Given cost increases, labour shortages and funding constraints, it has never been harder to develop in the UK. So Bisnow is taking the opportunity to highlight some of the people who are still making it work. 

Ahead of our upcoming Women Leading Real Estate event, we’re shining a spotlight on some of the women making waves in the development and construction world — a field in which women are still underrepresented, even by real estate’s standards. 

They’re building the homes, workplaces, data centres and leisure schemes that the UK needs more than ever, and they’re doing so in an innovative way — pushing the boundaries of sustainability and technology to get things multi, no matter the wider economic picture.

We hope you can join us for the event on 5 November to hear from a phalanx of senior real estate leaders. Sign up here.

Eleanor Alexander, Reef Origin

Eleanor Alexander has 15 years of multisector design, construction and delivery experience across complex development projects. Her role spans large-scale urban regeneration, hotels, life sciences and digital infrastructure projects, leading multidisciplinary teams and formulating Reef Origin’s sustainability strategy, which is central to the group’s investment framework.

As co-founding partner of Digital Reef, Alexander plays a leading role in the development and delivery of large-scale digital and green technology infrastructure projects. With a completed enterprise value in excess of £35B, the platform brings together sovereign digital infrastructure, clean energy, net-zero food production, ecologically rich habitats and community infrastructure, resulting in the delivery of sustainable data centre ecosystems for artificial intelligence and cloud partners globally.

Alexander also supports the Forge Kn life sciences platform, bringing her capability to lead the wider team’s design, technology and creative process on several of the platform’s projects.

At A Place Apart, Reef Origin’s hospitality platform, Alexander leads design direction, focusing on the sensitive repurposing of existing assets to minimise embodied carbon while creating distinctive, beautiful places that prioritise both people and the planet.

Outside of work, Alexander can usually be found training for her next Hyrox race with friends, trying to keep up with her toddler or exploring a new city. She is passionate about art and design, and travel is her favourite source of inspiration.

Honor Barratt, Birchgrove

Honor Barratt founded Birchgrove in 2018 in partnership with Bridges Fund Management to create a new model of rented retirement living in the UK. As CEO, she has led Birchgrove’s growth through innovation, customer insight and a commitment to quality and service.

To date, Barratt has opened eight new neighbourhoods for Birchgrove in Surrey and London, with the ninth in Chiswick under construction. In total, that is £256M of developments where 454 seniors can call home.

Before founding Birchgrove, Barratt worked with Octopus Real Estate Trust to develop its senior living brand, Rangeford. Earlier in her career, she was CEO of a film and television business that was sold to Octopus Private Equity. Barratt’s leadership combines entrepreneurial drive with a deep understanding of customer needs.

Barratt has no life outside of work.

Helen Hare, GPE

Helen Hare is director of projects at Great Portland Estates, a business she joined in 2007 and at which she was appointed to the senior leadership team in 2019. She leads GPE's major development projects, flex design, and delivery and technical services teams, overseeing around £1B of development, refurbishment and fit-out activity across the business together with maintenance of GPE’s diverse portfolio.

With more than 35 years' experience in construction and real estate, Hare has delivered some of GPE's most significant projects, including Rathbone Square and 12/14 New Fetter Lane. She has also led the delivery of some of the market's most sustainable buildings and pioneering circular economy initiatives, most recently with GPE’s mass steel reuse initiative and the delivery of 30 Duke Street St James’s, helping advance GPE’s net-zero ambitions and sustainability goals.

Hare has remained an active supporter of the British Council for Offices, having chaired the London judging panel and held the position of president of the BCO. Hare also actively mentors women entering the construction and real estate sector both inside and outside of GPE.

Lindsey Ions, Urban&Civic

Lindsey Ions joined Urban&Civic in early 2026 as head of preconstruction. She brings 20 years of experience in the design and delivery of major infrastructure and mixed-use development schemes, positioning her well to lead the technical disciplines across Urban&Civic’s new and emerging sites.

Since joining the business, Ions has worked on two major outline planning applications, collectively delivering a total of 9,000 homes, which were submitted in early September. She is a board director of the Get It Right Initiative, a construction industry initiative focused on improving productivity through the reduction of errors. She also works closely with UCL, mentoring undergraduate civil engineering students.

Outside of work, Ions enjoys spending quality time with her two young children as well as coaching and playing hockey for Marlow Hockey Club.

Katarzyna Rovira, Kori Construction

Katarzyna Rovira is a project coordinator at Kori Construction, working as part of the site team on a variety of projects, including historic restorations, barn conversions and new-build care homes. One project she is particularly proud of is Banstead Place for Birchgrove, the restoration of a historic estate dating back over 300 years, including a Grade II-listed manor house and three additional listed buildings.

Rovira enjoys the challenges of working in construction, coordinating teams and finding solutions to keep projects moving forward. As a woman in construction, she is proud to be part of an industry that is becoming more inclusive.

Outside of work, she loves restoring old furniture, travelling and exploring architecture. She has a particular interest in historic buildings and the stories behind them, which makes working on restoration projects especially rewarding.

Thomasin Renshaw, Greystar

Thomasin Renshaw plays a key leadership role in driving the growth of rented resi giant Greystar as managing director for UK development, working alongside her team to deliver Greystar’s ambitious development strategy.

Renshaw’s career has seen her lead on a number of high-profile regeneration projects: Grosvenor’s landmark South Molton Triangle mixed-use scheme in Mayfair; Muse’s Civic Campus project in Brixton in partnership with Lambeth Council; and now Greystar’s Waterbeach project in Cambridge, the first community of the new 20,000-home garden-style strategy modelled on Greystar’s success in the U.S.

The company also recently welcomed its first residents to the 1,600-home Pearl Yard Bermondsey build-to-rent scheme.

Away from work, Renshaw is a self-professed "wine nerd" and loves dragging her family around wineries and vineyards. She also snowboards and was once a live music agent, in another life.

Laura Stone, Stanhope

Laura Stone is a senior development director at Stanhope, leading on-site teams and analysing project cost data to mitigate potential problems. She led the delivery of Woolgate, a 500K SF office building that achieved net-zero carbon in both construction and operation, and has worked on other key developments, including Warwick Court, Kett House and Red Lion Court.

Stone’s other passion is encouraging and inspiring young people to work in the construction sector, especially young women. She is a mentor to many in the industry and an active member of the RICS Women of the Future. She has been awarded RICS Young Surveyor of the Year, UCEM Alumni of the Year and WICE Quantity Surveyor of the Year.

Outside work, most of Stone's time is spent with her family and two children. She volunteers as a Brown Owl with Girlguiding to help give girls confidence, independence and new experiences, and loves travelling and getting outdoors.

Anna Strongman, Oxford University Development

Anna Strongman is CEO of Oxford University Development, a joint venture between Oxford University and Legal & General set up to build innovation districts and subsidised accommodation for graduate students and the university workforce.

Strongman was previously managing partner of Argent in London, where she spent 12 years executing a range of asset, development and business planning projects. 

Highlights included leading the asset management of King’s Cross, developing Coal Drops Yard and setting up a BTR portfolio with joint venture partner Related. She was instrumental in building the business from 40 people to a team of 200 over a 10-year period and led the corporate side of the business as managing partner.

Before joining Argent, Strongman worked in the planning and economic development team of Arup, worked for DTZ in Scotland, and lived for 18 months in Japan, where she studied Japanese and conducted research at the Japan Productivity Centre as a Daiwa Scholar.