Two women from the Bristol office of global real estate services provider Colliers International have been selected for a new programme designed for future leaders.
Amy Brooksbank and Gemma Daly-Gunn are among 13 senior surveyors and associate directors from around the UK who will be taking part in the year-long Real Estate And Leadership (REAL) scheme, aimed at developing leadership skills specifically for clients, projects and people.
REAL is part of Colliers International’s Balance in Business programme which seeks to address diversity and inclusion within the organisation. The programme has been designed by the UK Talent & Development team based on research which identifies how successful women have achieved promotion and business recognition. It will also enable the group to build their network within the business and the wider real estate sector
Amy is an associate director in the Alternative Markets Division at Colliers, with a primary focus on the holiday and home parks sector. Gemma is an associate director in Valuation & Advisory Services, undertaking commercial valuations across a range of sectors.
Jo Edwards, head of South West and South Wales at Colliers International, and the first woman to lead one of the company’s offices in a UK Big Six city, said of the REAL initiative: “This is important for our business; by having a more diverse team we are more effective and creative in finding solutions for our clients, and in offering them the high-level advice they seek from us.”
Lydia Ings, UK HR Director at Colliers International, explained that the REAL scheme would provide support in developing leadership skills.
“We’ve launched with an all-female cohort, tailoring the programme as we know that the experience of women achieving senior positions is different to that of their male counterparts and we want to support our participants in harnessing their strengths,” she said.
Kate Morgan, UK Chief Operating Officer at Colliers International, added: “We know that gender-specific initiatives can be an emotive subject, but in order to bring balance to our business and boardrooms in the sector it’s important, for us and the industry, to directly tackle the blockers that women face within themselves, in their careers and within in the workplace.”
The REAL programme also incorporates participation in national awareness days, and it was launched in conjunction with the company’s International Women’s Day panel discussion at its head office in London. An all-female line up of client representatives discussed challenges for women in the real estate sector and how the industry is working to become more equal and inclusive. More than 150 people listened to the discussion which was hosted by Colliers’ UK COO Kate Morgan and EMEA Head of Project Management, Sam Addison.
