Business of Building – Details, episodes & analysis

On this episode of Business of Building I am joined by Rachel Bell, an Architect and Director of Partnerships at Stride Treglown.

Her journey started with a BTEC in Construction and then she studied architecture at Bath university. Having joined Stride Treglown in 2000, Rachel has worked across many different sectors. Her role now at board level is leading the Winning Work team.

Beyond her day job, Rachel supports numerous initiatives encouraging a more inclusive construction industry for the future. She has recently handed over her role on the SW Regional Board for LandAid (youth homelessness), she is currently a mentor with Mentoring Circle and is outgoing National Chair for Women in Property 2021/ 2022.

As an industry role model, Rachel has won many awards and accolades for her contributions. In 2018-19, she was named a UK Construction Week Role Model, Property Week RESI Trailblazer, Insider SW Property Personality of the Year 2018, Insider SW Diversity champion of the year 2021, SW Mentor of the Year and was twice a finalist in the European Women in Construction and Engineering Awards.

Rachel’s mantra is ‘Stand Tall’ something she supports and encourages everyone to do, to step up and out of their comfort zone.

In this episode we talk about what is was like breaking into the male-dominated construction and engineering space as a woman, and how these gender biases has spurred her on, not just to be best in class during her studies, but a leader and highly-respected advocate for change in our industry. 

Learn about the Orbis Expedition here. 

You can also hear Rachel on her own podcast Stand Tall, available wherever you get your podcasts. 

Here are the highlights: 

(02:32) Getting hands on at an early age 

(08:55) Succeeding in a man’s world 

(12:49) Thriving on the pressure 

(16:19) Widening my network 

(20:28) The impact of Covid 

(27:38) Enabling younger staff to network 

(32:21) You can’t make enemies 

(35:50) The feeling of having to prove myself 

(39:54) The Orbis Expedition 

Connect with Rachel: 

LinkedIn 

Twitter 

Instagram 

Listen to Stand Tall with Rachel Bell 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.

On this episode of Business of Building I am joined by Dr. Wayne Visser, Professor of Integrated Value and Holder of the Chair in Sustainable Transformation at Antwerp Management School and author of the best-selling book Thriving. He is also Founder of CSR International, Director of Kaleidoscope Futures and Fellow at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. 

On this podcast we speak about everything from sustainability to COP27, and how the construction and engineering industries are (or are not) responding and adapting to the big environmental issues of our time. 

Wayne shares insights from decades of experience as a thought-leader, academic and champion of sustainability in our industry. 

Here are the highlights: 

(03:06) The journey from CSR to sustainability in ESG 

(07:31) COP27 comes at a challenging time 

(12:20) What is a circular economy? 

(16:51) The strategic tension between short term and long term thinking 

(22:25) Leadership and Thriving 

(27:54) Living systems organize themselves 

(31:36) Social elements are stronger in developing countries 

(37:35) The biggest risk in my career 

Connect with Wayne: 

LinkedIn 

YouTube 

Twitter 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.

In this episode I am joined by Bernd Hake. 

Bernd brings deep experience in the luxury, consumer goods and technology sectors. 

Prior to his CEO role at leading energy drink company Red Bull, Mr. Hake served as Global Chief Commercial Officer of Hugo Boss, a leading fashion and lifestyle brand, following senior executive roles in business development, product and brand management, private equity including Price Waterhouse, Commerzbank and Noksha Capital. 

Bernd Hake is an empathetic, market-oriented turnaround architect and high-growth executive, who has worked and lived in the US and Europe for companies with global operations and led strategic international expansions delivering strong revenue gains. 

Here are the highlights: 

(01:51) From banking to Boss 

(08:03) Taking on a Hugo-mongous challenge in London 

(14:23) The importance of managing talent 

(18:44) Product before profit 

(22:27) It’s not about who you are but what you deliver 

(27:22) Diversity is critical to strong business culture 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.

I'm Gauri Talathi-Lamb and this is Business of Building - a personal note from the leaders of today to the leaders of tomorrow. 

I am an engineer, project manager, business owner, CEO, wife and mother. I'm also an ordinary girl from an ordinary suburb in Mumbai, and I have had the absolute pleasure of meeting the most extraordinary and inspiring people in my career and life who have made a huge difference to me, to their teams and their communities. 

If you are looking for the ways to celebrate and grow the extraordinary in you, then this is definitely the podcast for you. 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us. 

In today’s episode I talk to the award winning entrepreneur Masami Sato, who is the founder and CEO of B1G1. 

B1G1(also known as BUY1GIVE1) helps businesses around the world integrate effective giving in what they do.

Today,B1G1 works with more than 3,000 businesses and these businesses have created over 300million giving impacts to date.

Masami has a diverse business background, is a 2x TEDx speaker and author of four books. Her work originates in the belief that businesses with a real sense of purpose can make a real difference in the world.

Today, Masami discusses her personal journey to the top, touching on the challenges of growing up as a shy young girl born in Tokyo discovering the world outside of Japan.

Here are the highlights:

(02:32) Masami’s journey

(11:27) B1G1 idea

(12:23) Singapore

(20:13) Charities

(32:11) Vegetable garden

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.

In today’s episode I talk to Juliette Morgan. Juliette is a real-estate industry leader with 20 years experience of working internationally. Juliette has managed portfolios of millions of square feet in development and asset management, later focusing her career on ESG strategies in the built environment.  

Juliette is now a leader in Gensler’s Global Climate Action and Sustainability Practice area, working with clients around the globe to reduce their carbon impact and increase their human and biodiversity outcomes.  

Here are the highlights: 

(01:45) Juliette’s journey 

(10:05) What drives innovation? 

(12:28) Greenwashing 

(13:39) Peru 

(21:58) Designing the project 

(37:46) What happened on the mountain 

(43:16) Revisiting Peru 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.

In this episode I speak with 

Caleb is an American entrepreneur based in London. He’s the founder of Bold, a Space-as-a-Service brand acquired in 2019 by NewFlex. Bold just opened a community for entrepreneurs, innovators and fast growing companies in Manchester, England and we’re recording this podcast in The XCHG, a white label community in partnership with AXA IM at 22 Bishopsgate. 

Caleb hosts the award winning #WorkBold Podcast where he chats with leaders in office real estate about the future of work and Space-as-a-Service. He is one of the first licensed commercial real estate agents to speak on the flexible working trends and the rise of flexible workspace and has been quoted in numerous publications and serves as on the EG Technology Advisory Board. 

Here are the highlights: 

(02:38) From hospitality to entrepreneurship 

(08:55) A brand is an idea people align with 

(15:27) Building an experience for the customer 

(18:27) The value of hospitality community 

(23:22) The work-life blend 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.

In this episode I speak with Wesley Thomson, the Head of ESG for UK and Europe for the global real estate advisory firm Avison Young based out of London.  

Wesley has over 17 years of experience in ESG and has advised Government, cities and large corporates across the globe on their decarbonisation journeys. The past 7 years specifically Wesley has been focused on global smart cities and the commercial real estate sector.   

He is seen as one the industry’s leading international experts on ESG and has had an incredible career to date with much more ahead im sure. 

Here are the highlights: 

(01:51) So much to be done around ESG 

(05:19) Commercial viability was the biggest barrier 

(09:42) There is no silver bullet 

(16:30) We have to keep investing in ESG 

(19:49) We’re all in this together 

(26:17) It’s all about adapting and staying relevant 

(29:27) My biggest career risk was moving into real estate 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.

In this episode I am going to share my own story, from growing up in Mumbai to founding a boutique PE firm in London with my husband. 

We all have a journey to share, and we can all be an inspiration to others, which is why I think it’s important to open up. 

I explain why I became interested in engineering, what motivated me to move to the UK, and how I came to have a career and a life I am truly very proud and grateful of. 

I still consider myself that working girl from Mumbai, and despite all the reasons why I shouldn’t be where I am, I still made it, and so can you! 

Here are the highlights: 

(00:33) Technology has created so many opportunities 

(02:30) Shaped by my parents’ work ethic 

(07:06) We all need to feel heard 

(09:54) I was never excluded for being a girl 

(14:36) A traumatic experience 

(18:13) Make today count 

(21:29) Diving beyond my comfort zone 

(27:02) I don’t meet many women at the top 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.

In this episode I am joined by Scott Murdoch, Chairman of UK Retail at CBRE and the Founder/Managing Partner of CWM prior to the merger of the two businesses in March 2022.  

Scott brings vast experience and considerable expertise from the Commercial Property Industry where he currently represents a number of Landlord clients including Battersea Power Station Development Company (Battersea Power Station), Crosstree/AEG (Icon Outlet, The O2) Olayan (The Knightsbridge Estate), British Land (Broadgate), Sellar (Paddington Square) and Nuveen (St James Quarter). 

Scott also represents Retailer clients including Hugo Boss, Ugg, Ann Summers, All Saints, Gant, Lacoste, Joseph, L’Occitane, Tommy Hilfiger/Calvin Klein, The Body Shop, Radley and Pret a Manger to name but a few. 

Scott is also currently and has been a shareholder/Director of a number of retail, restaurant and leisure related companies including Boxpark (which recently sold to LDC), Bonnie & Wild, Cromwell Place (the art destination) and Melrose & Morgan. In recent years has sat on the Board of a number of children’s charities including Variety and Action for Children, and a trustee of Childhood First. 

Here are the highlights: 

(03:03) I wanted to be an RAF pilot 

(07:53) How sport teaches you to be a great leader 

(11:51) Obsessed with the metaverse 

(15:26) How Covid transformed the retail industry 

(22:16) The improving relationship between tenants and landlords 

(28:14) Taking the leap of faith into entrepreneurship 

(33:25) You just have to work harder than your boss 

(38:11) There are only 24 hours in the day 

(42:40) Sustainability is the buzz word 

Business of Building celebrates the normal and the regular; the inspiring risk taker; the dreamer in all of us and hear from those who have walked the path before us and dared to dream. We will hear their journey, their stories, and what they learned along the way. 

So please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts, and remember to leave a review so others can find us.

This podcast is produced by The Podcast Boutique.