_International Women's Day at Knight Frank

Our central themes are #ExceptionalWomen and #NextGen, as well as #ChooseToChallenge, which is also the official International Women’s Day theme.

International Women’s Day is about celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Take a look at the official website here and enjoy this video based on the theme “Here’s to Strong Women”. 

To kick-start our month of celebration, we’re recognising some of our own “Exceptional Women”. These women truly demonstrate the behaviours that set Knight Frank apart in the industry. They all share the same drive and commitment, love to make a difference and believe that collaboration is key. 125 years on, our future is in very safe hands.  

These values are at the very heart of what we believe in. In fact, throughout the year we’re running a number of activities to launch our purpose and values and to fully embed them in the way we do things. 

Throughout March, we’ll be sharing the profiles of our “Exceptional Women” from across every part of our business around the globe and showcasing how they embody the ethos of International Women’s Day, every day.

Today, we’re shining a light on three of our nominees: Toyin Lasaki, Rebecca Schofield and Chelwin Soo. 

Toyin Lasaki
Head of HR and Administration at Knight Frank Nigeria

Being relatively new to the business, Toyin feels that Knight Frank has given her the perfect platform to hit the ground running in her new role and has already implemented several high-profile HR projects in her first six months. Toyin says that “The support and trust I’ve been given has enabled me to be a pace-setter.”

Like everyone, Toyin has had to adapt her working practices during the pandemic over the past year. She admits that it took quite a “mind-shift” to balance her family responsibilities. That said, she feels she’s been able to give herself more time for strategic thinking and to work smartly to achieve her goals. Toyin continues, “We need to be ready for any challenges, and to rise to them, to excel as individuals and as a business”.

Addressing the theme of International Women’s Day, she went on to say, “For me, it’s being able to give back to other women by connecting them to resources that will enable them to become successful in their own careers. It’s not about me alone; I want to be able to add value for others to thrive. This would truly represent success for me”.

Rebecca Schofield
Partner at Knight Frank Sheffield

Rebecca worked in the commercial property sector for more than 15 years, joining as a senior surveyor and quickly progressing. Rebecca says that, “Whilst the industry has always been male dominated, this has started to change which is great. I’ve never seen my gender as a barrier to my work at Knight Frank, or within the sector”.
 
She continued, “I want to be a professional and confident role model for all across the business. My role drives me every day. We have some great clients who I genuinely love working with, providing advice and finding solutions for them”.

COVID-19 has brought its challenges for all of us, but Rebecca feels she’s learnt a lot throughout the pandemic. She quickly adapted to working at home but did miss colleagues. “The office is a hub of ideas, learning, development and friendships, which I won’t take for granted again”.

Addressing the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, Rebecca says she wants to, “Help every person in Knight Frank to have the opportunity to succeed, no matter what their role or level. 

“I also look forward to the day, where we don’t need to highlight imbalances in the workforce. In Knight Frank, we have started looking at how we can promote job opportunities at school level. It’s hoped that this will raise awareness and ultimately encourage a diverse employee base. In this way, different perspectives will help us achieve more!”

Chelwin Soo
Director at Knight Frank Malaysia 

Chelwin Soo joined Knight Frank Malaysia in 2009 and was recently promoted to Director for Capital Markets Malaysia. She thrives on being able to work across a range of different asset-classes both locally and cross-border. 

Chelwin particularly enjoys working closely with her international colleagues, which resulted in closing an £850mil deal between Malaysia and the UK - the largest commercial transaction in the firm that year. 

Initially from a property management background, Chelwin is excited about becoming a Director in Capital Markets and when asked how she plans to #choosetochallenge herself, she shared that she’s excited to “invest in upskilling and continuous learning while balancing work, family and studies”.