Hanna Osundina

I studied Architecture (BA) at the University of Sheffield and then went on to study Project Management in the Built Environment (MSc) at Oxford Brooks University and I am currently a Senior Development Manager for Balfour Beatty Investments.

I was inspired to enter the industry after reading ‘As Stars Shine Down’ by Sidney Sheldon. In this novel, the protagonist, Lara Cameron, is an Architect turned Property Developer and dominates a traditionally male industry. I read this book at 11 years old, and was inspired by the strength and determination of Lara, and understood what I wanted to achieve in my own career. I studied Architecture with dedication and pursued a role in Project Management to embody the change that I hope to see in this industry.

As a development specialist, I have had the opportunity to work on complex mixed use regeneration schemes in London. In my current role as Senior Development Manager, I am seconded to the East Wick and Sweetwater project joint venture, an £850 million regeneration project on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. In this role, I manage the feasibility, business planning, budget, design, programming and planning for c.1,800 homes and 20,000 sqft of non-residential floor space. I bring my skillset as a MRICS qualified planning and development professional to help achieve the vision for a community first neighbourhood. I additionally oversee eight internal staff members, including development managers, design managers and project managers, and over 24 different consultant teams, to help achieve the ambitious nine-month programme to submit the reserved matters planning application for c.1,600 homes across five phases. My previous experience includes Senior Development Officer and Development Officer roles at Linkcity (formerly Bouygues Development) and Peabody Housing Association, respectively.

I also founded Black Women in Real Estate in 2019 with the mandate to provide a community whereby Black women can effectively network, connect, empower each other and grow in the professional lives. Through my role on the Estate Gazette’s D&I Content Advisory Panel, I am actively working with the industry to include diversity and inclusion in the workforce. In addition, I am the Vice Chair of the University of Greenwich’s Construction, Property and Surveying Practices Industry Advisory Board, and sit on the board of E16 CLT: a community land trust in Newham, helping to make strategic decisions on the management of newly owned ex-council properties and the feasibility of future opportunities.