The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
Internal Promotion from Senior Manager, Corporate Real Estate (L5)
3-5 years at L5Skills to master
- Expanding strategic scope beyond a single region or business unit, demonstrating enterprise-level P&L accountability, mastering executive communication and board presentation skills, and leading a larger, more complex team.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a major, multi-country portfolio optimisation project with significant financial impact.
- Consistently exceeded targets for cost savings and portfolio performance at the L5 level.
- Demonstrated exceptional leadership in developing and mentoring a team of managers and analysts.
- Proactively contributed to enterprise-level strategic discussions, showing a clear understanding of the broader business context.
- 2
Head of Real Estate / VP from a Mid-Sized Company
Coming in with 15+ years of experience in a similar leadership role.Skills to master
- Adapting to our company's specific culture and strategic priorities, scaling their leadership to a larger and more geographically dispersed team, and navigating the complexities of a larger, more diverse portfolio.
You're ready to move on when
- Proven track record of building and leading a successful real estate function in a previous organisation.
- Experience managing a similar P&L and capital budget.
- Strong references highlighting strategic impact and leadership capabilities.
- A clear vision for how their experience translates to our larger, more complex environment.
- 3
Senior Director/Partner from a Real Estate Consultancy
Coming in with 18+ years of experience, including significant client-side leadership.Skills to master
- Transitioning from an advisory role to direct P&L and operational accountability, building and managing an internal team (rather than project-based client teams), and integrating into corporate governance structures.
You're ready to move on when
- Extensive experience advising multinational corporations on complex real estate strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to influence senior executives and drive strategic outcomes for clients.
- A strong network within the global real estate industry.
- A clear desire to move into an in-house leadership role with direct operational impact.