Who’s on top?

Mar 11, 2013 | Comments 0

We all know who's in charge

Although International Women's Day was a few days ago, I've decided to use today's Editor's view to muse on the lack of women in the real estate industry. During my two years in the editorial department of Property Report where I am surrounded by male colleagues, I have met and worked with very few women outside of communication and PR. In fact, with the exception of Tipaporn Chearavanont, the CEO of Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited, I can't off the top of my head think of any other female top-bosses amongst the many regional property developers we work with.

The lack of women in the upper leadership of the real estate industry is of course not an isolated case – the misrepresentation of women in many industries is part of the raison d'être of the International Women's Day – yet it may be one of the more peculiar. Given the fact that the home is often and traditionally considered the woman's domain, it is surprising that not more women are involved in the development of homes. Even the architectural field is dominated by men; according to 2010 statistics from the UK Fees Bureau, only 19 percent of architects in the UK are women and a 2012 report from the British Architects' Journal suggests the same.

So why is it that while women commonly play a large role in choosing a home and often take the lead when it comes to furnishing and decorating it, they are not involved in the development of these homes? In fact the real estate industry is very much a case of men designing and developing for women. While I could bore you with the old pay/discrimination/work-family cliches that we've all heard so many times before, I will instead answer the question and end this note with a quote from Marilyn Monroe: "Women who seek to be equal to men lack ambition."

 

Filed Under: Editor's view

Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/03/12/whos-on-top/