COMMENT: You have to hand it to the head honchos at JLL. The person they chose to lead and start the repair process after a damaging period for the top tier property consultancy could not have a cooler, more no-nonsense image. And one deeply embedded in sustainability.
About a century ago, when beautiful women graced the front desks of the big real estate agencies and were called receptionists or whatever other useful title that came to mind, a certain top operative in one of these Sydney agencies was on their way back to the office sharing a taxi with a colleague. When he called the office to talk to a staff member, he neglected to mute his mobile and proceeded in salacious and sexual detail to describe what he’d like to do to this woman if given half a chance.
But the quick thinking woman piped the conversation through to the entire office. By the time the pair arrived back at base one of them no longer had a job.
Now for full disclosure, this is hearsay so we can’t vouch for the accuracy of this story, but we can absolutely vouch for its probability. But it seems that today the desire to indulge similar behaviour among the high flying agents who advise the biggest and most powerful clients in Australia and globally, has not entirely evaporated, despite enormous efforts from women and the men who support them.
At JLL a spate of bad behaviour in recent times has seen this top tier agency dragged through the media mud. Not all the bad publicity is related to direct sexual misbehaviour, some is related to how it was managed.
The tally so far seems to be four sackings, the loss of a chief executive and ongoing legal suits. Not to mention the loss of business from companies that could well do without the hoopla.
The Australian Financial Review which covered the story in detail, called it a “wave of allegations about sexual harassment and inappropriate workplace relationships [that] caused it to lose mandates and its former chief executive.”
But you have to hand it to the company’s head honchos. The person they chose to start the repair process as replacement chief executive, Selina Short, could not have a cooler more no-nonsense image. At least from our glancing knowledge of her, including her appearance on stage at sustainability events.
She also comes with some impressive familiarity with sustainability, perfect for someone in such a role, where the advisory extends to the biggest most influential property owners in the country, who have clout to change the game, should they wish.
Short’s background includes no less than built environment and resources managing partner at EY for more than 15 years, director of the Green Building Council of Australia for more than three years, the advisory board of Building 4.0 CRC for more than four years as well as a stint at Landcom.
Her education too is impressive. Her social media account lists under education, University of Cambridge business and climate change: towards net zero emission and the Harvard Business School executive education: disruptive strategy.
If JLL is focused on a way out of the mire and on future strategic thinking then this choice of boss well versed in the critical issues of our times, is bang on.