To celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, which takes place on 8 March, BE News is running a series of interviews with inspirational women who work across the built environment sector
Name: Selena Ohlsson
Job title: Director, real estate client solutions, Federated Hermes
What I do: I joined Federated Hermes’ $8bn AUM Real Estate business in 2023 as director – real estate client solutions. The role was created to support the business’ goals of delivering future-focused real estate solutions which adapt to our clients’ requirements, across all market conditions. Since joining Federated Hermes I have been focussed on ensuring the ongoing success of the real estate business and its clients, including driving and delivering a refreshed business strategy and subsequent external messaging, as well as building out future strategic partnerships and products.
Why I got into the property industry: I was drawn to the tangibility of real estate as an asset class. It is a more traditional industry in many ways, which is built on people and the strength of your relationships, which is a way of working that I really value.
How I did it: My route into the industry was not a linear one – when I first moved to London I gained experience in relationship management and business development within alternative managers such as boutique hedge funds. Building on this foundation, I decided to test out the property industry with a maternity cover role in real estate investor relations and marketing. It was a steep learning curve initially, but I was very lucky to work with fund managers and senior colleagues at Legal & General who gave me their time (and patience!) while I was learning about the asset class.
My first proper job: My first ‘proper’ job back in my native Sydney was running the educational events and holiday programs for gifted children from across Australia at the University of New South Wales. Rather different from where I am now but managing multiple deadlines for demanding stakeholders and an array of different ‘clients’ still rings true today!
My first big break: A significant moment for me career-wise was also one of the most challenging – occurring in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum in 2016. The UK real estate industry was undergoing complex and intense liquidity demands, and I learned so much about crisis management and the importance of clear and honest communication with clients during that time.
My inspiration(s): Throughout my life, like many people, I’ve been inspired the most by my mother – she was a pioneer in many ways for feminism in Australia with an incredible work ethic, she has always been an excellent role model and is an amazing mum as well. I have been very fortunate to have met and worked with so many inspirational people during my career and being surrounded by creative, intelligent, and driven people gives me real energy on a day-to-day basis.
I try to pay this forward by fostering informal industry networks – my phone is often pinging with messages from different group chats with women that I’ve met or worked with over the years as we bounce ideas off each other. These groups act as an endless source of advice, support on navigating tricky situations and career conundrums, and sometimes a much-needed laugh and I find each of the women in those groups very inspiring in their own individual ways.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: On a personal level, motherhood and being a working mum while in a demanding professional role is a juggle which continues to evolve and throw new challenges every day. It’s certainly true that it takes a village – and bringing up two very young children when you’re 11,000 miles from your own family is not for the faint hearted!
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: Starting a new role and particularly in a new company is always daunting – especially when you’re also returning from maternity leave. I am so grateful that I took the risk to join Federated Hermes at a pivotal time in my career and it has really given me countless opportunities to really lean into my strengths in new ways.
I was also particularly proud to have been a contributor in the Treasury Committee’s ‘Sexism in the City’ inquiry roundtable in 2023, held in Westminster. This was a roundtable event for women working in financial services to help the government understand the experiences of women in the industry, looking at the progress made in removing gender pay gaps and barriers to progression, and to consider what role firms, the government and regulators should play in combatting sexual harassment and misogyny.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That it is ‘not for them’ and that it is an industry that only welcomes a certain ‘type’ of profit-motivated person. Thankfully, I think this is changing and it is incredibly positive to see some different voices coming through, and to play my own small part in this change.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: I’d like to see more senior business leaders being vocal and visible allies by calling out lack of diversity not just within their own businesses but openly challenging any behaviours which diminish the progress that’s been made to date. I also admire the work that Real Estate Balance has done in pulling together the industry to try and enact real change from a diversity perspective.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: You don’t need to be passionate about DE&I to see that that it makes good business sense – the evidence is clear on the downsides of operating in an echo chamber. We live in a diverse society, and this must be reflected in every field – especially in an asset class which shapes the built environment around us. I’ve been known to be quite direct and challenge the status quo, and in my experience, different voices from diverse backgrounds help do this and also help drive innovation, creativity and better performance. We need to make the attainment of success more achievable and accessible for everyone.
Why I’m so passionate about ESG: We’re now at a stage where ESG is longer a standalone subject anymore but rather one that must be intrinsically woven into everything we do in real estate. It should be a given to approach ESG not just in terms ongoing risk mitigation but in terms of how we can further challenge ourselves to make positive changes for the communities we build and operate in.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: Happy, challenged, somehow involved in driving more positive change in the industry, perhaps on a much bigger scale.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: I have sadly lost some very close friends and family in recent years – I’d love to have just one more dinner with each of them.
What I do in my downtime: Running around after my children and my corgi (often all three at the same time) takes up almost all of my ‘down’ time, but on a rare responsibility free evening, I do my best to try and catch up with friends or my husband over a good meal and usually end up planning a new holiday or adventure.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: I’ve been told I’d be a good personal or career coach because I often give my friends pep talks when they need it… Otherwise, both of my parents were TV producers so I might have followed in their footsteps.
My advice for someone just starting out: Network, network, network. Step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to say yes to events, raise your hand high, and don’t be afraid to build connections and spend the time cultivating those relationships. You never know where the people you meet today might be in a few years’ time and having genuine relationships will always pay off. On the flip side of that, you must also make sure that you learn how to draw boundaries and prioritise yourself and your time when you need to – this skill becomes invaluable as you progress in your career.
My motto/mantra: I am trying hard to be more present in the moment and celebrate the wins. It is easy to be so busy planning for the next challenge or the next project that you forget to take in the wins when they come.
