Civil Society
30
Cushman & Wakefield | Broll
Website
Sarah Shezi, 30, is an estate manager at Cushman & Wakefield | Broll, managing the Gauteng real estate portfolio of a client in the banking sector. She manages a mix of office, warehouse and retail spaces. She is responsible for the overall co-ordination of external stakeholders, including the clients, tenants, landlords and their consultants and contractors, as well as internal delivery partners. Her main roles involve stakeholder co-ordination, oversight, administration, relationship management, quality management, reporting and communication. Sarah is a director and the president of the Institute of Real Estate Managers South African Gauteng Chapter, an international organisation that aims to professionalise property and asset management. She was nominated for the Women’s Property Network 2019 Young Achiever of the Year award and was an institute of Real Estate Managers 2019 30 under 30 young achiever. Sarah, who has a passion for professional education and entry-level employment development, devotes time to student mentorship. She aims to educate young people about getting into the real estate profession. She is a student mentor with Excel@Uni and lectures at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her advice to her younger self would be: “You are not weird, you are just you, and that is all you need to make it in this life. Your dreams are valid and are not crazy. Do not be scared to ask for help and advice. At every opportunity for growth presented to you, grab it with both hands and diligently apply yourself. You got this!”
- Bachelor of Social Science in Housing, University of KwaZulu Natal, 2012-2014
- Postgraduate Diploma in Property Development and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, 2015-2016
- IREM Instructor training, Institute of Real Estate Management, 2022
- 2018 selected and appointed to Future Leaders Program, by employer.
- 2019 IREM 30 Under 30 recipient.
- 2019 Women’s Property Network nominee, Young Achiever of the Year.
- 2020 IREM Diversity and Inclusion Leader Fellow
- 2019 to present, seasonal lecturer at Wits University.
- 2022 Advisory Board Member, (IREM), Student and Academic Outreach Advisory Board.
- 2023 president of IREM South African Gauteng Chapter, a professional organisation of about 100 South African members.
- 2019 – present, various invites as keynote speakers to address young delegates in the property profession and other fields.
At 15, my father pushed me to come up with a solution to a computer program which was faulty. Having self-taught me how to operate it, he never allowed me to quit until I had exhausted all options available to me. Innovation, perseverance and determination I obtained.
You are not weird, you are just you, and that is all you need to make it in this life. Your dreams are valid and are not crazy. Do not be scared to ask for help and advice. At every opportunity for growth presented to you, grab it with both hands and diligently apply yourself. You got this!
A society, which works together to derive solutions for our country. Having leaders who can be held accountable. Young professionals who are more inclined towards sustainability and aspire to be vessels of sound leadership rather than the pursuit of status and positional leadership. I hope for the youth to not be neglected but rather to be empowered through education and extra-mural activities to realise their potential.