International Women’s Day series: Q&A with Imran Mohiuddin

Name: Imran Mohiuddin
Position: Chief Executive Officer

1. Have you faced any barriers in your career? If so, how did you overcome them?
Perth was a very different place back in the 1980s when I graduated from UWA and entered the workforce. The property sector displayed a clear lack of diversity – in terms of both market participants and workforce composition. As someone not born in Australia, I quickly learned the importance of listening to others to gain a greater perspective as well as embracing the Aussie culture while keeping true to myself.

I’m also a big believer of networking and building relationships, it’s important to keep good people around you who can help you grow personally and professionally.

2. Who do you look up to/ admire (personal life or public figure) and why?
That’s a difficult question to answer! So many people have influenced me at so many stages of my life, in fact I like to think that I learn something from everyone. It’s important to keep finding examples that will improve you as a person, it’s about seeing your own flaws through others and learning from these experiences.

Of course in terms of public figures that have inspired me, I would have to say Nelson Mandela, Gandhi and Jinnah. I think of these leaders as being courageous, determined and above all committed with extraordinary resolve to fulfill what they believed in.

3. What are you most proud of doing or achieving in your personal or professional life?
I am incredibly blessed to enjoy a 35+ year long marriage to my wonderful wife Ayesha and we are most proud of raising two highly independent and intelligent daughters who show the respect and support to others that they have been raised to value.

4. Why do you think diversity in the workplace is so important?
Diversity in the workplace is important. We all vary across gender, ethnicity, sexuality and social backgrounds and so does our client base. The more diverse we are, the wider our perspectives and problem-solving skills are, which in turn results in a greater ability to understand what is needed and then exceed the expectations of our clients and colleagues.

5. What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
It’s the same advice I would offer to any young professional – male or female. Never trade your integrity. When you’re young, integrity is one of the only assets you bring to the table. Don’t come into this industry to become wealthy as a primary objective, enter it if you have a passion for realestate. Join us because you want a good, respectable and fulfilling career. Everything is trainable and learnable, but you need people to trust you. If you can do that, a successful career and maybe wealth will follow.

6. How can we encourage more women to pursue entrepreneurship or senior leadership roles in their career?
By providing them with every opportunity to grow professionally. I am extremely proud to lead a business that out-performs many of our competitors in terms of senior female representation.

Figures from the most recent Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency show Cygnet West continues to lead in this area, with women making up 28.6 per cent of the agency’s Director/GM level roles and approximately 33% of its key management personnel – well above the industry’s averages of 21.5 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

7. What did you dream of doing when you were a child?
At first I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather and enter politics. I completed my university studies in Politics & Philosophy and entered law as a post-grad student. After 2 years, I didn’t think working in law was for me.

Fortunately, after joining the Commonwealth public service I fell into their property division and have enjoyed working in property ever since!