JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 30 August 2022 – In celebration of National Women’s Day and the country’s commemorative month, Samsung in partnership with The Fourways Group recently hosted an inspirational networking session called Women in the Built Environment (WIBE) industry event, which was themed: ‘Emerging Technologies in the Built Environment’. Other partners included Co-Arc International, Impact Manpower, Modena, and 1^st Thursday Property Club.

The event aimed to promote the built environment as an inclusive profession that values, supports and celebrates the contribution of women in various disciplines. Steered by Samsung’s National Key Accounts Manager, Charmaine Pieters, the event featured some inspirational women from the industry, including:

Catharine Atkins & Malika Walele from Co–Arc International Architects Inc. – whose presentation detailed how the determined and well-accomplished women navigated the male-dominated architectural industry, and then  led the awe-inspiring project,  the Leonardo, a 57-storey, mixed-use high-rise in Sandton. The presentation demonstrated their ability to continue to make strides in the industry despite the difficulties and challenges in the environment. They showcased two other projects in which the company has pioneered a space for sustainable and culturally sensitive design, demonstrating how the industry has the ability to transform its cities and spaces, ensuring a sustainable future

Jay Dax – the founder of 1^st Thursday Property Club – was the next speaker that owned the stage when she spoke about the start-up of 1^st Thursday Property Club, which was driven by the challenge for business development in opening Bamboo Rock Construction in South Africa, and the need for speed to market by the company. She gave a brief outline of how important it is for industry forums where members can meet regularly to network and collaborate. Jay reached out to share the idea and collaborate with Done Dunkley, a long-standing member in the industry, and so the 1^st Thursday Property Club was born. Six years on, with two thousand five hundred members 1^st Thursday Property Club is proud to be supporting bespoke events like Samsung’s Women in the Built Environment, which is a true testament to the collaboration of 1^st Thursday Property Club Members

Mpumi Sishi who is the founder of Impact Manpower – delved deeper into what Impact Manpower does, the growth of the company and its history. She also spoke about how the communities’ surrounding developments are an important consideration for the development team when conducting their activities. Through an assessment of the community needs and the integration of SMMEs into developments, the developer is able to create jobs and promote skills development, consequently improving the social economic environment of those living in the area of development.

The last speaker was Wendy Cerutti from Turner & Townsend – she spoke about the importance of senior leadership mentors for women and the value this can add in shaping our future leaders. She discussed Turner & Townsend’s purpose & values and how it influences diversity and inclusion for women in the workplace. She also touched on her personal history and development as a woman in the built environment, how employee satisfaction has grown within her team, Turner & Townsend’s plans and programmes, and in particular, the company’s culture in this regard.