Name: Mabel Ogundayo
Title: Engagement and social value lead, Hadley Property Group
What I do: I am responsible for ensuring the delivery of socially responsible and sustainable activities in the communities where we develop; ensuring that neighbouring communities have a say on what we bring forward and that they are beneficial to the communities. This includes developing and implementing social value strategies, engaging with stakeholders, managing community engagement and monitoring and reporting on the social, environmental, and economic impacts of our activities.
Why I got into the property industry: I’m a local councillor and I’ve seen a lot of developers do the bare minimum in terms of community development and engagement. I wanted to make sure that consultation was more than a tick-box exercise and that existing communities saw and received the benefits of new developments being brought forward.
How I did it: I did some freelance work for a development comms company, which I enjoyed and then was later offered a full-time role.
My first proper job: Since I turned 16, I’ve always had a job. I’d say my first “proper” job that I enjoyed was as an innovations assistant for Amnesty International. I loved how I was allowed to develop creative ways of sharing the life-changing work they were doing and build further recognition and support for them.
My inspiration: Cliché, but I’d say, my mum. She brought me to the UK with little money or idea of what she would do here. She worked two full-time jobs whilst studying to become a nurse and pushed me and my siblings to believe that we could achieve anything we worked hard for.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: Being elected a councillor at 22. Your average councillor looks nothing like me, and I was proud to finally help get some diversity of thought on my council.
My biggest screw-up: I’ve made a lot of mistakes during my career and every single one felt like it was my biggest screw-up in that moment. I think what’s important is what you learn from your mistakes and how you address similar situations moving forward.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That it’s just about buildings. It’s also about providing something that responds to people’s needs. Whether it be housing provision or commercial provision, the most successful properties are those that bring benefit to the existing local communities and are welcoming for a wide range of people.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: I’m not sure where I see myself in five years’ time, but I know it’ll be doing something that has a positive impact.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: David Attenborough, Beyonce and Michelle Obama.
What I do in my downtime: Gym, keeping up with current affairs and spending time with friends and family.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: Running a charity supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds into traditionally hard-to-reach jobs.
My advice for someone just starting out: Spend time finding out what you’re most passionate about and let that motivate your career progression.
