their own business. They had to go back to the books and write exams to ensure that they were compliant with SAPOA and with the EAAB. They both became principals of their business. The first year was full of challenges.

t: +27 (0)32 436 6542 / +27 (0)82 330 0420 Alinee.Padayachee@airports.co.za www.airports.co.za AIRPORTS COMPANY SOUTH AFRICA_LOGO.indd 1

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Rosenthal and Schewitz realised that selling a property was only part of the transaction – to get the banks on board was harder. So they started bringing tenants to the properties they sold and valueengineering the leases to enhance the transactions.

They began to build up relationships with tenants looking for a footprint in East London. Their business changed: they enjoyed sourcing properties for the right clients as opposed to simply tenanting properties with whatever leases they could find.

Amrose’s recent transactions have included the successful sales of the Cold Chain Property and the Tiger Brand Mill in Arcadia, East London Amrose has great working relationship with the likes of Eris Property Group and Broll, and recently assisted Regus with its new business centre in East London. Rosenthal and Schewitz were also proud to be part of finding a new home for the Times Media Group’s The Daily Dispatch.

They have enjoyed working with property funds and assisted when they sold off some of their noncore properties in East London to private individuals (such as the sale of the old Metro Cash and Carry business premises to the Kit Kat Group). They were part of Steinhoff relocating its prime dealership and selling its property Buffalo Toyota in the CBD. Being based in East London and having close relationships with local authorities and municipalities has certainly assisted Amrose’s out-of-town clients.

The feedback the women get is that they are professional, hard-working, enthusiastic and committed. They try their best and are honest in their transactions. The deal might have been concluded but their involvement never ends.

They give constant feedback to all parties. It’s about relationships, trust and service – three qualities that are at the core of their lives, and ones that they bring to whatever they do, be it servicing clients, charity work or motherhood.

They try their best, and have high expectations of themselves and of their clients. They enjoy their work – it’s not easy, but the repeat business makes it worthwhile.

t: +27 (0)82 443 6776 / +27 (0)83 225 7444 lisa@amrose.co.za / michelle@amrose.co.za www.amrose.co.za SAPOA women in property

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in profile

Women in facilities management: The sky is the limit

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kona Ngcuka, Bidvest Facilities Management’s Chief Operations Officer of Customised Solutions, has spent 14 years in infrastructure and property development and management. After working as an infrastructure development manager at Group Five, she joined Bidvest Facilities Management in 2013, where she takes care of day-to-day operations, develops strategies and policies, and ensures alignment between operating divisions to deliver on company strategy.

Ngcuka, who sits on several company boards and associations, is passionate about the industry. “What really excites me about facilities management is the ability to add value to clients’ businesses and take care of their assets while they focus on their core competencies,” she says. “This involves strategic alignment of our operations as a service provider with their business goals. Also, this is a people business, and I’m passionate about interacting with my team, and watching them grow and overcome challenges.”

She says the shortage of technical skills is one of the industry’s biggest challenges. “We’re making strides in the right direction with our MERSETA-accredited technical training academy, which not only develops talent for our group and our clients, but also extends to empower previously disadvantaged people. Recently a large number of unskilled, unemployable learners graduated – 90% of whom are women – who now all have jobs. What we’re doing is having a positive impact on skills development and job creation.”

Ngcuka says that there are too few women in the facilities management industry; even fewer are in management roles. “It’s something I would love to change, which is why I’m hoping to make a difference by sitting on the board of our industry body, the South African Facilities Management Association,” she says.

“Women are natural team-builders and are great at developing client relationships. So few young people – especially women – know about facilities management and related career opportunities. We need to create more awareness and publicity around this sector to attract young talent.”

She advises other women never to underestimate their ability and to step up to any challenges that they encounter.

“Most importantly, build great teams. Then the sky is the limit,” she says. “Don’t let the technical nature of the industry intimidate you. You can develop this expertise – or bring on board the right people with the necessary skills.”

t: +27 (0)12 641 8000 sales@bidvestfm.co.za www.bidvestfacilitiesmanagement.co.za

Bronwyn Corbett CEO Mara Delta Property Holdings

Bronwyn Corbett is the CEO of Mara Delta Property Holdings, the only pan-African fund listed on the JSE. She has more than 12 years of experience in the property sector, with specific focus on property ownership. She gained extensive knowledge in the commercial property sector before joining Motseng Investment Holdings as CFO, where she played a pivotal role in establishing and growing its property fund to R1-billion in four years. Charismatic and ambitious, she also served as the COO and CIO at Delta Property Fund Ltd until June 2016.

With an entrepreneur for a father, she knows a lot about successes and downturns, and learnt important lessons about business, deal-making and negotiation as a child. “I have vivid memories of being three years old and going with my father to purchase cattle, and watching his negotiation skills,” she says. “I’ve always had a passion to build my own business but I wanted to ensure I’d grow something sustainable.”

Corbett is one of only four female executives in the listed property sector. Her passion is women in property, and she is the largest contributor to the Women’s Property Network bursary programme. Her advice to young women is to have all the passion and energy in the world but also to be focused and avoid distractions.

“Never say die and believe in your end goal,” she says.

Mara Delta is listed on the JSE and in Mauritius, and invests in Morocco, Mozambique, Mauritius, Kenya and Nigeria.

t: +27 (0)87 806 6100 alida.claassen@maradelta.com www.maradelta.com 20

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in profile

Heidi Rix

Mosa Matlosa

Sandra Mqina

COO

Legal Manager

Senior Operations Asset Manager

Mara Delta Property Holdings

Delta Property Fund

Delta Property Fund

Mara Delta Property Holdings’ COO Heidi Rix is passionate, committed and driven. She holds degrees in commerce and law, and a Diploma in Advanced Property Practice. She began her career as an attorney before moving into the commercial real estate sector, and her exposure to property investment assets that had been defaulted on led her to venture into property investment management.

Prior joining Mara Delta this year, Rix was a Director at Atterbury Asset Managers and a General Manager: Property Management at Rand Merchant Bank Properties.

“In my career, I have managed fantastic teams of people,” she says. “I have also been a part of many real estate projects, from large developments and the facilitation of real estate transactions on large land holdings to optimising future developments and successfully working with the Saudi Stock Exchange in the Middle East while providing real estate management consultancy services.”

Rix expects to grow the group’s Delta Property Fund sustainably and substantially to be a leading pan-African frontier fund, and to exceed shareholder expectations in the next five years.

She says she had the privilege of meeting and working with many dynamic, professional and very effective women in the property industry. “I have faith that women can hold their own – and hold any position within the industry,” she says.

At 27, Mosa Matlosa is one of South Africa’s youngest and most respected legal minds in property, and her organic approach to building her brand is inspiring.

“A background in litigation and commercial law presented me with a firm legal foundation and an eagerness to get into the property industry,” says the University of Johannesburg law graduate.

She joined Delta Property Fund in 2015 after spending more than three years with Johannesburg law firm Schindlers Attorneys as a candidate attorney and later an associate. Although she admits that she’s still “green” in the property sector, she believes she’s on the right path in the “male-dominated industry”.

She draws her inspiration from strong, driven and like-minded women in property, including Mara Delta’s CEO Bronwyn Corbett.

“Being a part of a company such as Delta is inspiring,” says Matlosa. “I’m surrounded by the most brilliant minds in the property sector who have a wealth of knowledge to share, and I’m privileged to learn from them every day.”

She says hard work and building relationships are key to her success. “It’s important that my colleagues know they can always rely on me to get the job done,” she says. “I’ve also found that maintaining and nurturing relationships goes a long way.”

She believes all human beings require validation – so treating people with humanity and sincerity is very important.

Delta Property Fund’s Sandra Mqina was supposed to study pharmacy but changed her mind at registration – much to her parents’ indignation. She now has a BCom in accounting from the University of the North and an MBA from the University of Potchefstroom, along with several certificates from the University of Pretoria and Wits Business School.

She has no regrets. “Being in finance has given me the opportunity to be involved in property,” she says. “I also have an affinity towards social issues relating to poverty alleviation and crime prevention. I have been a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, and I am also a counsellor at a local police station Victim Support Centre – although because of work commitments, I haven’t been able to pursue some of the volunteer work I love.”

Before joining Delta Property Fund in 2012, she worked for Propnet (now Transnet Property) for more than 10 years, rising from the position of Assistant Financial Manager to Acting CFO by the time she left in 2008. She has 30 years of working experience, 16 of them in the property industry.

She believes women have taken some strides to change the landscape of a male-dominated property environment. “It’s inspiring to see younger (especially black) women emerging as major role-players in the industry,” she says. “It’s encouraging that organisations such as SAPOA and Delta are alleviating skills shortages by providing bursaries to property students.”

t: +27 (0)87 806 6100 alida.claassen@maradelta.com www.maradelta.com

t: +27 (0)87 803 3582 / +27 (0)83 462 5534 mosa.matlosa@deltafund.co.za www.deltafund.co.za

t: +27 (0)87 805 0450 / +27 (0)82 870 4359 sandra.mqina@deltafund.co.za www.deltafund.co.za SAPOA women in property

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in profile

CDH’s genderdiverse real estate team helps to drive change

By Fatima Gattoo, Lucia Erasmus, Allison Alexander, Simone Immelman, Simone Franks, Nayna Parbhoo and Muriel Serfontein, Directors in Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s Real Estate practice

As one of the leading real estate teams in the country, there is a wealth of attributes our team possesses that sets it apart from competitors

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SAPOA women in property

A

ccording to the World Bank, gender equality enhances economic development, improves prospects for future generations and strengthens political and social systems. Statistically, women make up about 40% of the world’s labour force, yet they lag behind men in terms of earnings, promotions as well as managerial positions (even though they may be more qualified and better suited than their male counterparts). Although Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s (CDH) Real Estate practice – which is one of the largest in the country – defies this trend with 50% of the team’s directors being female, the industry as a whole has a long way to go before women break through the proverbial glass ceiling and take their rightful place in traditionally male-dominated areas such as property development, town planning and engineering.

Considering this disparity, an important question needs to be addressed: how can we close the gap? Our emphasis on the pronoun is because we know how tempting – and often warranted – it is to place the lens on the government, demanding that it fulfils its constitutional responsibility to empower South African women.

And while it is trite, one must be bold enough to shift the lens to institutions such as schools and universities, where from a young age, our students should be made aware of the array of career options open to them in a multitude of industries.

If handled correctly, this knowledge will debunk career stereotypes and notions that certain jobs are exclusively for men.

While government’s pivotal role in closing the gender gap should not be understated, it does not

exempt the rest of us from owning the lens and taking up the charge. It is not enough to point fingers – we must accept our own responsibility in making gender parity a reality.

On the note of accepting responsibility, the private sector needs to channel resources into training women for higher-skilled and managerial positions so that they can confidently step up to attaining such positions. Companies should also identify and collapse obstacles that prevent women from fulfilling their true work potential or prematurely bowing out of their career. One way of achieving this is through policies that recognise the vital and unique contribution women bring to teams and, as CDH’s female real estate partners continue to prove, to leadership roles.

As one of the leading real estate teams in the country, there is a wealth of attributes our team possesses that sets it apart from competitors. While it is tempting to use this opportunity to elaborate on our vast experience and track record in commercial and residential property, we prefer to focus on the fact that our real estate practice is increasingly gender-diverse and acknowledge that our team is immeasurably stronger for it. Our female partners are frequently called on for large-scale property projects.

Understanding the importance of empowering their fellow women, our real estate partners go out of their way to upskill and teach younger female attorneys, ensuring that – if they choose – they too will have the chance to reach the pinnacle of their profession. The more this upliftment cycle is perpetuated, the more our clients’ tables will benefit from new, innovative and diverse perspectives.

in profile

Alison Alexander

Fatima Gattoo

www.cliffedekkerhofmeyer.com

Muriel Serfontein

Nayna Parbhoo

Lucia Erasmus

Simone Franks

Simone Immelman

SAPOA women in property

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in profile

Independent thinkers JLL and Tétris are encouraging bold perspectives About JLL

JLL is a global financial and professional services firm that specialises in commercial real estate services and investment management. From offices in Johannesburg, Nairobi and Lagos, JLL delivers services to clients across the African continent, including South Africa. The company’s commitment to business success goes beyond the bottom line: JLL is also committed to developing the careers of its female staff members, a group with one of the biggest skills sets in the industry.

As a Fortune 500 company with annual fee revenue of US$5. 2-billion and gross revenue of US$6-billion, JLL has more than 280 corporate offices, operates in more than 80 countries and has a global workforce of more than 60 000. In JLL South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, women make up 40% of the workforce.

Cathleen Bayne Senior Project Manager JLL

With a 20-year career in the built environment, Cathleen Bayne started out as a designer and architectural technologist before moving into project and design programme management.

After heading up a number of different divisions within the real estate function at one of South Africa’s banks, she left retail banking to work as a property and development design manager for a South African hotel group, where she was part of the team responsible for delivering 10 new hotels in an 18-month period for the FIFA World Cup in 2010. She recently joined JLL’s Project & Development Services as a Senior Project Manager.

“Women in property have a lot to offer the industry,” she says. “They are just as driven as men, just as professional and just as skilled.”

Bayne has a bachelor’s degree in technology from the University of Johannesburg, and is a registered professional with the South African Council for the Architects Profession as well as a member of the Project Management Institute.

She sees a long career for herself at JLL. “I want to help build on JLL’s Project & Development Services capability as we focus on becoming the service provider of choice for best-in-class project and development management in sub-Saharan Africa,” she says.

Chinwe Ajene-Sagna Head of Corporate Solutions: West Africa JLL

t: +27 (0)11 507 2200 jllsouthafrica@eu.jll.com www.jll.co.za / www.africa.jll.com 24

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Chinwe Ajene-Sagna, who is responsible for the West African region at JLL, has more than 14 years of experience in the real estate sector in the US,

France and Nigeria. She started her career with JLL in the Public Institutions Group, where she led efforts with the US Department of Defense military housing privatisation initiative. In France, she ran global accounts for international corporates before moving to Nigeria to set up the JLL West Africa office.

She recalls a childhood spent on construction sites. “My dad had his own aluminium company, which produced and installed roofs, windows and doors,” she says. She always dreamt of working in real estate and construction. “I changed my focus at Harvard Business School from IT to real estate, and after graduation I took my first job at the Neighborhood Development Company, which was a downtown Washington DC mixed-use developer,” she says.

In addition to her MBA from Harvard, she has a management certificate from the Tuck School of Business, and a BA (Honours) in history from Dartmouth College.

She believes the notion of real estate being a man’s world is actually a myth. “This prevailing myth tends to be a deterrent, especially to younger women seeking to explore the field,” she says. “It is thus important for women in the sector to showcase the diversity of existing career options and encourage other women to join this exciting industry.”

Kim Pfaff Chartered Surveyor/Professional Valuer JLL

Kim Pfaff was introduced to property at a very young age. “My father was in the property industry and I looked up to him,” she says. “I grew up hearing about property deals and property-related terms. It has always been an exciting industry, which I find I completely relate to.”

in profile

Cathleen Bayne

Chinwe Ajene-Sagna

She has a BSc (Honours) in Property Studies from UCT, where she received the Top Property Student award in 2005. She’s a qualified professional valuer and has achieved a qualification as a chartered valuation surveyor thorough the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). She also serves as a RICS assessor for entry examinations. In addition, she has a certificate in lease negotiation from the University of Pretoria.

Pfaff feels that women are naturally meticulous and logical, and are therefore a good fit in the property industry.

She is satisfied with her career achievements so far and proud to have had the opportunity to value some of the most prestigious properties and portfolios in the country. But she is also ambitious and has much bigger plans for the future. “I look forward to growing JLL’s valuation business in South Africa and in Africa,” she says.

Lucy Githinji Head of Corporate Solutions: East Africa JLL

With a BA in Land Economics, Lucy Githinji started her career as a trainee valuer but found she enjoys agency/brokerage and property management more. She decided to follow her passion at a leading valuation and estate agency firm in Nairobi, Kenya, where she rose to the position of director in the property management department.

Her work caught the attention of a multinational bank and she was head-hunted to be the Head of Corporate Real Estate Services responsible for Kenya and East Africa. She worked in that position for eight years, then moved

Kim Pfaff

Lucy Githinji

to JLL, where she heads up Corporate Solutions for East Africa.

Women play a vital role as investors in and users of property, but Githinji finds it frustrating that property is still viewed as a “man’s domain”.

“This may stem from the socialisation of girls and young women to view many aspects of property as ‘hard’, ‘technical’, ‘rough’ and other descriptions that discourage them from pursuing careers in property,” she says.

She counts setting up a facilities management team that successfully served a demanding client and setting up a CRES unit at the bank as her career highlights.

Nicola Neil-Boss Industrial and Commercial Property Consultant JLL

Nicola Neil-Boss attended a cookery school in Cape Town before studying for a marketing diploma at Varsity College. Her career in property began in residential sales in 2005, after which she joined the commercial and industrial brokerage Trussard Property Consultants. In December 2015, Trussard Property Consultants was acquired by JLL, and Neil-Boss is proud to be a member of JLL’s leasing team.

“Through hard work, dedication and determination, I have succeeded in assisting many local and international companies, both industrial and commercial, in finding their perfect home,” she says. “Helping them grow, thrive and meet their various aspirations and goals is rewarding.”

She believes the key to success in the industry lies in nurturing relationships with existing clients as well as in forming new connections. “Nodal knowledge within

Nicola Neil-Boss

Zandile Makhoba

my key areas of focus is imperative to the service I provide to my clients and to assisting my colleagues with potential transactions,” she says. “Being a new member of JLL’s team, I intend to fully understand the scope of services that the global brand has to offer.”

Zandile Makhoba Head of Research: South Africa JLL

Zandile Makhoba is passionate about economics, and the role that land and property play in the wealth of individuals, businesses and nations.

“Property has the ability to change lives and drive economic transformation, and it excites me to learn more about it and play a role in it,” she says.

She studied economics at Rhodes University, and completed a master’s degree at Wits. She’s also studied postgraduate statistics, which has been beneficial to her role in property research.

In 2015, she completed UCT’s Property Development Programme to gain a holistic understanding of property investment and relating capital markets to development projects.

She believes women are taking advantage of the opportunities opening up in the industry, and that they are thriving.

In the next five years, the Head of Research at JLL envisages herself moving into a client-facing role. “I would like to play a part in seeing more black professionals go beyond administrative and back-office roles in the industry. It is our responsibility to challenge ourselves and our employers’ to initiate transformation to create a more representative sector,” she says. “I’d like to get involved in strategic advisory, consulting to property investors and developers.”

SAPOA women in property

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in profile Emma Luyt Managing Director: South Africa Tétris

Emma Luyt is the Managing Director of Tétris South Africa. She has a BA degree in interior design (cum laude) from Design Centre and is a qualified interior designer with more than 12 years of experience in the design and property industry, with a focus on commercial design projects. “I love fitting the puzzle pieces together and creating spaces that are functional, sustainable and fun to be in,” she says.

The organic growth of her company to 21 staff from just two in less than two years is a great achievement. “We’ve grown explosively in the design and build market,” she says.

Tétris attracts leading global clients, including those in the legal, mass media and FMCG sectors.

Luyt loves cooking, but she loves making beautiful things more. “I realised quite early on that I wanted to design spaces and not eat them – and so my journey in the design world began,” she says. Her professional goal in the property industry in the next five years is Africa. “We’re expanding within South Africa and across our borders into sub-Saharan Africa,” she says.

She believes that women in property are “strong, confident and knowledgeable industry leaders”.

Robyn Gray Head of Business Development Tétris

Robyn Gray discovered the world of commercial property after years of focusing on the residential space. She moved into the business development space at Tétris, and now relishes the stress and thrills that go with pitching for new business.

“Journeying through the property industry is incredibly interesting,” she says. “It’s a constantly

Tétris South Africa

novel experience with fascinating characters and an expanding landscape.”

She says it was rewarding to assemble her Tétris team. “I’m proud to have been part of growing the business over the past 20 months,” she says. “We have organically created a structured design firm, developing our own best practices and gathering a team of people who are not only industry leaders but also great to work with. A design firm today needs to adapt to changing workplace practices aimed at driving efficiency and promoting increased collaboration. I want to ensure that Tétris is leading the change in the way commercial office end users occupy their real estate at a portfolio level, on par with global trends.”

She believes women in property are meticulous and competitive, and are vying for top positions at global corporates.

Tango Matoti Space Planner Tétris

Tango Matoti is a Space Planner for the Business Development team at Tétris South Africa.

She began her 14-year career straight out of college in 2002 at Old Mutual as part of the Office Space Design and Facilities Department. After five years and to further her growth, she relocated from Cape Town to Johannesburg and joined DSGN, an interior design firm with extensive history and experience in the South African design industry. Over the next eight years, the firm’s focus on hospitality, civic and corporate interiors provided many skills development opportunities. What she appreciates in her role at Tétris is the opportunity to network and collaborate with property brokers to tailormake solutions for clients.

She says women continue to make strides in the traditionally male-dominated property industry.

Tétris South Africa is the wholly owned full-service design, fit-out and refurbishment specialist of JLL. Based in Johannesburg, Tétris provides services to corporates and investors for office, retail, hotel and industrial asset types. The range of services offered covers all phases of a project: consulting, workplace design, space planning and brand identity. Since its creation in 2003, the company has taken root in 16 countries, with a turnover reaching US$387-million in 2015. With 530 collaborators in 29 branches, Tétris is mobilised to meet client needs. Key clients globally include Booking.com, Black & Decker, Astellas Pharma, Euronext, Mastercard, Condé Nast, Deloitte, Allianz, Axa Telmma, IVG, Deka, RREEF, Hilton, Mercure, Sofitel, Primark, Panerai, Todd’s, Burberry and Burger King. The Tétris South Africa team has grown exponentially since opening the Johannesburg office in 2014 and now boasts a team of 21, of which 17 are women.

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“While we have more opportunities and in some instances lead the way, there is no doubt we are still discriminated against,” she says. “We often have to work twice as hard to qualify our presence.

It is important that, whatever sector we’re in, we understand that maintaining who we are will take us much further than trying to be men.”

Maloti holds diplomas in Interior Design and Project Management from the BHC School of Design and the Old Mutual Business School (Cranefield College) respectively.

Zama Zaca-Rakgomo Project Manager Tétris

Finding innovative solutions to life challenges, and a passion for people and behavioural science, could have led Zama Zaca-Rakgomo to venture into psychology. She chose interior architecture, and got a BSc in the discipline at the University of Pretoria. She started her career as an interior designer at one of South Africa’s leading design and branding companies.

“While working there, I was exposed to a number of disciplines that interlink with the interior design field – especially architecture, graphic design and brand strategy,” she says.

Her roster of achievements is pretty astounding, and includes working with Altech Netstar, Altech Autopage, Edcon (Edgars, Boardmans, Legit, Jet & Jetmart) Coricraft, Nando’s, the Foschini Group, Sportscene and Due South.

She believes the property industry is closely linked to the built environment industry, which is traditionally dominated by men. “The women who excel in these industries do not shy away from robust conversations,” she says. “They are driven, bold, concise.

In my experience, they see past gender, age and race, and consistently strive for resolution.”

Zaca-Rakgomo hopes to master her current venture at Tétris and partner on projects with some of the inspiring women in the industry.

t: +27 (0)10 590 8355 contact-sa@tetris-db.com za.tetris-db.com/en/

in profile

Henje Boudry

Karin Evert

Mamase Khanyile

Managing Director

SHEQ Manager

Human Resources Manager

Boudry Architects & Associates (Pty) Ltd

Motseng Selmec

Motseng Investment Holdings

Henje Boudry graduated from Wits under the mentorship of Poncho Guedes, earning the distinction of being only one of seven students to complete the degree in the prescribed time frame, while raising three pre-school children.

After graduating, she took up a directorship in the publishing industry but came back to architecture in 1998, when she designed and project-managed a R15-million residential project in Cape Town. After two years of commuting between Gauteng and the Western Cape, she established a base in the Mother City. Her one-woman business expanded into Boudry Architects, currently operating from the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock and focusing on residential and commercial undertakings.

“What sets us apart is our willingness to capture the uniqueness inherent to each client’s brief, and to address it in such a way that the development becomes an extension of the client’s business,” she says.

Her advice to other women in the industry is to be aware of self-imposed barriers. “It’s a diverse industry – definitely not about stilettos and studios, but about the harsh reality of professionals on site who respect you for what you know,” she says.

She says her Christian faith carries her through the good times and the testing ones. “I believe that we have been given a temporary licence to explore – with the responsibility of adding value in accordance with the gifts we have received,” she says.

Karin Evert started as the office administrator at Motseng Selmec in 2007. In 2010, she moved to the Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) Department as an officer, and is now the manager.

Her achievements in the role include successfully implementing a safe and compliant drivingstandards campaign under the theme “It Can Wait”.

“I’m an exception to the norm, having trained in primary healthcare and obtained my certification in 1996,” she says. “I extended my education in the built environment and have completed 15 SHEQrelated certified courses.” These include emergency preparedness and response training, a legal compliance audit course, advance hazard identification and risk assessment course, SHE Management Module 1 and 2, and basic incident investigation training. She’s also registered with the South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health as a technical member, and is studying for a NEBOSH International Diploma in Health and Safety.

She wants to see government introducing health and safety education at schools from first grade. “This will address young people before they reach adulthood and form part of their life rather than be something they need to learn,” she says. “If health and safety is part of people’s lives, they will respect it and fewer accidents/incidents will occur.” Her future plans include starting her own SHEQ consultancy focused on the construction and telecommunication industries.

Mamase Khanyile is the Human Resources Manager at Motseng Investment Holdings, a diversified holding company with core operations in property investment and services. She’s worked as a human-resources practitioner at several organisations for the past 13 years, and has just recently joined the property sphere.

Khanyile believes women are taking their place in property. Prior to the dawn of democracy, women were not allowed to own a single home, let alone manage multiple properties. With marketing management and human resources management qualifications, she says she’d like to learn as much as she can about the property sector in the next five years so that she’s able to share the knowledge gained with other South African women for their benefit – and for the benefit of the property industry as a whole.

“We are in the most exciting period of growth and acquisitions in the company’s history,” she says.

But she admits her journey in the property industry is not a walk in the park. “It has its challenges – but with the leadership we have at Motseng, even challenges are exciting. I learn new things every day.

My journey has not been long. I’ve only just begun and I’m enjoying every moment.”

In addition to working in the property industry, she is passionate about working for non-governmental organisations on developmental projects that elevate women and youth.

t: +27 (0)21 448 3955 office@boudryarchitects.com www.boudryarchitects.com

t: +27 (0)87 980 1370 karinevert@selmec.co.za www.motseng.co.za

t: +27 (0)87 980 1370 mamasekhanyile@selmec.co.za www.motseng.co.za SAPOA women in property

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in profile

Rachel Mukuze

Vinolia Andrews

Kim Faclier

Chief Financial Officer

Chief Executive Officer

Managing Director Property (Africa)

Imbumba Aganang Private Party

Imbumba Aganang Private Party and Motseng Concessions

GoIndustry DoveBid South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Rachel Mukuze is the Chief Financial Officer at Imbumba Aganang Private Party, which oversees the public-private partnerships of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation. She concedes her entry into the property industry was “accidental and meant to be short-term”, and is surprised at how long it’s lasted. “I was filling in for a client until we identified a suitable candidate for the position,” she says. “I was new to concession property management so bringing myself up to speed was an adventure. I knew I could either make use of the opportunity to grow out of my comfort zone or admit failure. I chose growth – and I still learn something new every day.”

She believes her chartered accountancy qualification gives her the edge and flexibility to move across diverse sectors.

The property sector is historically male, she says, and the barriers to entry are quite high. “When you add to that the dual roles that women play in society, I see women who have ventured into property and succeeded in this and in their personal space as both indomitable in spirit and as thought leaders,” she says.

Mukuze would like to see more investor confidence in the PPP sector. “I believe there are considerable service delivery and developmental benefits to be derived from PPPs,” she says. “The key to unlocking this potential is in structuring deals in an innovative and more flexible way.”

Vinolia Andrews entered the property industry 17 years ago. She has extensive operational, leasing and redevelopment experience in the industry, having worked in several super-regional malls in South Africa. The bachelor’s degree holder has risen to the position of CEO at Motseng Concessions, a concessions investment, advisory and management company that manages the public-private partnership between Imbumba Aganang Private Party and the Department of International Relations and Co-operation. Motseng Concessions is also responsible for the facilities management of the OR Tambo building – the recipient of a SAPOA Design Award in 2010.

Andrews holds a certificate in Shopping Centre Management and is a board-certified estate agent.

She thinks it’s refreshing to see so many women at the helm of businesses, listed companies and more – but the industry still has a way to go, especially in support of women-led BEE companies.

She’s passionate about the development of previously disadvantaged communities, focusing on transformation within the company. In future, she hopes to expand Motseng Concessions in equity and property management. At Motseng Investment Holdings, “We strive to become the premier blackowned investment group in southern Africa and to have a universal reputation for our investment acumen and industry professionalism.” Motseng’s leaders live this vision.

Bringing more than 20 years of experience in real estate across the commercial, residential, industrial and auction sector, Kim Faclier is entrepreneurial by nature, with a unique ability of bringing deal-makers together. A multiple award-winner and recognised internationally, in 2011 she received the 5-Star Women in Property Network Award highlighting ethics, integrity and empowerment within the property market.

In 2012, she won the Property Category Award for South Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government (MiW) orchestrated by CEO Magazine. The annual awards recognise women achievers working for the benefit of South Africa and its future generations.

In November 2015, Liquidity Services’ GoIndustry DoveBid Property South Africa (under her leadership) received the “Fast Growth Award” from South Africa’s National Business Awards. The National Business Awards were introduced in 2002 and are presented in association with South Africa’s Top Performing Publication to honour the country’s industry leaders by acknowledging innovative business processes, product development, enterprise, sustainability and success.

She is part of the Young Presidents Organisation, the world’s leading network of CEOs, and currently sits on its Regional Board for Africa as well as its International Networks Committee for 2016 to 2018.

Over the past two years the property division of GoIndustry DoveBid have concluded close to R1-billion worth of transactions.

t: +27 (0)11 267 8000 rachel@motseng.co.za www.motseng.co.za

t: +27 (0)11 267 8000 vinolia@motseng.co.za www.motseng.co.za

t: +27 (0)21 702 3206 / +27 (0)82 554 6295 Kim.Faclier@liquidityservices.com www.liquidityservices.com

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in profile

Karen Miller

Joanne Bushell

Pride Ndlovu

Director and Principal

Country Manager: South Africa/

Managing Director

Quoin Online

Global Coaching Country Manager

Winender Group

This property mogul is taking the property game into the digital age to meet the needs of Millennials, who are increasingly conducting their business and daily admin online. Karen Miller is Director and Principal of Quoin Online, an online commercial, retail and industrial property sales and rental portal. With information to expand knowledge on just about any product or service readily available online, Miller identified the same for property, with buyers and tenants becoming savvier. When she was acquiring properties on behalf of a private investor, it clicked as a natural solution to take commercial property transactions online. After months of software development, the platform was launched in 2014.

Miller’s property journey began when she followed a friend to pursue a career within residential property. Her first sale was a R27-million penthouse. In two years, after concluding a sale of all 30 luxury apartments in the last block available at the V&A Marina development to a foreign investment firm, Miller started a property investment company. She loved it, but missed sales. With Quoin Online, she combined her passions – property, hospitality, sales and client solutions.

When she’s not making waves in the property industry, she organises weekend activities for the children in her close circle of friends, while making time for swimming, cycling and Pilates “because exercise is key to a balanced life”. Her motto? “Be there first, and be honest and ethical in your dealings and negotiations. You cannot buy your reputation.”*Excerpt from HWB article

Joanne Bushell studied at the University of Natal, where she majored in business administration, marketing and industrial psychology. Early in her career, she decided to find a company in which she could grow. “Regus fitted the bill perfectly: a dynamic, fast-paced, growing international company with a culture of promotion based on merit and caring about people,” she says.

Within six months, she was promoted from Corporate Account Manager to Sales Director for South Africa. In 2005, she was appointed Country Manager and in 2008, she was promoted to Regional General Manager for Regus Middle East and Africa.

Under her leadership, Regus entered new markets in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Namibia, Mauritius, Madagascar, Botswana, Zambia, Kuwait and Oman.

“In October 2012, I was asked to return to being Managing Director of Regus South Africa, and to focus on realising the opportunities we had locally,” says Bushell. She has since grown Regus South Africa from 12 centres in three cities to 47 in 12 cities and towns.

In 2013, she was named Regus’s Best Performer for the year and given the responsibility of coaching all new country managers who joined the company.

“I would not have got to where I am without my team –I believe this wholeheartedly,” she says.

“Regus has provided me with many opportunities, and senior management’s belief in me has been invaluable.”

Pride Ndlovu, Managing Director of Winender Group, a 100% black female-owned company, uses one line to sum up the interesting journey of transition from being a client representative and managing property developments for Liberty Properties for almost eight years to running her own business: “The change has been anything but boring,” she says. Now in its third year in business, the company is faced with new and exciting opportunities in a challenging environment.

“We have diverse expertise and experience in the company and our teams have all successfully completed developments in retail, commercial, industrial and hospitality sectors,” she says. “We pride ourselves on superior service and experience in project management and property development.

Ndlovu has a degree in quantity surveying.

She values the role education has played in her life and was fortunate to be offered a unique opportunity to join a team of seasoned academics at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), where she is lecturing students who want to pursue a career in property. She is also currently studying towards a PhD at Wits. She has a lot of gratitude for the support from various phenomenal women who have helped to shape and support her career over the years, and intends to contribute positively towards the development of other young people. She encourages more women to consider mentoring their younger counterparts in the property industry.

t: +27 (0)11 001 3310 info@quoinonline.co.za www.quoinonline.co.za

t: +27 (0)11 258 8500 Joanne.bushell@regus.com www.regus.co.za

t: +27 (0)10 003 7465 info@winendergroup.co.za www.winendergroup.co.za SAPOA women in property

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in profile

Shree Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd Shree Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd has been optimising value for clients since inception in 2007, ensuring speed to market through innovation and connectivity A brief history of the genesis of Shree Property Holdings (Pty) Ltd

By developing AAA-grade new-generation industrial warehousing, Shree Property Holdings pushes boundaries through technology, innovation and specialisation. As a market leader, it maximises its clients’ potential to deliver in a competitive environment, assisting in overcoming challenges,

adding value to operations and helping clients develop a competitive value proposition.

Shree recognises the importance of inter-modal nodes and establishes facilities with exceptional road, rail, sea and air access. Its properties are located close to Durban harbour and the proposed “dug-out” port.

The company also has properties in Dube Tradeport – home to King Shaka International Airport – in Durban’s expanding northern urban development corridor.

Sanam Shree Chief Strategy and Investment Officer

Sanam Shree is a bit of an academic and derives much pleasure from studying. She completed a BCom degree with a double major in marketing and business management, before studying a postgraduate diploma in management and business administration at Wits Business School. She then decided to pursue a master’s degree in entrepreneurship and new venture creation, also at Wits Business School.

At the age of 24, as the youngest person in the entire Zimele Unit, she joined De Beers Consolidated Mines and became the Portfolio Manager for De Beers under the Anglo American Zimele Fund. Here her experience was in funding entrepreneurs across all industries and sectors of business. The opportunity gave her a solid financial grounding.

She was born into an entrepreneurial family. Her parents had founded A family business, Shree Property Holdings, and it was her intention to eventually join the family business. This is precisely how she found herself involved in the property sector. She ventured over to Harvard Business School and completed a Certificate Program in Private Equity and Venture Capital.

She applied the knowledge learned at Harvard to the property sector, and then decided to further her studies, again at Harvard Business School, by completing a course in Managing Family Businesses for Generational Success.

“This was integral in our family business, as I also have two brothers in the business,” she says. “The knowledge gained was powerful.” She also attended Columbia Business School’s Certificate Program in Family Wealth Management and Value Investing.

She has been at the family business for almost four years and is its Chief Strategy and Investment Officer. She heads up the penetration strategy into Africa, with focus on enlarging this footprint, specifically in airport jurisdictions. She is a council board member on the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and is a member of the SAPOA Board.

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A catalyst for success

Being at the forefront of industry trends and developments, Shree Property Holdings is a catalyst for success, making it possible for clients to focus on their core business, by developing property and logistics solutions that set them apart.

Shree Property Holdings unlocks value for clients, equipping them with infrastructure to achieve speed, connectivity and business innovation. The company creates environments that are conducive to business optimisation, global competitiveness, employment stimulation and economic growth. From consultation to structure, Shree Property Holdings resolves clients’ warehousing and property positioning dilemmas, professionally building, customising, leasing, managing and maintaining property to worldclass standards.

Shree Property Holdings: a snapshot of warehousing solutions

Shree Property Holdings’ property portfolio of more than 650 000m2 is largely located in greater Durban. Facilities vary in size from 1 000m² to more than 70 000m², inclusive of quality offices. These facilities – developed, leased and managed by Shree – are home to blue-chip companies, automotive manufacturers, technology giants, logistics providers and food and beverage specialists. The company’s construction division, Shree Property Project Specialists, works to deliver state-of-the-art warehousing finished to the highest specifications in exceptionally quick time.

t: +27 (0)31 274 5000 sanam@shreeprop.com www.shreeprop.com

in profile

Congratulations to Turner & Townsend’s Noluthando Molao, who received the Pioneer of Innovation award at the fourth annual Women in Construction Awards

T

urner & Townsend was appointed as project and cost managers on the ORTIA Platform Extension Project, which Molao successfully handed over to the Bombela Concession Company on 23 May 2016. A representative of the Gautrain Management Agency wrote that she “is an honest reflection in transformation of women in the construction sector”.

Turner & Townsend is a market-leading professional services company trusted to drive better business outcomes for clients across property, oil and gas, mining and infrastructure sectors. Some of its more recent clients and projects include the new head office for Google Johannesburg and that of a leading news agency based in Sandton, the refurbishment of the Hilton in Durban, the new “IT Dev Ops” facility for Absa in Kloof Street in Cape Town, and the new Kabulonga retail mall for Pylos in Zambia.

With a heritage rooted in cost and commercial management, Turner & Townsend provides a project management, project controls and contract services consultancy during every phase of a project’s life cycle. The firm has a deep understanding of capital programmes and applies this expertise to drive industry best practice and innovation.

Independent of engineering and construction disciplines, Turner & Townsend puts its clients’ interests first, providing an uncompromising service that solves project and programme challenges, turning data into insights to confidently make informed decisions faster, achieving higher levels of performance, and minimising risk for its clients.

As part of a 70-year-old international professional services company with more than 4 000 staff, 90 offices and eight regional counterparts around the world, Turner & Townsend’s African operations have grown exponentially since inception in 1982, diversifying and expanding to replicate the renowned service provision kick-started in the UK. Its market advantage and differentiators derive from more than just volume. “It comes down to a number of things,” says Turner & Townsend Africa Managing Director Ian Donaldson. “Foremost are our clients’ and the relationships we have with them, our

understanding of them and the knowledge built up in our business over the years, and the way in which we harness and manage that knowledge to their best advantage.

“Secondly, we are very focused on what we know we do well. This is also aided by our independence and our partnership model. It is the people in the business who own it, so we’re not making decisions to keep shareholders happy at the expense of our clients.

“The final facet is quality. The reason why we have so much repeat business and so many strong client relationships is that we are noted for the quality and consistency we deliver.”

The property markets that Turner & Townsend serves: Noluthando Molao, 37, Associate Director at Turner & Townsend in Johannesburg

“I want to encourage other women who want to break into the construction industry by saying that anything is possible with hard work, perseverance and a plan. No-one wins alone. I have learnt that

●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

Commercial Hotel and leisure Health Retail Education Residential

The services that Turner & Townsend delivers to the property market: ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●● ●●

Cost management Portfolio management Programme management Project management Technology project management Project assurance Due diligence Sustainable building consulting

different people have different strengths – acknowledge this and draw from it”

t: +27 (0)82 079 8408 tcable@turntown.co.za www.turnerandtownsend.com SAPOA women in property

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in profile

T

he Women’s Property Network was established in 2000 as a forum for women in a predominantly male industry to exchange information, develop business contacts and enhance professional success.

It has chapters in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and more than 300 members countrywide.

The WPN is dedicated to advancing the success of women in commercial property. It is working to accomplish this by acting as a catalyst for change in the industry, by providing its members and sponsors with opportunities to network and do business with one another, and by providing bursaries to young women whom it can develop in the industry.

Di Franks

Regional Chair: KZN Women’s Property Network

Coming to South Africa from the UK via Zimbabwe, Di Franks joined the new business department of NBS Corporate Bank in the late 1980s, specialising in property finance within the commercial, industrial and retail sector.

She was the top consultant in South Africa for two years in a row, before taking a hiatus in the 1990s to consider options outside of the corporate environment. In 2004, she joined Pam Golding in Umhlanga to establish a commercial and industrial division. This was followed by a move to Maxprop, where she is still a broker.

In addition to chairing the Women’s Property Network, Franks is a Director at the Institute of Estate Agents of South Africa and a member of SAPOA’s Broker Committee.

She has a Fidelity Fund Certificate (NQF4) and is involved in continuous professional development as prescribed by the EAAB. She believes agents and brokers need proper training in property, and wants the WPN to pave the way for women to take their rightful place in the industry.

“We are aggressive protagonists of the role of women in the commercial, industrial and retail property sector, and provide a platform for information sharing, networking and education,” she says.

“We have an initiative that provides university bursaries for young women, and we mentor those coming up through the ranks.”

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Genevieve Naidoo Chair Women’s Property Network

Genevieve Naidoo started her 13-year career in property as a junior quantity surveyor. After working for two years, she was selected for a Nedbank graduate programme. Six months into it, she was offered a placement in the Nedbank Property Finance Division. From there she moved to manage the Project Management: Gauteng Division.

She was then approached by Standard Bank to head the project management team for South Africa and Africa’s real estate portfolio. She currently works as the executive Head of Credit Risk for the Real Estate Sector.

She encourages women to be driven and unapologetic about their career. “We don’t see ourselves as equals to our male peers, we secondguess what we do, and we apologise when affirming ourselves,” she says. She also feels there are too few women at senior level. “We have yet to transform and become a more diverse and inclusive industry.”

Naidoo chairs the Diversity and Transformation Committee for CIB Risk at Standard Bank and is the National Chairperson for the Women’s Property Network.

Lee-Anne Bac

Regional Chair: Gauteng Women’s Property Network

Lee-Anne Bac’s career path has taken some “strange” turns to get her to where she is today. “I have rather unusual qualifications and experience for a property professional,” she says. “I majored in microbiology and zoology at Wits and, after working in a laboratory

as a microbiologist, I spent a year working at a game lodge and a year doing research in the Netherlands.”

All this highlighted her need for a business degree – so she obtained an MBA from UCT’s Graduate School of Business. With her research and analytical skills, this propelled her into consulting, where she initially focused on tourism and hospitality before branching out to the wider property sector.

She acknowledges that the property terrain is male-dominated, and that she had to work extra-hard.

“The property sector continues to be a difficult industry for women,” she says. “Although the gender profile is changing, the glass ceiling has not been broken. Until women hold 50% of all positions in the sector, there will not be true equality.”

Bac chairs the Gauteng Chapter of the Women’s Property Network and is a 2013 recipient of a WPN Recognition of Excellence Award. She’s been part of the Grant Thornton team for 19 years.

Liezel Conradie

Regional Chair: Western Cape Women’s Property Network

Liezel Conradie is the Regional Director for the Western and Eastern Cape at JHI Properties. She previously worked for Hermans & Roman Property Solutions as National Executive Manager, Colliers International Limited as Regional Portfolio Manager, and Shamrock Construction and Development Limited as a Project Manager. In her present position with JHI, and with 19 years of experience when it comes to leading groups and teams, she focuses on obtaining new business, high-level management on various portfolios, and intense development of regional teams.

in profile “I believe all women should take responsibility for at least one other woman, and grow and mentor one another through career, motherhood and general life lessons,” she says. In the industry she looks up to Nomzamo Radebe, Chief Executive Officer of JHI Properties and the first black woman president of SAPOA, and is inspired by Marna van der Walt and others with similar energy and persistence.

She hopes to complete her MBA in the next five years, a goal she is almost certain to achieve given her commitment, determination and ambition – the qualities that have contributed to her success.

Sandisiwe Mbutuma Vice Chair: Advocacy & PR Women’s Property Network

In addition to being Managing Director of Azzaro Quality Surveyors (Pty) Ltd, Sandisiwe Mbutuma is also Director at Exec Solutions and Greenland Property Group. She’s currently the Vice Chair of the Women’s Property Network, sits on the judging panel of SAPOA Innovative Excellence Awards,and is an Exco member of SAPOA’s Transformation Committee, a member of the Women Empowerment Advisory Council and a board member of the Property Charter Council.

She has worked in quantity surveying for the past 15 years, specialising in retail, leisure and commercial buildings. She holds a BTech degree in quantity surveying and a national diploma in building from the University of Johannesburg.

She also completed the Property Development Programme at UCT’s Graduate School of Business.

She believes women are innately suited to leadership because they’re good listeners, and they learn quickly, work hard and have no ego.

“Increasing numbers of women are entering the sector but now we face the challenge of bridging the gap between junior management and executive level,” she says. Her ambition is to play a significant role in the development and transformation of the property industry.

Sanett Uys

Portfolio Membership Women’s Property Network

They say good choices are informed by access to quality information, and that’s exactly what’s at the heart of Sanett Uys’s career. The property research enthusiast is the managing director and founding member of Serendipityremix. She boasts an extensive background in property economics and research. Her expertise includes the strategic development and implementation of research, detailed analysis of the property market, and marketing strategy. She’s previously worked with JHI Properties, Broll Property Group and Colliers International South Africa, where she was responsible for delivering marketing and research responsibilities in accordance with agreements with international affiliates.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Stellenbosch.

In 2014, Uys became a professional member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and was appointed as chair of the sub-Saharan Africa Market Advisory Panel in 2015. She also serves on SAPOA, SACSC and Women’s Property Network committees.

Her passion lies in property research, transactional management and the revitalisation of CBDs.

Vanessa de Villiers Treasurer Women’s Property Network

Vanessa de Villiers is Director in the Audit and Technical Division at Grant Thornton Johannesburg.

She has been with the firm since 2000. Her technical accounting and auditing responsibilities cover listed and unlisted companies across several industry sectors.

She has a strong track record in auditing entities involved in investment property, manufacturing and labour brokerage. Her clients past and present include Vukile Property Fund Limited, Synergy Income Fund Limited, Hyprop Investments Limited, Premium Properties Limited, the Billion Group, Hudaco Industries Limited and Transman Proprietary Limited.

She’s been involved in the investment property sector for the past 10 years, bringing technical insight to find resolutions from both auditing and accounting perspectives. She has a degree in commerce and is a chartered accountant. She is also a member of several professional bodies, including the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors, and a professional member and Treasurer for the Women’s Property Network.

t: +27 (0)31 764 1416 info@wpn.co.za www.wpn.coza

SAPOA women in property

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in profile

STANLIB Direct Property Investments A

melia Beattie is the Head of STANLIB Direct Property Investments, a business within the Pan-African multi-specialist investment company STANLIB. STANLIB manages and administers more than R579-billion in assets (as at 31 December 2015) for more than 500 000 retail and institutional clients across 10 African countries.

STANLIB Direct Property Investments has two distinct legs: one in South Africa, focused on the Liberty Property Portfolio; the other at the forefront of property initiatives in the rest of Africa, including the establishment of the first Real Estate Investment Trust in Kenya, and launching shopping centres from Kampala to Tema.

“Our vision in the Direct Property Investments franchise is aligned to the STANLIB vision,

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where alternative investments play a key role in the strategic intent,” says Beattie. “Our investment philosophy is to invest for clients with a long-term appetite for quality real estate in economically growing nodes. Property is a long-term investment, and so is our business outlook – for us, ‘strategy’ is to be clear about the direction, and then implement rigorously.”

STANLIB has specialist teams of investment professionals, all focused on developing the right solutions to meet customer needs. This allows STANLIB to offer a broad range of investment opportunities, from active and passive asset management to alternative and multi-manager offerings across all asset classes.

Beattie is proud to lead a formidable team that includes many strong, professional, goal-oriented women with equal parts experience, energy, instinct and passion for their product and role. Beattie considers each woman unique, with a different set of skills, chosen for the specific value they bring to the team, culture, and what they need to deliver.

A part of Beattie’s team, under the leadership of Alex Phakathi (a Past President of SAPOA), manages the Liberty Property Portfolio (LPP), which is about R30-billion in size. “The LLP has developments in the ground of R2,6-billion,” she says. “The Portfolio owns 25% of Melrose Arch, 75% of Sandton City, and 100% of Eastgate Shopping Centre and Nelson Mandela Square, South Africa’s premier retail assets.”

Amelia Beattie

Amelia Beattie spent more than a decade with Old Mutual Property before joining STANLIB in 2012.

Female empowerment is important to STANLIB, and in her role heading up STANLIB Direct Property Investments, Beattie feels very strongly about the enormous value that women bring to the workplace. “Women introduce good differentiation to the property space,” she says.

“Having a team of dynamic women ensures that we always have balanced views.”

She not only believes strongly in developing young female talent in the property industry, but also in creating an environment where women can thrive while still being wives, mothers and partners. “We encourage a balanced approach to life, rather than success at all cost.”

Looking at the strong component of women in property at STANLIB, her commitment to empowering women must be applauded, from her involvement in numerous programmes encouraging young people (women in particular) to seek a career in property to her strong determination to assist women to believe in themselves, be bold and step up to roles for which they’re suited and capable and in which they will (and do) excel.

“Most of the women in the STANLIB property capabilities have taken their rightful place in the industry. I am a Past President of SAPOA, and many of the others are significant role-players in the industry. Nnema Byrd has just been appointed as a Board member of SAPOA.”

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Mufunwa Kharivhe

With a BCom (Honours) in Property Valuation and Management from the University of Johannesburg, Kharivhe joined STANLIB’s graduate programme in 2015 and completed her National Certificate in Financial Markets and Instruments. Today, she is a Property Analyst in the Liberty Property Portfolio, with responsibilities that include monitoring the performance of the portfolio, analysing trading patterns against budgets and benchmarks, and compiling statistical and other reports to support recommendations to asset managers, and for benchmarking purposes. She’s doing exactly what she wants to do, is where she wants to be, is constantly growing and learning, and is part of a team that she says complements her perfectly. From Beattie, she’s learnt that kindness has a role to play in the workplace: “People are still people.”

Bharathi Kawal

Kawal began her property journey at Cell C as a Leasing & Acquisitions Specialist, responsible for the entire retail portfolio nationally. From there, she ventured through different roles, gaining extensive experience in negotiations; property, portfolio and asset management; financial analysis; and leasing and property development. With 10 years’ exposure to the property industry, she’s represented both landlord and tenant which, she says, has given her an in-depth understanding of the property industry. She joined STANLIB in 2015, and holds the position of Senior Portfolio Analyst for the Liberty Property Portfolio.

She has a great passion for property as she does for learning: “Never assume you know it all. My job is so dynamic, I am constantly learning and exploring new avenues. Working with Amelia has taught me so much about how people in senior positions can empower women – when we’re there, we will all do likewise.”

“Most of the women in the STANLIB property capabilities have taken their rightful place in the industry. I am a Past President of SAPOA, and many of the others are significant role-players in the industry. Nnema Byrd has just been appointed as a Board member of SAPOA”

Linda Macfie

Macfie has been in the industry for seven years, and when she joined STANLIB in 2015, brought not only the knowledge gained during her BCom degree in strategic management from UNISA, but also a depth of experience. She was involved in the major SAP system implementation at Liberty Properties. Macfie is the Administration Manager, taking care of the property valuations, as well as project-managing major developments. Working with Beattie has had a great impact on Macfie’s career. “Amelia is always seeking out the best ways to develop us as individuals,” she says. “I’ve learnt that being a good leader doesn’t mean you have to leave your humanity behind.”

Elizabeth Chembe

From when she started out her working life, Elizabeth was fascinated by the role of Personal Assistant: the enormous flexibility, the time management, and the constant expectation that you’ll fix it. Elizabeth knows Amelia’s modus operandi, just as a PA should: “Amelia is organised, punctual, doesn’t waste time, and wants me to be on top of things.” Elizabeth’s role is to make life easier so everybody else can perform their roles better: “There are constant challenges, but you keep stepping up and meeting them head on.”

SAPOA women in property

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Adele Maluleke

Maluleke has been Beattie’s Executive Assistant since March 2015. She’d worked at Liberty prior to that, and had worked with Beattie, so leapt at the opportunity to be her EA. “I’ve had diverse experience in a few different industries, but the one thing you need wherever you are is to enjoy working with people,” she says. “The STANLIB team is big, with different needs, personalities, strengths and weaknesses, so one moment I’m a peacemaker, the next a problem-solver. I think of myself as the glue that keeps the team together. If I’ve learnt one thing from Amelia, it’s that everybody deserves a chance.

Even if they don’t look great on paper, nurture them and don’t be judgemental.”

Nikiwe Mkhabela

Mkhabela is an Asset Manager for Liberty Property Portfolio. She made a strategic career choice by seeking out an aspect of life that would always be needed – property. She has a master’s degree in property from Wits and Johannesburg Universities and that, together with 10 years of work experience, makes her a valuable member of the team. She describes her role as very exciting, particularly because it involves all aspects of property. She’s responsible for managing the performance of some of the assets in the Liberty Property Portfolio – existing assets as well as new developments. “I’ve learnt so much at STANLIB, and I draw great strength from Amelia,” she says.

“She convinced me that women can be successful in property and can lead the industry, that we

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can be confident and bold. She’s played a huge role inme becoming the person I am today.” The highlights of Mkhabela’s career include being awarded the STANLIB 2014 Achiever Award for consistently going the extra mile to meet customers’ needs, and being nominated for the 2015 Women’s Property Network Young Achiever Award for outstanding leadership, inspiration, vision and innovation.

Nnema Byrd

Nnema Byrd joined the STANLIB Africa Direct Property Development Fund in 2014, and her role at present is that of Investment Principal for Africa. Nigerian-born, she had a passion for the built environment, and headed off to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US to study architecture. Qualified, she soon realised that she wanted a greater involvement in the business side of property, so she returned to the MIT Sloan School of Management to complete her MBA. Focusing on finance as well as real estate meant she could marry the two sides of the same coin – essentially raising capital to bring development projects to fruition. After 18 years in the US, she returned to Africa to further her goal of contributing to property development on the continent. From her experience in real estate investment and commercial banking as well as real estate private equity, Byrd has gained experience across various commercial property sectors from residential to retail and implementing land acquisitions, property development, and divestments. She is a CFA charter holder, and has a deep understanding of asset management, portfolio optimisation, and private equity. She has recently been appointed as a Board member for SAPOA, and looks forward to playing an active role in the industry. She is grateful to be able to work with trailblazing women such as Beattie, who continue to pave the way for women in property.

Chloe Ma

Chloe Ma joined STANLIB in 2014 as part of the STANLIB Listed Property Franchise headed by Keillen Ndlovu. As another property capability offered by STANLIB, the Listed Property Franchise is one of the leading listed property fund managers in the country with a unique offering across all property markets in the world. Ma qualified with a bachelor’s degree in architectural studies, then strengthened that with a postgraduate diploma in enterprise management. “I weighed up my life – professionally and personally – and decided to change direction, while still using the passion I had for the built environment.”

Her postgraduate diploma gave her the business understanding she felt was lacking in her architecture studies. After eight months working as a merchandiser in the clothing manufacturing industry, gaining useful experience of how shopping centres worked and the various pressure points for retailers, she returned to university to complete a BSc in Property Studies. That body of knowledge added a new dimension to her property skills set, and she was hired by RMB as a real estate credit analyst. When she joined STANLIB, she put her South African and African property experience to good use. Today, she travels extensively within and outside African borders to emerging and Asian-focused real estate markets, on site visits.

Her role effectively makes use of the sum of her qualifications and experience.

t: +27 (0)11 448 5000 contact@stanlib.com www.stanlib.com

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EMPOWERING WOMEN. STRIVING FOR PARITY.

WOMEN’S DAY 9 AUGUST

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