I got involved in property by default… and now love every day of it!
I started my career in the property industry in 2006 after completing my degree in Eco Tourism Management. I enjoyed the course, but had also realised that the tourism industry was not where I wanted to spend my life.
Since my father is an architect and my brother was studying architecture at that time, our house was always littered with books and magazines featuring exciting buildings. My curiosity awoken, I obtained a casual job at a real-estate company. I got a taste of the property industry and quite liked it.
My first proper job in the industry began in 2007, at a large property-development and investment company, which dealt with buildings in the Pretoria and Johannesburg inner cities. Here, I spent four years managing part of the owners’ family’s private property portfolio. This was a first-rate training ground and laid a good foundation for my next leap. I also completed a course in construction management during this time, and really began to understand the property industry. By now, I knew this was an industry where I could make a career.
In February 2010 I married my best friend, Isabeau, whom I’d known since Grade 2. Our family grew to three when Emelia Jane was born in 2013. In 2014 I completed my MBA, and a year after that the fourth addition to our family, Isabella Rose, was born.
As I climbed the ranks in the industry I soon became aware of a company called Atterbury. I met some of the staff members at conferences, noticed the firm’s strong culture, and kept my eye on the developments it was involved in. I always thought that if I could become part of this remarkable enterprise it would be the ultimate career achievement.
Then, in 2015, I received one of the most memorable calls of my career so far… It was from Johan Roets at Atterbury. There was a position available. Although I was very happy working for another excellent firm in Sandton, I felt really honoured that he would think of me, and met him without any hesitation. A few meetings later I joined Atterbury in October 2015 as Business Development Manager in retail development.
Someone told me the other day that one can recognise an Atterbury person from a mile away… brown boots, jeans and a checked shirt! Atterbury really is a home away from home. We all dress similarly casual, think the same about life and have the same ambition to create amazing developments everyday, that everyone can be very proud of.
Today, I work as part of the development team under the leadership of James Ehlers and Johan Roets, both of whom I respect enormously. We are responsible for creating successful shopping centres from parcels of vacant land. It does help that Atterbury owns well-chosen areas of such land, which makes our jobs a little easier. There are very exciting projects in the pipeline.
Our challenge in South Africa at the moment, apart from the economy, is that there are a huge number of existing retail centres in the market. Hence, when we obtain and develop a piece of land, the challenge is to create something new that is distinct and provides an ideal tenant mix for that particular area.
One really needs to understand the market of the centre’s catchment area very well. To create a successful retail centre requires a lot of work on the part of both the developer and the prospective tenants. The aim, of course, is always to complete a centre, fully let, on time, with exciting new retailers and all shops operating on the centre’s opening day… and within budget!
My journey at Atterbury has been astounding so far. We have a clear strategy of what needs to be done in the next five years. I cannot wait so see all of these projects fully let, open, and trading, with delighted tenants making a huge success of their businesses.
