Who will define the future of UK property? That is what the British Property Federation is looking to find out with its BPF Futures Tomorrow’s Leaders Awards 2019, in association with Bisnow.

The BPF is looking to find the rising stars in UK property. The awards will celebrate the people creating communities, fostering diversity, boosting the image of the industry and doing great work for LandAid, the property industry charity.

The awards are now open. You can enter yourself, or put forward someone you know that would be a worthy winner. Entrants need to have been working in the industry for 10 years or fewer. You can submit your entry here. The deadline for entries is 31 March, and the winners will be revealed in May.

This year’s judges will be:
    •    Ian Marcus, Eastdil Secured Senior Advisor and BPF Honorary Life Member.
    •    Mike Phillips, Bisnow UK and Ireland Editor.
    •    Paul Morrish, LandAid Chief Executive.
    •    Brenda Bates, U+I Director, Communications, Brand & Business Services.
    •    Lois Kay, Peel Land Development Surveyor, and Property Group & BPF Futures Advisory Board member.

The award categories are:
    •    Community Engagement: This award will recognise someone who has personally led a business unit or project delivering outstanding relationships with local people.
    •    Diversity and Inclusion: Someone who has personally driven a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
    •    Promoting the industry: Someone who has brought a new idea or initiative to help change the way the business or the industry is perceived.
    •    LandAid award: Outstanding contribution to LandAid’s mission.
    •    Rising Star: the BPF young professional of the year, which is chosen from the category award winners.

Last year’s Rising Star award winner, CBRE Director Lorna Walker, said that winning the award, and indeed just being nominated, has meant a lot on both a professional and personal level.

“It was just really great to be recognised and it was a big confidence boost,” she said. “[Frogmore Chief Executive] Jo Allen put me forward for it and I’m so glad she did. I had just come back from maternity leave, and thought I hadn’t really done anything that great to merit being nominated. A lot of young people are doing fantastic things, but think it is not that special or enough to warrant putting themselves forward, but they should be confident.”

“Young people are changing the industry and shaping its future and we want to celebrate and highlight the great work a lot of people are already doing,” BPF Chief Executive Melanie Leech said.

If you don’t enter, you definitely won’t win, so get cracking and submit an entry here.