Name: Tamrynne Willers
Job title: Senior legal counsel, Puma Property Finance
What I do: I oversee all legal aspects of Puma Property Finance’s lending operations, including early-stage deal structuring, loan repayments and loan restructuring, portfolio management and funding line arrangements.
Why I got into the property industry: I’ve always been drawn to real estate – I enjoy contributing to the creation of tangible assets which provide essential spaces for people to live, work and play.
How I did it: I quickly gravitated to as many real estate law modules as possible at university and joined the South African Research Chair in Property Law in my final year of study. I completed my training contract and qualified into the Bowmans commercial real estate team where I advised on all aspects of real estate law and found that I particularly enjoyed real estate finance. In 2020, I moved to London where I focussed on real estate finance with BCLP before moving to my current in-house role with Puma Property Finance.
My first proper job: My first “proper” job was a few weeks over summer as an assistant to general counsel at an investment firm – it turned out to be mostly photocopying and coffee runs but my first corporate job nonetheless!
My first big break: Qualifying as a lawyer, conveyancer and notary public felt like a turning point from a focus on studying and formal qualification to being able to focus on practical experience and progress my career in real estate law.
My inspiration(s): I’ve been fortunate to have worked with two fantastic female partners in my time in private practise who have inspired me to strive for professional excellence while remaining true to myself.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Moving my life across the world from South Africa to England only to start the first Covid lockdown three weeks after arriving was a real challenge. I had hardly met my new colleagues, had no real connections in London and had to figure out English law! The Covid years were a challenging time for so many of us, but it also provided the opportunity to develop my resilience and adaptability.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: Getting the job with Puma Property Finance was a key achievement for me as I knew that I didn’t want to be a partner at a law firm so making the leap from private practise to in house was a very proud moment.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: People often underestimate how many different aspects and career paths there are in the property industry but there really are so many different opportunities linked to real estate and so many ways that real estate impacts our daily lives.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: Many legal and regulatory processes in the industry are slow and complex so I would love to see these processes become more streamlined through legislative reform and adoption of technology to help reduce cost and improve efficiency of delivering completed projects.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: Having a diverse team brings diverse views which leads to more balanced decision making and ultimately better performance which is key for any business. DE&I programmes are so important as they enable people to access industries they may not have previously been welcomed into and that in turn allows future generations to see role models similar to themselves in a much wider variety of careers, thereby enabling the creation of even more diverse teams.
Why I’m so passionate about ESG: As the built environment is so intricately linked with all aspects of our lives, our industry is in a unique position to embrace ESG and bring meaningful change to people and the planet so I encourage all industry participants to put ESG high on the priority list because we do have the ability to make a difference.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: I would love to continue my career in real estate finance in a way that provides a positive impact on people and the environment.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: Jane Goodall – a pioneering conservationist and promoter of sustainable living through a holistic approach to education and empowerment of communities.
What I do in my downtime: I’m always keen to be out in nature and love to explore the natural environments of new countries.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: Combining my favourite pastimes, I’d be involved with something to do with eco-tourism.
My advice for someone just starting out: Don’t worry if you don’t have a clear idea of the career you want – you’ll learn what you’re passionate about along the way and seek out opportunities to progress that.
My motto/mantra: This too shall pass.
