“YOU ARE VERY WELCOME”Four very simple words, big meaning for us!This was the key message when David Mann spoke to 250 delegates at the RICS Diversity & Inclusion Conference in June. His talk, entitled: ‘Coming out to an entire industry’ charted his personal gay journey and the formation of Freehold and that we needed to ‘come out’ to the real estate industry before we could really judge whether it is fundamentally homophobic.

The gay community working in property has traditionally kept a low profile and many of us were not out until relatively recently and many of us are still not.

“One of the most rewarding impacts of Freehold, is the collective confidence that members tell us they have gained by attending our events, helping them realise they are not alone. This has often then given them the self-confidence to come out to their colleagues at work.”

Saleem Fazal - Taylor Wessing

David adds: “It was Louise Brooke-Smith, immediate past RICS President and first female President in 152 years, who first said ‘YOU ARE VERY WELCOME’ at our first Freehold event hosted by RICS.

I remember getting quite emotional as there we were, in RICS HQ, finally being acknowledged and even more than that, welcomed by our professional institution.

Since then I am proud to say we have been welcomed by many Chief Executives, Senior Partners and industry leaders. We have seen a number of internal networks set up, such as Cluttons, JLL, CBRE, Savills and Cushman & Wakefield. This often being as a direct result of the work of Freehold members fuelled by a realisation that most real estate businesses have not done enough to make their LGBT employees feel comfortable enough to truly be themselves.”

© Freehold 2015

Freehold Newsletter December Edition

We should pay tribute to all our inspirational members, many of whom are now role models within their businesses and professions. With YOUR efforts, we have witnessed the beginning of a significant revolution.

Property is ‘coming out’ and is in fact more diverse than it originally seemed. We still have much to do, including demonstrating to the younger LGBT generation that the whole real estate industry welcomes them.

We would like to thank:

• YOU, our members for your support;• Our hosts who have all been very generous;• RICS for sponsoring our Pride in London parade entry;• Taylor Wessing - Amanda Rendle, Claire Edwards, Julie Crowhurst, Josh Roche for

the organisation of our membership and events;• Steven Hilton Consulting for the production of this newsletter and ongoing PR and

communications support;• TFT’s marketing team – Craig Murray and Chris Wright – for newsletter design and

production;• And lastly, our fellow Board Members, Brie, Brian, Ollie, Chris and Matteo for their

incredible hard work, energy, and enduring dedication to Freehold and for the many laughs we have had so far.

We welcome the establishment of ‘Off-Site’ which has the same aspirations as us for LGBT people working in the construction and infrastructure industry.

Watch out for our 5th Birthday celebration next year!

Needless to say, YOU ARE VERY WELCOME!

Co-founders/Co-Chairs, Freehold

© Freehold 2015

Saleem FazalTaylor Wessing

David MannTuffin Ferraby Taylor

2015 - Review

If someone had told me back in 2011, when Freehold first started, that we would have over 700 members, participated in London Pride, had a major feature in Estate Gazette and delivered keynote sessions at the RICS conference dedicated to diversity, I would’ve thought they were being widely optimistic.

I’m very proud to say that we managed to achieve all of the above, and much more, in the past four years.

Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve been up to over the past year:

Chris EdwardsCSR and Diversity Manager

We’re a social bunch and having a variety of events is important to our members. Not just because they’re fun, but because they play an important role in helping create friendships, reduce feelings of isolation, raise money for charities and also facilitate professional networking and an exchange of ideas. Its been a busy year....

NETWORKING EVENTS• There were six sponsored events in London.

From the top of the Cheesegrater to the courtyard of Residential Land, we held member-wide events at diverse spots all across the city.

• We even branched out to the South West and held a networking event for our members and supporters based in and around Bristol.

• We were delighted to be hosted by KPMG at MIPIM 2015 in Cannes. Watch out for our event next year.

A major thank you to all our 2015 hosts:

© Freehold 2015

• We also held our first industry specific drop-in drinks, including sessions for planners, architects and surveyors.

• Our much-valued programme of women-only events for our female members continued.

• Expansion into theatre land! From the fabulous ‘Kinky Boots’, the harrowing ‘1984’ to the wonderful ‘My Night with Reg’; we organised three theatre trips for our members. Bravo!

EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT

We spend most of our lives at work. That’s why it’s especially important that we work with the industry to help them create workplaces where LGBT people can not only be themselves, but also thrive and reach their full career potential.

Stonewall’s Diversity Champions reached deeper than before and now works with 19 employers in the built environment sector, meaning this critical activity reaches over 316,000 employees worldwide. Freehold has also been working with RIBA and RICS to help ensure that the diverse needs of their members are considered and addressed.

We are also pleased that leaders of all the main property industry professional and representative bodies have offered their views in this newsletter.

We reached new audiences and raised our visibility across a number of communities, sending a powerful signal that the property and real estate sectors are changing for the better. We marched (vocally) at London Pride and had our best year in terms of press coverage. From the Estate Gazette’s Pride feature to the AJ’s survey on homophobia in the built environment sector, if you were a subscriber to the trade press you couldn’t miss us!

VISIBILITY

CHARITY GIVING

Over £10,000raised!!! Thanks to the generosity of our members and supporters

we managed to raise over £10,000 for a range of charities. A number of Freehold members have since become long-term supporters of many LGBT related charities. A tremendous achievement and vital in ensuring that vulnerable members of our community get the support they need. We are also very proud to be a LandAid Partner.

© Freehold 2015

Mentoring

What issues are typically raised during mentoring? All sorts! Obviously mentoring is highly confidential, but no two mentoring relationships are the same. They often revolve around helping people to gain confidence or to make important (but difficult) decisions – from changing job, to help in gaining a promotion, or to coping with homophobia in the workplace. The results have been really rewarding for our mentors – and are usually overwhelmingly positive for our mentees. We have even seen a couple of people move countries as a result of mentoring! Who is it for? Mentoring is open to any member of Freehold. We are also sharing our experiences with some of the new LGBT networks that are being established in some of the surveying firms – we hope that they will soon have their own internal mentoring groups. If you want to find our more, please click here

30+ membershelped so far!

What is the Freehold mentoring programme? The Freehold mentoring programme has been running for the last 18 months and has helped over 30 of our members to develop fresh perspective on their careers and to manage LGBT issues experienced in the workplace.

So, do Freehold mentors have all the answers for the mentees? The mentors don’t have all the answers, but they have given time and guidance based on their experience. Each mentor has been trained to help with a variety of topics : we carefully pair the mentees with mentors who have the relevant experiences in business and in life! Sometimes the mentoring process is relatively short – but we have some examples where mentoring has gone on for over a year.

© Freehold 2015

‘HELLO!’ MAGAZINEEat your heart out...

© Freehold 2015

Member Survey

We had over 280 responses to our latest survey. Many thanks to all who took part.Here’s a snapshot....

• You find Freehold events really useful for networking; friendly, welcoming and good fun; great for making new friends and well-organised.

• Freehold’s profile has given you confidence to promote yourselves in your organisation and many reported great results.

• The hosts and venues have been outstanding.

THE GOOD NEWS:

“A real success network, I’ve met some amazing people. I’ve learnt a lot by sharing stories, used this in my companies LGBT network, broke down barriers and this has enabled me to push forward. This network gave me the confidence to do this all. Thanks.”

“I fully support the opportunity to socialise in a professional environment with like minded professionals- a rare opportunity indeed.”

“Excellent, it is a very good mix of professions & backgrounds that have lead to some promising meetings & catch ups. Many thanks all your work with Freehold!”

“It’s been really great meeting fellow LGBT professionals.”

“Always excellent speakers, informative, sociable & uplifting.”

“You are doing a great job and I feel so happy and proud to be a member! Keep it up.”uplifting.”

“Think they are well run and slick. Good diversity of people too.”

FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH...

© Freehold 2015

• Freehold events become oversubscribed too quickly and it is difficult to get in

• There are too many no-shows with many unused badges at each event

• There are not enough female members;

• A few found the events too “cliquey”

• Freehold is focussed on London – what about the regions?

THE NOT SO GOOD NEWS:

FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH...

Capacity of events is annoying.

We still need to work on what will attract more women to events.

Wish we could work out how to increase female attendance as it’s always quite low.

Freehold is very London centric and could do more to support the regions. Should accept more

people for events as there are always so many badges left

We are of course delighted with this feedback. The purpose behind Freehold was to create an environment for networking and support for real estate professionals. I think we can safely say that we have achieved that. Of course, that is not only down to the commitment of the Board members but also our members and kind hosts. So thank you!

We understand the frustrations about the capacity of events. We do overbook to take account of no-shows which explains why there are so many unused badges. Capacity is limited by health and safety issues as well as budgets. Going forward we are looking at ways to give priority to those who have missed out on previous events.

We are also running women-only events which have been popular. Women also get priority at our events.

We are always happy to introduce new members to other members at our events. If you would like us to help with that, please contact any member of the Board.

So far we have held events in Birmingham and Bristol. We are in the process of organising an event in Manchester. We are very reliant on regional members to organise such events although we would help with our contacts and invitation system. If you are interested in hosting an event in the regions, please contact us.

IN REPLY THE BOARD SAYS:

© Freehold 2015

And yet, without realising it, most people talk about their sexual orientation and gender identity at work on a daily basis. It might be a family picture, a wedding ring, a call from one’s spouse, or conversations about one’s weekend or partner.

Our last survey of over 50,000 people showed that 1 in 4 LGBT people aren’t out at all at work. That’s a significant proportion of people who feel as though they need to hide their identity at work on a daily basis in order to avoid judgement and discrimination.

Matteo LissanaClient Account Manager

People who aren’t out at work are 6 times more likely to be dissatisfied with their sense of achievement.

People who aren’t out at work are 3 times more likely to be dissatisfied with their sense of job security

Living a lie inevitably hinders people’s performance, and Stonewall’s research demonstrates that people perform better when they can be themselves. Valuing diversity is not only the right thing to do, but it makes business sense, enough to truly be themselves.”

Freehold provides LGBT professionals in property with a platform to help them change the face of an industry not renowned for its diversity credentials. By simply being visible, Freehold works to improve working environments for gay, lesbian, bi and trans people who may not feel comfortable being open at work. Being able to network and look up to LGBT individuals within the industry allows employees to feel valued and represented. It allows people to gain the confidence to be themselves.

Stonewall currently works with organisations such as Knight Frank, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Gerald Eve, JLL and Savills through our Diversity Champions Programme. We’re advising them on how they can best create workplaces supportive of all staff at all levels, and we’ve already seen some encouraging progress.

We hope we will continue to see an increase in the number of organisations who pro-actively engage in the work of Freehold and who commit to creating a more inclusive environment for their employees.

© Freehold 2015

This is an office; Being gay has nothingto do with work

We asked leaders of the professions in real estate one questionWhy diversity makes good business sense?

Sean TomkinsRICS Chief Executive

In the land, property, infrastructure and construction professions, Inclusion and Diversity enable us to tackle the complex and pressing challenges facing our world today, from mass urbanisation and increased carbon emissions to inconsistency in global measurement standards. Our differences mean that we not only see these issues from multiple perspectives, but that we also consider a wider and more innovative array of possible solutions. As an employer, we know that we make better decisions, engage and retain the best talent and are better at problem solving when we truly value difference – which is why, for us, Inclusion and Diversity are simply smart business.

Trudi Elliott CBERTPI Chief Executive

While diversity is good business, its much wider than that for professional planners. The RTPI is in a unique situation given the nature of the work its members undertake as planners. The RTPI requires, through its Code of Conduct, that members in their role as professional planners do not discriminate on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, creed, religion, disability or age and shall seek to eliminate such discrimination by others and to promote equality of opportunity. Given the diversity of our cities, the profession should be representative of the communities they are shaping and ensure that our spaces and places are inclusive for everyone, catering for the needs of a diverse population.

Lisa-Jane RiskAssociation of Women in Property - National Chairman

Diversity makes perfect business sense. Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that a diverse workforce will deliver a thriving business and a more profitable bottom line. Good employers support their employees, developing their abilities, building confidence and encouraging skills, so that they can become the best through what they have achieved, no matter what their gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Uniting these with different backgrounds and skill sets will give employers and clients the expertise they deserve and demand. The make-up of our businesses should reflect the make-up of our society, so business leaders should take a look around them…can they, hand on heart, say they are comfortable with what they see? If not, now is the time to start making the difference.© Freehold 2015

Harry RichRIBA Chief Executive

At RIBA we are absolutely clear that a diverse workforce delivers vibrancy and significant cultural, business and economic benefit. Practices that respect individuals’ strengths and qualities are better placed to understand real user needs and problem-solve for their clients; they are more creative and innovative and are better equipped to compete in global markets. Yes, diversity is good business.

But I also strongly believe that encouraging diversity is the right thing to do. It is critical that we not only recognise that it’s great for the bottom line but that it is right. Professions have a duty to do the right thing.

Melanie Leech CBEBPF Chief Executive

Diversity is just good business because the best collective decisions are the product of disagreement and contested debate. How dull it is to put a proposition on the table only to have everyone agree with it! I have seen at first-hand how great ideas get improved and honed by the introduction of different perspectives, styles and approaches. And we know that businesses have to compete harder and harder for talent – so it’s self-evident that they should give themselves every opportunity to attract and retain skills from the widest possible pool. Current and future generations of employees will expect no less.

John CoyneCEO BCSC

New research provides compelling evidence that diversity unlocks innovation and drives market growth—a finding that should intensify efforts to ensure that executive ranks both embody and embrace the power of differences.

In this research, the researchers scrutinized two kinds of diversity: inherent and acquired. Inherent diversity involves traits you are born with, such as gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Acquired diversity involves traits you gain from experience: Working in another country can help you appreciate cultural differences. Those companies whose leaders exhibit at least three inherent and three acquired diversity traits are often described as having two-dimensional (2-D) diversity.

By correlating diversity in leadership with market outcomes as reported by the respondents, you learn that companies with 2-D diversity out-innovate and out-perform others. Employees at these companies are 45% likelier to report that their firm’s market share grew over the previous year and 70% likelier to report that the firm captured a new market.

2-D diversity unlocks innovation by creating an environment where “outside the box” ideas are heard. When minorities form a critical mass and leaders value differences, all employees can find senior people to go to bat for compelling ideas and can persuade those in charge of budgets to deploy resources to develop those ideas.

These findings constitute a powerful new dimension of the business case that diversity is just good for business! © Freehold 2015

Why did you choose a career in real estate?Land law was my favourite subject at law school. I really enjoyed my first legal job as a paralegal in the property department at Lovells but during my training contract with Stallard I fell in love with litigation. Fortuitously, a significant proportion of the work in the litigation team was and is property related, so it all fell into place.

Is there a career highlight or lowlight you can tell us about?It’s a bit of both in the same case early in my career. The highlight was winning in the Court of Appeal in a slightly bizarre case involving an Option Agreement relating to a Greenfield development site in the Home Counties. The lowlight, on the same occasion was not being awarded our costs of the appeal (for reasons pre-dating our involvement). Nevertheless, I had 30 minutes of a very angry client shouting down the phone. He was clear he was angry at the situation rather than me but it was still pretty hard to sit there and take 30 minutes of borderline abuse.

What do you do away from work?Life outside work these days centres around our four year old and her increasingly hectic social life. Otherwise, I’m a keen cyclist and completed the Prudential Ride London – Surrey 100 last August.

Can you tell us an interesting fact about you?In my misspent youth, I was Miss January in a calendar for the Irish Sugar Board. Admittedly, I was three years’ old and it was a picture of me picking snowdrops, but still, Miss January…

Have you experienced homophobia at work in the course of your career? Can you tell us what sort of thing?

Honestly, no I have never felt that my sexuality has been an issue at work. I have always been out at work. There may well be people in my organisation who are uncomfortable with my sexuality; however I have never experienced anything I would describe as homophobia in the workplace. What do you think is the biggest issue facing the property industry?That depends largely on which bit of the industry you’re talking about. On a very general level, one of the biggest issues facing the industry is the rising costs of construction and the delays to projects as a result of shortages of materials.

Aofie MurphyDMH Stallard

Where do you work and what is your role?I work in the London office of DMH Stallard and I am a senior associate in the Real Estate Disputes team

© Freehold 2015

Member InterviewsBy Brie Stevens-Hoare

Why did you join Freehold?Very simply, a friend invited me to join when it was still in its embryonic stages. I thought it seemed like a great idea as nothing similar existed at the time. There were lots of LGBT lawyers groups but nothing that attempted to go across an entire industry. What do you feel you get from your membership?I enjoy the refreshing experience of networking where I don’t have to do that dance of deciding whether or not to use the personal pronoun when mentioning my partner. I go to various networking events in the course of work. Freehold is the one I feel most relaxed, at home and myself and as a result, it’s the one where I tend to make the most connections.

Is there one thing that Freehold could do which would benefit you or your career?Its very existence has already benefited me and my career. Because I enjoy going to the Freehold events, it has made me a more effective networker at other events and increased my confidence generally at work.

© Freehold 2015

Why did you choose a career in real estate?I always had an interest in property, as some members of my family work within the construction industry. After my A-levels I was either going to study Law, ICT or Property at University. I chose the latter, mainly due to the upturn in the property market in 2006.

Is there a career highlight or lowlight you can tell us about? The lowlight of my career was definitely the limited employment opportunities after graduating during the recession. No fun times were had, only my redundancy and travelling around the South-East for work. My highlight was passing my APC and getting chartered with the RICS.

What do you do away from work / Can you tell us an interesting fact about you?I enjoy running, eating out, kayaking and travel. I’m a sucker for interior design and would spend my last £100 on a new Heals cushion rather than attend a friend’s birthday.

Have you experienced homophobia at work in the course of your career? Can you tell us what sort of thing?When I worked contractor side a few comments were made about the assumption of me being gay, also in the consultancy sector I have experienced a handful of comments which have offended me, normally during conversations with contractors.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing the property industry?Currently, we have a huge skills gap and housing crisis in the UK. We need a new wave of diverse young candidates to enter the industry through apprenticeships, universities and colleges. That’s why I’m involved in the RICS #SurveyingtheFuture campaign.

Why did you join Freehold? I joined to network within the industry and change the experience of the next generation. I was always involved in the LGBT society at University, so for me, this is the natural progression. What do you feel you get from your membership? I enjoy meeting the other members and being able to discuss current issues with a group of like-minded individuals.

Is there one thing that Freehold could do which would benefit you or your career?Freehold has already helped me through my APC by providing me with a mentor, I was able to get mock interviews with larger consultancies such as TFT and GVA. Without their support, I doubt I would have passed first time.

Martin SmithBuro Four

Where do you work and what is your role?I work for Buro Four as a Senior Project Manager in Central London. I project manage commercial and mixed-use construction projects using my building surveying background.

© Freehold 2015

Member InterviewsBy Brie Stevens-Hoare

Why did you choose a career in real estate?I initially picked a university course (BSc Land Management at the University of Reading) to study planning as I wanted a career that involved geography, economics and law and more varied than a straight law/economics degree. I decided planning wasn’t for me and switched to surveying. That choice gave me direction (if I wanted it), with a defined career path and would allow me to move around within an industry.

Is there are career highlight or lowlight you can tell us about?Highlight, must be the people I’ve met. Many people that I would consider friends outside of work, including former colleagues. Lowlight – the studying for the APC. Not a fun period. Extremely hard to juggle a full time job with plenty of revision. Added to that my parents found out about my sexuality a few days before my APC interview. An extremely stressful time for me.

What do you do away from work / Can you tell us an interesting fact about you?I come from a Polish family and fluent in the language. Started school at the age of 4 and wasn’t able to speak a word of English. Outside of work I’m a keen swimmer, am interested in old maps, adrenaline activities (bungee jumping, skydiving, paintballing, skiing), enjoy cheesy films, even cheesier music, and travelling.

Have you experienced homophobia at work in the course of your career? Can you tell us what sort of thing?I haven’t experienced malicious homophobia. I have experience of it as part of a “joke” and being the ‘token’ gay person. Within my old team I was the only gay person. I was very much the one that answered the awkward questions. In doing that I realised that a lot of my colleagues didn’t know other gay people so felt I had some responsibility to educate them and do some myth busting. Everybody was accepting and when my old line manager found out - he’s a stereotypical property man – he was very accepting and didn’t bat much of an eye lid.

What do you think is the biggest issue facing the property industry?Diversity is still not being achieved. I’ve read so much about it and how our industry is crying out for it. I think diversity needs to start being achieved at the grass roots – University. So many students who study property, in whatever form, are from a very similar part of society: very well spoken, very British families who lived in small towns/villages in the countryside and most of whom had family already in the industry so were able to help them find jobs in our final years.

Martin SzamfeberJLL

Where do you work and what is your role?Valuation at JLL, in the South East team. Currently trying to get level three status so I can become a registered valuer, as I only did valuation to level 2 in my APC last year.

© Freehold 2015

Member InterviewsBy Brie Stevens-Hoare

Why did you join Freehold?I joined Freehold recently after seeing a double page spread in the Estates Gazette. I had just graduated and wasn’t out. I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet like minded folk in the same industry. It is a male dominated industry where guys are very ‘straight acting’. I didn’t think there would be many other gay people so was pleasantly surprised when I saw this network and seen how much it has grown. Obviously the networking opportunities were a bonus too

What do you feel you get from your membership?Plenty! Probably the best part of Freehold is the mentoring scheme. I was partnered with Ollie Saunders. We met regularly and very informally, either for a coffee, drink or lunch and just discussed a range of topics, from APC to career progression and moving companies and even whether I should take a few months out to travel (which I did do this earlier year). At an interview with BNP Paribas, they were particularly interested that Freehold was down on my CV. I feel to a company like that it’s a big tick in their diversity box and the HR person in my interview was very aware of the organisation. For me it’s a good way to put down on paper that I’m gay without having to go through a coming out conversation.

Is there one thing that Freehold could do which would benefit you or your career?I have potentially answered this above and I can safely say Freehold has done plenty simply through the doors it has opened. Perhaps some more meetings so that more people can attend and network with more people. More information about job vacancies that Freehold members are aware of? Advertising internally within Freehold?

© Freehold 2015

Member InterviewsBy Brie Stevens-Hoare

Why did you choose a career in real estate?I have been in the industry for 28 years. Initially it was an interest in buildings combined with the strong job prospect that attracted me to a first Degree in Land Economics. Subsequently I did a postgrad in Finance Studies but probably a bit ahead of its time and the career break to marry financial theory with property never really happened. I arrived in London in 1987 in search of employment. In many respects, as now, London was a parallel economy to the rest of the UK. A career in property can be tremendously exciting and varied. It is enormously important that more women are coming into property and that diversity including LGBTQ has moved centre stage. There’s been a huge change since 1987 but much remains to be done.

Is there are career highlight or lowlight you can tell us about?The highlight was leading the CBRE due diligence team (London and Paris) advising the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board on their highly confidential and successful acquisition of a 30% stake in Orpea SA from the founder under a tight timetable. I spent time in Paris. It was within two years of my gender transition at work, and my French colleagues, the Client and the senior people at Orpea treated me appropriately and with respect as both a transsexual woman and knowledgeable professional.

Most careers include a number of highlights and lowlights and mine is no different. What I have learned from experience is that lowlights within a career pale into insignificance compared to some of the lows that life can bring, in quite a random and unfair way. So I see no point in dwelling on the work ones. It is important that the property industry give no quarter to career discrimination on grounds of gender or sexuality. Such matters must not be a reason for a career low.

What do you do away from work / Can you tell us an interesting fact about you?I am passionate about ballet and dance. I go to performances as well as taking classes. Ballet simply was not within my compass growing up in Scotland. I discovered it on arriving in London. It was an electric lightbulb moment. Those initial few years of discovery and immersing were unforgettable. I could go on forever on why it is such an important art form and what it offers. I also love music and am very catholic in my tastes. Many LGBTQ role models for today’s young people come from within the performing arts; the importance of

Liane SmithCBRE

Where do you work and what is your role?I am a Director at CBRE working in Specialist Markets - Healthcare. I undertake advisory and valuation work with a particular interest in the acute hospitals and mental health sectors in the UK and I have wider-European experience. CBRE’s Specialist Markets team is the most diverse team within the company. I feel proud that as a lesbian transsexual woman that I contribute to our positive team image within CBRE.

© Freehold 2015

positive role models, however, also applies within the work environment and at all ages and the property industry is no exception.

Have you experienced homophobia at work in the course of your career? Can you tell us what sort of thing?In my experience the profession was very homophobic in the 80s & 90s; mirroring the tabloid press and society. Then transsexual people were viewed as a joke or worse. In the early 2000s when I was investigating my real identity (away from work) I was wearing ear studs and with long-shaped nails and interests that were different from many male colleagues. Some viewed me as odd and bookmarked me gay. My employer said nothing overt, and I had no problem with immediate colleagues, I experienced subtle phobia from inside the firm. The difficulty with the subtle phobia is not only is it unpleasant but we have no way of knowing how it weighs against us. I had gay acquaintances and was visiting some trans-friendly gay spaces. I remember at one work social event where someone was making a joke about going into the “wrong” sort of bar on a foreign job. I lost it at them. That silenced the group conversation and taught me the power of standing up against homophobia. Can you tell us a bit about your gender transition experience in the workplace?As with many trans people, I reached a life crisis. I permanently changed social gender in early 2012. My decision was made in 2011. CBRE had no experience of transgender or what that meant. So I worked closely with my immediate boss and HR department on what support I needed, timing and how to disseminate information to colleagues and, where necessary, clients. The support was excellent, always putting me first and overall, my transition was extremely well handled within the workplace. CBRE now has experience that can be applied if someone else transitions at work. The majority of work colleagues either had no difficulties with my transition or adjusted in time. Positives have included people saying that they can no longer remember me pre-transition and that their negative views on trans people has changed. There is a tendency (probably) unconsciously to sometimes distinguish me from female co-workers which is frustrating but limited. What do you think is the biggest issue facing the property industry?Too much focus on short-term profit returns and no real legacy concerns in some parts of the industry. Property played a massive role in the banking crises and I wonder if lessons were learned? I am not sure. The “profit moguls” don’t care who suffers from the fall-out directly or indirectly, they don’t have to live long-term with their decisions about the built environment or clever financial structures. It is a big topic to engage with and there are great examples to the contrary, we have seen that among some of Freehold’s corporate supporters.

Why did you join Freehold and what do you feel you get from your membership?I became involved with CBRE’s new LGBT group, a key part of the firm’s diversity programme. I learned about Freehold from others in the group. At our launch, I felt the power of being in a room of people who had a common theme in their lives at work and away from work. Freehold of course is much larger than CBRE, but I have enjoyed events and meeting members.

Is there one thing that Freehold could do which would benefit you or your career?Yes please. Keep a high profile. Continue to ensure the industry knows that LGBTQ diversity is a great thing and important to the industry. I hope new generations, including trans people, attracted to a career in property will have no concerns about phobia, inequality or bias. They should not need to worry that Property is an exclusively cis-sexual industry. Freehold’s mentoring scheme from both sexual orientation and transgender perspectives could play a vital role helping LGBTQ professionals particularly in smaller firms with less resources.

© Freehold 2015

To find out more about any of the charities we have supported in 2015 click on the icons below to visit their websites.

© Freehold 2015

Charity Support2015

Saleem FazalPartner

Co-Chairs

Other board members

Brian BickellChief

Executive

Chris EdwardsCSR & Diversity

Manager

Ollie SaundersLead DirectorAlternatives

Brie Stevens-Hoare QC

Barrister

Matteo LissanaClient Account

Manager

David MannPartner

Newsletter produced by Steven Hilton Consulting with design and production by Tuffin Ferraby Taylor © Freehold 2015

Introducing...Freehold Board

freehold@taylorwessing.com

www.freehold-group.com

@FreeholdLGBT

Newsletter produced by Steven Hilton Consulting with design and production by Tuffin Ferraby Taylor

© Freehold 2015