How to future proof your portfolio & your culture

In this episode of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins discusses how to future proof your portfolio and nurture a robust company culture with Edi Demaj, co-founder of KODE Labs, and Ilene Goldfine, SVP and Chief Digital Strategy Officer of Hines. They explore how a change in people and culture can help address the pace of innovation and, ultimately, impact profitability, efficiency and sustainability. 

Edi shares how a small building operating system can transform the way real estate is managed and experienced. Ilene dives deep into how two very different types of businesses can facilitate a healthy, inclusive, and innovative culture, as well as a strong partnership. The episode highlights the importance of collaboration, agility, and diversity in driving change and successfully navigating the evolving landscape of the real estate industry. 

Tune in to hear innovative strategies for future-proofing real estate portfolios and cultivating a dynamic company culture. 

 

Shout outs 

• Naqash Tahir, Executive Director - Global CIO Office at PGIM Real Estate 

• Imran Nasir, Head of Client Delivery for Europe, Asia Pacific & Latin America at PGIM Real Estate 

 

Episode Highlights 

• Edi and Ilene’s common mission of driving change and innovation in the real estate industry 

• How KODE Labs and Hines have created a successful partnership 

• A cloud-based smart building operating system, and the significance of data in driving efficiency and innovation 

• How flexible and diverse cultures foster innovation and collaboration 

• The importance of a listen-first mentality, cultural contribution and diversity of thought 

• What the future holds for KODE Labs, Hines and the wider real estate industry 

 

Key Takeaways 

• The real estate space functions completely differently from anything else around us. Our view is that it needed to get on par with everybody else with all the other industries. - Edi 

• One of the reasons that did away with the word ‘innovation’ is because the mindset of Hines is that we're constantly innovating. - Ilene 

• We're big believers that if automotive companies can make autonomous moving vehicles, then standing buildings can be autonomous as well. - Edi 

• We have an aging industry of people at buildings that are going to retire. You have to meet the people where they're at. You need to think to yourself, what am I doing differently in the real estate industry to attract some of these people? - Ilene 

• What we've done over the last six years is that we're now in thousands of buildings, and what we'll do over the next six years, is that we’ll be hopefully in hundreds of thousands of buildings. – Edi

 

About Our Host - Louisa Dickins 

Louisa is the Co-Founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. 

To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.