Pioneers in property: Meet the trailblazing women making their mark in the industry

PHOTO: Once, women dreaded walking past building sites or being patronised by real estate agents. But today, it’s increasingly likely that a fair number of those jobs will be held by women. And, what’s more, they’ll often be the ones in charge. Photo: JESSICA HROMAS

Early in Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz’s career in the property industry, she worked closely with a female colleague in a more senior position who proved to be a valuable mentor.

Ten years on, she was shocked to discover the other woman had a secret life – as a mother – and had never once mentioned her children’s existence.

“She’d never spoken about them because she felt then she wouldn’t be taken seriously in her job,” Lloyd-Hurwitz says. “As a result, she felt she couldn’t take that part of herself to work.

“That had a big impact on me. I realised how important it is to have a normalised environment where you can bring your whole self to work, and be part of creating a much healthier workplace.”

Today, Lloyd-Hurwitz is the chief executive of development giant Mirvac, a company that has been ranked the number two employer in the world for gender equity for the second year running. “And we now have our sights on number one!” she says.

In the run-up to International Women’s Day on March 8, it’s heartening to see how far the property industry – once so dominated by men and entrenched in a mire of machismo – has now progressed.

These days, there are a number of women heading the various sectors planning, designing, developing, constructing, selling, buying, valuing and financing the nation’s homes and commercial real estate, and, together, they’re making a major difference.

Only if the industry itself more accurately reflects wider society, they say, will the country’s real estate be the very best it can be.

Women_in_Property09_i5mbfz — **Susan Lloyd Hurwitz, Leanne Pilkington and Alison Mirams have played a leading role promoting gender equity within the property sector. Photo: Jessica Hromas**

As a result, there’s real hope for the future. The latest Champions of Change Impact Report, from a globally recognised coalition aiming at achieving gender equality, found that more than 70 per cent of the 24 organisations that make up the Australian property slice of the organisation have either improved or achieved equity.

Half managed to achieve gender-balanced recruitment, 45 per cent to reach an equal balance of women in their workforce, and 43 per cent to award promotions to just as many females as males.

‘The coalition is about delivering on a united vision for our industry. We know we have more work to do, but there’s no doubt we have made significant progress which is delivering real outcomes,” says Bob Johnston, chair of the Property Champions of Change.

Gender-equity pay reviews, better parental leave policies, the introduction of more flexibility into the workplace and targeted recruitment have all had an effect, but there’s still a long way left to go.

For example, Alison Mirams, the chief executive of construction company Roberts Co, makes a concerted effort to bring women onto her staff, to the point where it’s now at a total of 39 per cent female, with 32 per cent of crane and hoist drivers being women.