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Despite their significant contributions as leaders and trailblazers, women remain underrepresented in the real estate finance sector. Lawrence Stephens recognised this disparity and launched the Women in Real Estate Finance (WREF) initiative last year to push for gender equality in the field.

Our WREF initiative has ambitious goals, including:

• Acknowledging Achievements: Our initiative sheds light on the incredible work done by women in real estate finance, inspiring others and recognising their achievements across the sector.
• Creating Opportunities: By providing a platform for like-minded women to share experiences and learn from each other, our WREF initiative aims to overcome obstacles faced by women and foster growth within the field.
• Challenging the Status Quo: Committed to balancing out the male-dominated sector, the WREF initiative takes a proactive and effective approach to challenge the status quo and enable real change in the industry.

There are a number of key components to the WREF initiative, including:

• Panel Discussions: WREF hosts panel discussions, such as the upcoming event titled “Building Resilience on Both Sides: Are Allyship and Mentoring the Key to Levelling the Playing Field?” These discussions highlight the value of women in leadership positions, recognising achievements and sharing experience of women in the real estate finance industry.
• Addressing Systemic Hurdles: Recognising that challenges faced by women are rooted in educational and cultural biases, WREF takes a holistic approach to tackle systemic issues.
• Demystifying Entry: To bolster the sector, WREF develops a mentoring program that demystifies entering real estate finance, including a walk-in clinic to provide guidance to young women facing barriers in the industry.

In addition, Lawrence Stephens established the Gender Equality Network to advocate for broader women’s empowerment.

With our WREF initiative, we aspire to pave a wide path for brilliant women to pursue rewarding careers within the real estate finance sector. 

Senior Associate Rachel Coulthard recently discussed Lawrence Stephens’ WREF initiative in BCL Legal’s The Brief, which can be found here.