21 Women Who Will Shape The Future Of UK Real Estate

Issie Armstrong is head of client capital at Aboria Capital. Her focus is less about sales pitch, more about strategic influence — knowing which investors to approach and how to shape propositions that resonate. 

She joined Aboria earlier this year, bringing more than 16 years of real estate expertise and a proven global track record. 

With a career spanning product strategy, investment solutions and capital formation, Armstrong has helped deliver pioneering strategies, including the first UK PRS fund, and forged partnerships with some of the world’s largest investors while cultivating a growing private wealth network. 

Passionate about building a pipeline of female talent, Armstrong mentors through GAIN and has led one of its investment challenge teams for two years running. She is also a senior adviser for Career26 on its alternatives asset management course.  

Recognised for her skill set, drive and energy, Armstrong was personally sought out by Aboria’s co-founder and CEO. 

Her spare time is split between tending a small garden farm with her toddler and happily losing herself in the world-building game Anno.

Victoria Birks is head of operations at Socius, a mixed-use, impact-focused developer with a £2.5B pipeline across the UK's fastest-growing cities.

Birks is responsible for day-to-day operations, working with investors, leading architects and local communities to create inspiring and sustainable places.

Her role spans HR, leading corporate social value initiatives, driving technology adoption and managing well-being needs. Birks was instrumental in Socius becoming one of the property sector’s few B Corps and continues to support the board in leading on its commitments.

Birks also works on new project bids and planning applications and is part of the team working with Aviva Capital Partners to bring forward a £1B development at the London Cancer Hub to create the world’s leading centre for cancer research.

She is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and said it is the foundation of building a thriving, dynamic and forward-thinking company. Passionate about highlighting the most innovative and impactful work of the real estate sector, Birks works to combat the struggle the industry has in attracting and retaining diverse talent. Through her role, she has put in place initiatives and internships to introduce fresh ideas and a broader range of perspectives at Socius. 

She enjoys reformer Pilates, barre and walking, and she has recently completed the Maggie’s night walk, 15 miles across the city. Birks also loves to read — she is reading Happiness by Aminatta Forna, which she said makes the reader think about what we choose to see and ignore in London.

Frances Brown is partner of building services at Cundall, where she heads its global workplace sector across international markets, including the UK.

Brown is a leader with 20 years of experience in building services engineering. Her role at Cundall, a global consultancy with over 1,200 staff in 29 locations, places her at the forefront of the firm’s ambitious commitment to ensure every project achieves net-zero carbon by 2030.

She is a passionate advocate for better workplaces and industry advancement and has consistently delivered projects that set new benchmarks, achieving industry firsts in sustainability and methods of construction. 

Brown is an active contributor to the British Council for Offices, serving on its Research Committee. She was previously on BCO's board of management, where she helped steer the strategic direction of the organisation, and served on the London judging panel. She brings her own perspective to the committees she has served on, encouraging people from different disciplines and backgrounds to work together.

Chiara Caldwell is managing director for structured finance at Close Brothers Property Finance.

She joined CBPF in January to head up the lender's newly created structured finance team, with the view to spearhead growth across purpose-built student accommodation and build-to-rent. 

Since taking the reins, Caldwell has grown the team with the appointment of Manu Dinamani as director and is in advanced discussions for over £100M worth of transactions to support delivery of 300 BTR homes and 350 student beds. 

Caldwell played a pivotal role in curating a bespoke £38M revolving credit facility for Close Brothers client Fernham Homes in June, marking the first multisite RCF offered by the bank. This will support the delivery of over 400 new homes across six sites with a gross development value of £168M.

She has also worked closely with the property CEO to articulate the strategy for the division for the next five years.

Caldwell sits on the senior leadership team of the bank, reporting directly to the CEO, to drive group initiatives and shape the future of the bank.

Prior to joining CBPF she spent six years at CBRE as senior director, head of residential debt, and before that she spent 11 years at NatWest.

Outside of work, she likes to keep active, spending time with family and friends, and progressing what she calls the never-ending renovation of the old house she was silly enough to buy.

Suraiya Comunello is the chief marketing officer at Nido Living, the European student accommodation company. 

With 15 years of experience in property marketing and brand strategy, she leads on corporate positioning, B2B and B2C branding, communications and marketing strategies that support Nido’s growth across Europe. Since joining in 2018, she has established Nido as a globally recognised brand and platform. 

A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Comunello co-founded and chairs GSL’s Women in PBSA Committee, mentors rising female leaders and was recognised as PBSA Woman of the Year 2023. She is committed to developing future industry talent and driving meaningful, lasting change across the sector.

Before joining Nido, Comunello held senior marketing and brand leadership roles at Hines, GSA and The Student Housing Co., where she played a key role in successful brand launches and international expansion.

Outside of work, she recharges through yoga, boxing and being by the sea, and most of all through spending time with her two young daughters.

Vanessa Davey joined Quadrant Estates over 10 years ago as an asset and investment manager in the firm’s retail team. She was promoted to head of transactions and then equity partner at Quadrant, where she has been involved in property and corporate transactions totalling £1B in value.

Davey has been responsible for structuring and managing Quadrant’s joint venture partnerships and co-investment vehicles with private equity firms, family offices and institutional investors. Highlights include Quadrant’s JV with Oaktree Capital to transform 30 South Colonnade, one of Canary Wharf’s first office buildings, into the 415K SF YY London scheme that Revolut moved into last year. She also led on Quadrant’s collaboration with institutional investor AIMCo to develop the BREEAM Outstanding 166K SF OSMO building in Battersea.

She is also involved in developing and implementing Quadrant’s strategic vision to take advantage of investment opportunities in the London office market. This includes a mandate with a Singapore-based family office to amass and asset-manage a portfolio of high-quality central London offices, which last year saw the acquisition of 6 Gracechurch Street, a 47K SF Grade A office building in the City of London. 

With two small children, her spare time is limited. However, when she does have a moment, she enjoys cooking, watching sport and exercising — she’s even a qualified yoga instructor.

Claire Dawe brings over 20 years of property experience to her role at Stanhope, where she established and now leads its asset management business. 

She oversees a team with a portfolio of 6M SF and £4B of assets under management. She has played a key part in transforming Stanhope’s White City projects, as well as the mobilisation of 8 Bishopsgate, Stanhope’s iconic tall building in the City of London — now home to Stanhope’s offices. Dawe joined Stanhope’s management team in 2025.

Dawe previously worked at Grosvenor for more than 10 years, where she led the asset management team for the Belgravia portfolio and set up the London estate investment team. She has stakeholder management expertise, strategic planning experience, major change credentials and significant operational success heading a £1B business.

She is a mentor for The Circle Partnership, a built environment mentoring organisation, which she helped establish during its early stages as a Stanhope-sponsored initiative.

Outside of work, Claire enjoys travelling, experiencing new cultures and spending time with her two young sons.

Isobel Dench is a managing director at ICG, joining the business in 2022. She has been in the industry for over a decade, holding investing roles at Cheyne Capital and Lloyds Bank prior to her current role. 

Dench plays a leading role in ICG Real Estate’s credit team and is responsible for sourcing and executing investment opportunities across all real estate sectors. Alongside this, she has played a key role in closing new products for the real estate business and drives forward various broader business-building workstreams. Dench also takes time to mentor more junior members of the industry.

At ICG, Dench is also part of the CSR Committee and is responsible for running the company’s annual Dragons’ Den-style charitable competition, which awards £100K annually to two charities pitched by employees.

In her home life, she is busy getting to grips with the new challenge of motherhood but is still enjoying travelling with her family and hopes to get some tennis playing in soon.

Stephanie Hacking is portfolio fund manager at Royal London Asset Management, overseeing £3.6B across two funds. Under her leadership, the Royal London UK Real Estate Fund (£3.2B) and Royal London Property Fund (£400M) have both ranked in the top five balanced funds over three years, data from MSCI/AREF showed.

She previously led the UK’s largest publicly available real estate fund, where she drove a revised strategy that significantly boosted efficiency and returns. Her expertise spans portfolio management, fund design and launch, investment strategy and commercial development.

A passionate advocate for sustainability, she embeds ESG principles throughout the investment life cycle, inspiring teams and shaping the future of responsible real estate investing.

When she’s not acting as taxi service to her kids, Hacking is a keen skier, loves socialising with friends and family, and loves travelling and exploring new places. She is very interested in British history and loves relaxing with a good book. 

Maria Hatch is senior director of sales and partnerships at Greystar. Joining the firm over nine years ago as a client relationship manager, she has steered her team through an evolving and highly complex market, driving growth while fostering innovation and collaboration.

Hatch has significantly contributed toward the commercial and lease-up success of Greystar’s assets, personally closing over £350M of B2B leasing deals over her nine years there.

Beyond her commercial achievements, Hatch is deeply committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace. She champions diversity and well-being, speaking openly about her involvement within the LGBTQIA+ community — something that isn’t typically celebrated enough within the real estate sector. She is also an active member of the Association for Rental Living’s DEI Committee.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality moments with her family, including their delightful cavapoo, Crunchie, who is the star of the show. You can often find her on a long country walk, hitting the tennis court or catching up with friends and family. She has a passion for the outdoors and loves exploring as much as she can. She finds it's valuable to take a quiet moment to appreciate those around her and practice some mindfulness.

Emily King is head of refurbishment for iQ Student Accommodation. She is a strong advocate for women in construction, inclusivity and mentorship, demonstrated by continuing professional development for herself and her team.

Having been selected for the WiHTL & DiR Global Women Leaders Programme, she has used this experience to further establish herself in a senior role.

Leading on recent developments in the sector with the new Building Safety Act, King has led the upskilling of her team and the wider business as well as supporting contractors as they navigate this new legislation. 

In her spare time, King enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, going on camping trips, holidays, long walks with her dog (often with a country pub at the end), socialising with friends and going to watch her favourite bands play live.

Laura Kurt has been commercial director at Fusion Group since 2024. In that time, she has played a pivotal role in the company's evolution, driving the decision to bring operations in-house and move away from the business’s original plan to outsource to a third-party operator. 

Kurt’s approach to business has seen her take on the roles of both commercial director for Fusion Group and, unofficially, head of the Fusion Students Operating Platform. As part of this strategic development, Fusion is building a team of head office and site-based staff, equating to nearly 70 people.

As a trustee of Fusion Giving, she supports initiatives focused on education, well-being and youth development. She founded the Fusion Futures Board, promoting diversity in student accommodation design and ensuring inclusive representation in the sector, and as a mentor with WinPBSA’s first intake, she helps to guide the next generation of leaders.

Under Kurt's leadership, Fusion has partnered with other PBSA operators to support the Hub of Hope, the UK’s largest mental health support directory. She also launched Building Futures in Property, Fusion’s first work experience programme in partnership with The Land Collective, which creates career pathways for individuals from lower economic backgrounds.

Outside of the office, Kurt channels her passion for design into a home refurbishment project following a recent move, all while balancing life as a busy mum. She is also a devoted live music fan — from Bruce Springsteen and coveted Oasis tickets to Sam Fender and The 1975, she’s all-in.

Jessica Mellor-Clark is head of BeOnsite, Lendlease’s not-for-profit. She has led strategies that have generated more than £38M in independently verified social value, directly supported 1,392 people into employment, and provided advice and guidance to a further 2,786 individuals — influencing national policy on employment for underserved communities.

Her work has embedded social value into the heart of major real estate developments, most notably at Elephant Park, where she led initiatives delivering £7.7M — 40% of the project’s £19.2M total social value and achieved a social return on investment of £5.64 per pound invested. 

In its evaluation of the Mind the Gap programme, a national initiative tackling industry skills gaps while creating employment pathways for people with convictions, global social impact advisory firm Think Impact cited Mellor-Clark as a “social intrapreneur” whose leadership was critical to its success. The programme delivered £3.5M in social value and drove lasting policy influence. Her career is proof that real estate can be both commercially successful and a catalyst for systemic social change. 

Outside of work, Mellor-Clark enjoys time with family and friends, a good book, a well-made cocktail and the occasional night swim in clear seas — preferably all combined on holiday.

Anna Moore is the founder and CEO of Domna, a retrofit firm, and a former McKinsey partner who led the firm’s global construction practice. She started Domna with this experience, seeing that there was a huge opportunity in retrofitting UK housing. 

Domna works with housing associations, councils and institutional investors as a “one-stop” partner, using a proprietary dataset from thousands of projects to triage portfolios, secure complex grant funding and manage delivery through trusted contractors. 

Moore is on a mission to turn retrofit from a cottage industry into scalable social infrastructure. Under her leadership, Domna aims to prove that smart, data-led upgrades can cut energy bills, lift asset values and energy performance certificate ratings, reduce emissions and tackle fuel poverty — while bringing empty homes back into use. 

She is equally fluent in the engineering detail and the policy levers, with a clear set of “quick win” fixes that could accelerate progress overnight. 

Things she enjoys in her spare time: nerdy things and gardening, niche exhibitions at the British Library, pilgrimages to English and Welsh gardens from the famous to the obscure, New Yorker crosswords, board games and walking her two vaguely trained dogs, an Australian terrier and ridgeback.

Bertie Norman joined Patrizia in 2019 as an associate, bringing four years of surveying experience from her time at JLL. In just six years, she progressed to director level and, since October 2024, has led the company’s strategic asset mandates team. Now, Norman manages more than 20 colleagues specialising in cross-border capital allocation in Europe, primarily for clients based in Asia, ranging from Hong Kong-listed REITs to Korean pension funds and Taiwanese insurers.

She stepped up from a support role managing large asset projects in Europe and assisting on the analysis and due diligence on new potential client projects in her first couple of years to take on full responsibility for these activities in 2024, leading a team of investment professionals managing €3B of assets as head of strategic asset mandates.

In addition, this role included responsibility for business development, and she was instrumental in winning a new Asian investor client mandate in early 2024 for a major City of London repositioning project, which required coordination between investment management and fund management skills.

In her spare time, Norman enjoys long walks along the River Thames with friends, stopping at London’s best riverside pubs and “free from” bakeries. Whenever possible, she loves escaping the City for an adventure holiday to explore new places and recharge.

Lottie Outen is director of strategy, Europe, at Kennedy Wilson, a global real estate investment company with $30B (£22B) of assets under management. Having joined Kennedy Wilson in 2015 as an associate from JPMorgan’s investment banking team, Outen has quickly risen up the ranks and was promoted to her current position in 2024.

Outen is a strategic thinker and is responsible for the development of Kennedy Wilson’s UK strategy, including the sourcing of UK equity opportunities across all sectors and mandates. She has been pivotal in the launch of the business’s flagship £1B UK single-family housing joint venture with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, which, in just nine months since launch, has deployed a total of £390M and contracted on 1,180 units across 13 sites.

When not watching her children do ballet or play football, you’ll find her in the West End watching everything from Les Mis to the Tiger Who Came to Tea.

Anupriya Rajpal is development director at Dominus and leads a diverse development team of seven who are delivering 4,000 units across the hotel and student accommodation sectors. 

Rajpal oversees the team building 2,300 student homes at three sites in the City of London, including the complex construction and development of 65 Holborn Viaduct. Her technical expertise and leadership have been pivotal, coordinating with multiple partners and stakeholders across Dominus’ portfolio. 

A chartered architect with an MBA and a master’s in real estate development and investment, Rajpal joined Dominus in 2019 and has since earned three promotions. Passionate about transforming the built environment, she excels at creating value through sustainable, design-led solutions. 

Rajpal loves spending time with her family and traveling. She enjoys exploring new places, learning about different cultures and trying local specialty dishes.

Harriett Renny brings over 13 years of experience in the property sector and is leasing director at Battersea Power Station. She joined the business in 2018 as leasing manager and has steadily climbed the ranks since.

Renny leads the strategy for curating and attracting retail, leisure, and food and beverage tenants to Battersea, which has over 150 British and international brands. She has played a pivotal role in creating an ecosystem of retail, commercial and residential spaces that are accessible and enjoyable for all, curating the right tenant mix by strategically balancing large and small brands that appeal to local, national and international audiences.

Her vision has helped increase the attraction of BPS, which has drawn more than 30 million visitors since 2022, with over 3,000 residents, more than 6,800 workers and over 200 businesses.

She enjoys practicing Pilates, countryside walks, quality time with friends and family, and, of course, a bit of retail therapy. 

Soraya Shamji is relationship director at Leumi UK, and her career has spanned managing £2B hotel portfolios to closing competitive, multimillion-pound financings in record time.

Most recently, she led a £62M refinancing for Splendid Hospitality Group, the first partnership between the two firms, completing it in just two months. Her career also includes senior roles at Aprirose Real Estate Investment, where she shaped a £500M Q Hotels transaction, and at Lone Star-owned Hudson Advisors, overseeing large hospitality deals.

In her spare time, Shamji is involved in volunteering, supporting events, cultural initiatives and community projects. She also enjoys travelling, going to the gym, collecting art, reading and spending time with friends and family.

Irina Stamate-Rocha has been with Patron Capital since 2011, and while her responsibilities include deal sourcing, execution, structuring, financing, due diligence and asset management of healthcare-related investment opportunities, it is in education and student accommodation that she has really moved the dial for the business.

During the last 12 months, Stamate-Rocha has been instrumental in the development of Patron’s UK student housing portfolio. Most recently, she oversaw Patron’s acquisition of Sheraton Park as part of a new joint venture with Curation Capital to acquire and refurbish student accommodation properties in the UK. 

By focusing on assets and locations that meet genuine student requirements and for which there is a big supply lag, rather than the premium end of the market, she has helped build a resilient portfolio of attractive, income-producing assets.

Stamate-Rocha was recently appointed to the Patron Executive Committee, where she contributes to the formulation and execution of Patron’s business strategy as a member of the leadership team.

Prior to joining Patron, Stamate-Rocha worked in investment banking at Rothschild, Macquarie Capital Advisers and Fortis Bank (Brussels). 

In her spare time, Stamate-Rocha enjoys travelling with her family, gym sessions and yoga.

Phuong Truong is the head of international real estate at WeWork, based in London, where she oversees the company’s expansive international portfolio spanning 21 countries, 35 cities and 166 locations across the EMEA and APAC regions. 

In this strategic leadership role, she is a key player in WeWork’s global portfolio management and growth, responsible for developing and executing portfolio strategies, leading complex lease negotiations and fostering strong relationships with landlords and brokers. Truong previously held positions in global landlord partnerships and deal management for WeWork out of New York. Before joining the company, she was vice president of asset management at BlackRock and previously worked as a real estate investment manager in Australia.

Outside of work, Truong loves to seek out new adventures through travel. Above all, she values quality time with her family and friends.