The announcement of the regional winners was held during August in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, and the regional finalists that have been recognised and acknowledged for their impression on the industry are:
YOUNG ACHIEVER AWARD (under 35 years old)
Gauteng: Vere Shaba, Director Green Buildings & Certifications, Shaba and Ramplin
Western Cape: Gemma Moore, Director, de Leeuw
KZN: Nicole Richards, Director, FWJK
BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR – ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
Gauteng: Rirhandzu Letty Ngobeni, Founder & CEO, Integrico
Western Cape: Xoliswa Daku, CEO Daku Group of Companies
PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR: CORPORATE / PRIVATE SECTOR AWARD
Gauteng: Madeleine Truter, Legal Counsel, Setso Asset
Western Cape: Joan Solms, COO, Ingenuity Property Investments
KZN: Subashnee Moodley, Managing Director, Livingston Leandy Inc
PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR: PUBLIC SECTOR AWARD
KZN: Roshinee Naidoo, Deputy Director, Municipal Finance Directorate KZN Cogta and
Logashri Sewnarain, Regional Manager, Eastern Region, SANRAL
A panel of judges representing a range of industry disciplines adjudicated the regional awards, and all the regional winners were taken forward into the national judging process. The winners in each category will be announced at the glamorous event on 18 October 2017.
The panel of national judges includes:
TC Chetty – Country Manager, RICS South Africa and Chief Executive,
TC Chetty & Associates (TCAA)
Gary Garrett - Head Real Estate Finance, Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking
Ipeleng Mkhari, Chief Operating Officer, Motseng Investment Holdings
- Genevieve Naidoo - Head of Credit Risk for the Real Estate Sector, Corporate and Investment Banking for Standard Bank and Ex Officio WPN Chairperson.
“It is incredible to be able to recognize and celebrate women in the property sector that have impacted, inspired, influenced and changed the face of the industry for 2017 in an exceptional way. The awards alumni currently sits at over 100 individuals (2015 to 2017) who have been recognised and celebrated,” says Sandi Mbutuma, WPN Chairperson and Managing Director, Azzaro Quantity Surveyors
Added to recognizing women making strides in the sector, October’s gala dinner, which has already attracted corporate support from Standard Bank, Growthpoint, Cushman & Wakefield Excellerate, City Property, Joburg Property Company, Pareto, Investec, Sun International, Attacq, Nonku Ntshona & Assoc, Rebosis and Delta Property Fund, will act as a fundraiser, with table sales raising funds to support the WPN Educational Trust’s bursary scheme into 2018. Backed by the WPN Educational Trust’s financial support, the WPN has awarded over 70 bursaries to previously disadvantaged female students since 2008, with thirteen bursaries for property-related degrees and diploma’s being awarded in early 2017.
Ms Mbutuma, says that educational and mentorship initiatives are core to WPN’s drive to spur demographic change across the property sector. After twenty years of democracy, the gender parity is still a question of how we can effectively reach the 50/50 gender goal. Through the collaborative efforts and commitment by various organisations that support the WPN Educational Trust and the companies that absorb the graduates into their training programmes, the landscape is changing to ensure growth and equality in the real estate sector.