The 500 Women in Property program involves a personal commitment from Property Council members to champion women in their organisation or business sphere, who they believe would benefit from further networking and professional development opportunities.
This year Development Victoria is represented by Tina Blackam (Assistant Development Manager, Urban Communities), Pranjal Pawar (Project Manager, Civic Projects) and Alice Reynolds (Development Manager, Precincts). We sat down with Tina, Pranjal and Alice to find out more about what motivated them to take part in the 500 Women in Property Program.
Q: Where does your interest in the property industry stem from?
Pranjal: I've always had a keen interest in the built environment sector. This stems from my fascination of seeing things become tangible products after various levels of planning and delivery have been undertaken. The variety and broad range of work is what keeps it exciting for me.
Tina: My introduction to the property industry started whilst living in London a number of years ago where I was lucky enough to land an opportunity with a private property maintenance and refurbishment builder. Being involved in the planning process through to the excitement of the delivery phase and then seeing the end result really instilled in me a sense of achievement and from there my passion was ignited.
Alice: I’ve reflected on this question time and time again and it always seems to come back to a fascination with people. This fascination is twofold: the way the urban environment shapes our lives and the way we work together to shape the urban environment in which we live.
Q: What are you hoping to get out of this year’s 500 Women in Property program?
Pranjal: The Women in Property program will provide me with the unique opportunity to collaborate, innovate and engage in an open dialogue on fundamental industry issues with like-minded individuals. In addition to this, I’ll also be able to expand my network within the industry.
Tina: This opportunity will allow me to connect and network with like-minded property professionals. I am hoping that being a part of this program will not only give me greater industry participation but also improve the way in which I operate in my current role at Development Victoria.
Alice: I’m still relatively new to Victoria and I’m eager to expand my industry networks, which is a fabulous opportunity afforded by this program. We work in an incredibly multi-disciplinary environment, and having a broad base of industry contacts is extremely useful.
Q: Who is a woman you admire in the property industry and why?
Pranjal: I am a huge admirer of Ivanka Trump. She’s had a very impressive career (despite been born with a silver spoon!) with many achievements under her belt. Overall, I think she’s an extremely intelligent and well-rounded professional.
Tina: Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz is an extremely accomplished person, not only is she CEO and Managing Director at Mirvac Property Group, but she also dedicates her time to her 3 children. Being able to successfully balance a proficient career and personal life including raising 3 children, Susan puts this down to her super-efficiency, which really encourages and resonates with me.
Alice: Now this is a very challenging question to answer because I admire many: from colleagues through to public figures. So instead of naming names, I will describe the reasons for my admiration. I admire women who own their femininity, who act courageously and challenge the status quo to bring about change, who support and nurture the success of other women, and those who do this all with a family of their own.
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View allUpdated on 14 May 2024