Raise a glass to women who raise the roof

PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events rolls out the red carpet for the real estate industry’s most influential women

In recent years, the real estate sector has made progress when it comes to inclusivity and equity, further recognising the value of women in the workplace and in leadership roles. According to UN Women Asia and the Pacific, the region is now proudly home to 20 percent more women managers in the private sector compared to 20 years ago. 

The UN also noted that career women have been instrumental in increasing productivity, improving the ecosystem, and generating more sustainable environments. In fact, the advancement of equality in Asia Pacific is forecasted to magnify the collective annual GDP of the region to USD4.5 trillion by 2025, revealed McKinsey & Company. 

Yet, this slow progress is still deemed worrisome by analysts since only 17 percent of women hold senior and middle management positions. The statistics are even more alarming when evaluated in female-to-male ratio, where only one woman in every four men is in leadership roles in the region.  

Majority of APAC countries still have fewer than 0.5 female-to-male ratios. So far, the Philippines is one of the few countries in the globe to nearly achieve gender parity. Even so, only 15 percent of women are board members. 

“This is a waste of talent that the region can ill afford, especially when many economies are ageing, labor pools are eroding, and skills shortages are on the rise,” added McKinsey & Company. 

Though the world still has a long way to go to achieve equality, we are here to raise a glass to the women who have taken matters into their own hands—with handbags in tow—taking great strides to advance in the property/corporate ladder: 

Cyndy Tan Jarabata 
President, TAJARA Leisure & Hospitality Group, Inc.
First Female Chairperson, PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards
Power Women Honour, 2022 PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit 

“I would like to thank PropertyGuru for organising ARES Power Women to celebrate the extraordinary contribution of women in real estate, their triumphs, courage, and leadership. There is still so much opportunities in the Philippine property sector and no border to what we can achieve. We need to be consistent in creating value to our community and differentiate offerings in order to build better in today’s built environment.” 

Kotchakorn Voraakhom 
CEO and Founder of Pourous City Network
Chairwoman of the Climate Change Working Group, International Federation of Landscape Architects, World (IFLA World)
First Female Visionary of the Year, 2021 PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit

“It is very important that every female can have an opportunity to have a seat at the table and share their thoughts, their ideas, their creativity. There are not only two genders in the world right now; we have an even more diverse society, and I hope that all of our creativity can be combined to tackle the climate change problem.” 

Loemongga Haoemasan 
President Director, Asiana Group (Indonesia)
Power Women Honour, 2022 PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit 

“PropertyGuru’s continued support to equality will open many doors and opportunities for other women in the industry and we can inspire others.” 

Lourdes Josephine Gotianun Yap 
President and CEO, Filinvest Development Corporation (FDC)
CEO, Filinvest Land Inc (FLI)
First Female Real Estate Personality of the Year, 2022 PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards  

“I feel deeply honoured to have been selected by the PropertyGuru Group for this recognition. Being the first woman to receive this award in the Philippines is a testament to the accomplishments of the many women professionals of the Philippines working in the property industry.” 

Michelle Yong
CEO, Aurum Land
CEO and founder, Core Collective
Real Estate Personality of the Year, 2022 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore)

“I believe that what matters most in life is the depth of your relationships and the sheer number of people you have helped along the way—it is the true measure of wealth—and that as business leaders, we have the privilege and duty to impact so many more people more deeply. I hope to live up to the legacy of this award and its past recipients by continuing to lead from the heart and build supportive environments that create change, advance communities, and accelerate growth.” 

Sarena Cheah 
Managing Director, Property Division, Sunway Berhad
Power Women Honour, 2022 PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit 
First Female Real Estate Personality of the Year, 2020 PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia

“I hope that each of us continue to celebrate the Power in Women for many years to come as we pursue in creating positive influences to our homes, society, and nation, together.” 

Suphin Mechuchep 
Chairperson, JLL Thailand
First Female Chairperson, PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards
Power Women Honour, 2022 PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit

“When I chose to start my work life in real estate 30 years ago, I knew that I would have a great opportunity to develop my career path in this major sector that touches everyone’s life. But I did not expect to come this far. I feel very delighted and honoured to be named as one of the ARES Power Women.” 

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Gynen Kyra Toriano, Digital Content Manager at PropertyGuru, wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].