In the week of International Women’s Day we are sharing the stories of just some of our colleagues who inspire us. Here, Kat Norton tells how her career veered off in a slightly different direction before returning to her roots at Savills.
For me, I had reached a point in my career where I felt it would be a good idea to put myself in a client's and a developer’s shoes in order to see things from a different perspective.
So, after 11 years at Savills in which I started as a graduate and worked my way up to director level, heading the mixed use development team, I set out to experience life client side.
During my five years with GPE, a FTSE 250 central London commercial developer, I led design teams to deliver schemes in the City and West End. I’m very proud of them, and I now really understand just how challenging planning and development can be.
I returned to Savills in 2021, unable to resist the opportunity to build a team from scratch, and I’m so excited to have established and to now be growing Savills development management business with James Burrage.
When I was younger I wanted to be a professional tennis player (not that I had the skills to be honest) and one of the people that has inspired me in life is Billie Jean King who has achieved so much in sport and so much more for greater equality.
I also admire Alison Rose, CEO of Natwest Group plc and a non-executive director at GPE. I showed her around a couple of projects when I was there. A very intelligent, successful and absolutely lovely women with a fantastic manner who put me completely at ease. She has really championed female entrepreneurs.
It is clear to see that there are more women in the property industry now than there were and things are definitely changing for the better, but I still often find myself alone or one of only a few around the meeting room table. I’ve learned the importance of making yourself heard and, it turns out, you don’t have to be the loudest there to make an impact.
Lots of people suffer from imposter syndrome, I know I do, and it’s something I’d love to change about myself because it can stop you doing that crucial thing – speaking up.
For me, having female colleagues helps so my advice will always be: support the other women around you, and help ensure they get the recognition they deserve on their pathways to success.
Read more in our series of blogs for International Women's Day:
- How an International Women's Day blog changed my working life
- Be realistic – don't set yourself up to fail
- Cancer treatment is hardly the career break anyone envisages
- Maternity leave, lockdown and a little miracle
- Creating space for the women who come next
- Take ownership and never give up
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