The practice is excited to announce Emily Simpson’s participation in the Property Council of Australia’s (PCA) 500 Women in Property program, along with a Woods Bagot sponsor, Michael Gay. 

Emily Simpson, a Woods Bagot architect based in Western Australia, shares her excitement about the upcoming program.

 “I have a great interest in collaborative design and seeing women excel in the workforce. This includes collaborating on large-scale projects with clients and consultants, problem-solving and improving the field of design in Australia,” she says.

“I am big believer in men and women having mentors, establishing friendships and getting guidance from predecessors who can help pave the way. 

“This program introduces me to more people who are interested in pursuing their career with that network mindset.”

The feeling is mutual for Woods Bagot sponsor Michael Gay.

“This is a great initiative and I’m looking forward to sponsoring one of the next generation of women in the property industry. Aurecon and Woods Bagot have collaborated to share the sponsorship which offers an extra level of insight across disciplines,” he says. 

“Equally, I’m keen to flip the conversation to see how our emerging female talent view our industry, and what the roles of all genders are in contributing to reducing biases – both conscious and unconscious.”

An initiative of the Property Council’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committees, the program aims to accelerate more women into leadership positions in the property industry, through sponsorship of high-potential talent. 

With more than 3,600 women having participated since its launch in 2016, the highly successful program involves a personal commitment from sponsors (women and men) to identify and champion women in their organisation or network who would benefit from exposure and professional development opportunities. 

Sponsors advocate for their nominees in the workplace and help build their network and profile, leading to positive development outcomes.

The capacity for the program is 500 participants (plus their sponsors) annually.

Image: Woods Bagot