Keen to light the way for other women and girls, five female executives who run large real estate portfolios in Canberra share their experience, expertise and how they have forged their individual paths.
Danielle Harmer: General Manager, Allhomes
“Themost rewarding part of my job is being part of so many Canberrans’ daily habit – real estate – and releasing great products that connect people with the biggest asset in their life. The most challenging is keeping everyone happy – customers, clients, staff, and family. It’s a constant juggle, but staying true to my values, taking the high road, and not getting caught in the smaller things keeps perspective.
“With where I am in my career, I’ve started to see the ‘glass ceiling’ and the more senior we get, we realise that it is harder for women to break through the traditional executive mould. I am inspired by wanting to break and change that mould – I want to show my daughters that they can be and do whatever they want and not to fall into the trap of feeling like they have to be a certain way to make their way up the hierarchy. When people try bullish tactics, I work harder, smarter, and always take the high road.”
Anna Neelagama: CEO, Real Estate Institute of Australia
“I am the CEO of the Real Estate Institute of Australia. I manage a small, expert team that leads and represents Australia’s real estate agents and agencies at a federal level. We are a huge sector of the Australian economy with a contribution to be proud of. We have $3 trillion in assets under management, collecting $78 billion in rent each; and transact around $360 billion in sales each year. We have around 40,000 small businesses under our banner and employ 130,000 Australians in suburbs and towns across the nation.
“Many women who are appearing in this Canberra Daily feature have been winners of our National Awards for Excellence (NAFE) and I am so proud to stand alongside them.”
Hannah Gill: Director, The Property Collective, REIACT, Gill & Hooper
“I’ve worked in the real estate industry for 14 years, specialising in the property management space. I launched my own agency, The Property Collective, with my business partner Will Honey almost two years ago, underpinned by the ethos ‘if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together’. We are both passionate about innovation and industry evolution, so it was a no-brainer to collaborate and try to reimagine the real estate experience for both our clients and team.
“In business, I believe key strengths needed to succeed are innovation, listening and agility.”
Kylie Dennis: CEO, Independent Property Group
“I spent most of my childhood in the beautiful little township of Crookwell, where my mum and dad ran the local newspaper. I was probably always destined to get into media and publishing.
“From when I first moved to Canberra in 2001, it was obvious that Independent Property Group was an iconic brand in the Canberra market. When the opportunity came up to join the team, I knew it was a challenge I wanted to take on.
“Working with a dynamic team of people, innovating to get better results for our clients, seeing developments go from planning stage to completion, helping people find homes… there are so many rewarding aspects of this role.”
Louise Harget: Principal, Belle Property
“Michael Kumm, former President of the REI employed me as a junior around 20 years ago. It was a sliding doors moment that introduced me to the Canberra real estate market, and for his belief in me all those years ago, I will be forever grateful. From that point, I worked my way from PA to salesperson, until Dan McAlpine and Richard Davies suggested the idea of our own Belle office.
“I am one of three Directors at Belle Property and am lucky to have a brilliant group of friends in the office – it just feels like that. A big group of like-minded people who all love what we do and love also to have time with our families. With three little humans at home, balance is key.
“I love listing and selling, calling auctions, helping our team … getting out of bed and going to the office is more fun than anything.”
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