Magic Moment: Career-wise, the acquisition of 151 Front Street, a data centre, certainly stands out. It was recognized as the “deal of the week” by the WSJ. On the personal side, watching my baby boy each day trumps everything as the most magical of all!
Key Influence: Michael Emory and Wayne Jacobs – The thoughtful execution of day to day business is just as essential as a long term vision.
Joe Nestic – Listen most carefully to the people with whom you disagree – and take the time to hear them out.
Secret Talent: Hula-hooper extraordinaire!
One word that captures you: Determined (aka stubborn!)
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Magic Moment: I have worked on many aspects of the new West Don Lands, including planning, municipal approvals, developer selection, and transactions. Over the years the new community sometimes seemed like a distant vision. When the first residents moved in, I was very proud that our Waterfront Toronto team was able to implement our plan.
Key Influence: Meg Davis (WLI Champion) – Meg has encouraged me to see my own potential. She sets a great leadership example and consistently seeks growth opportunities for me.
Joe Berridge/Frank Lewinberg – Early in my career, Joe and Frank enthusiastically encouraged me to think independently and to confidently voice my own professional opinions.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: Our region needs to embrace the challenges of growth management with courage and long-term vision. We need to make the necessary investments in infrastructure, transit, community facilities and open space that are an important part of great, robust cities. We also need to demand, and provide examples of, development that continues to strengthen our region so that it is the livable place it is known to be.
On Championing Others… I know that any success I have is shared by a team. I work to ensure that my team members have opportunities to receive credit for their own contributions, and that they have opportunities for ongoing professional development.
One word that captures you: Diligent
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Magic Moment: My first Turnover Meeting was one of those “magic moments” for me. I had been involved in the design and development processes of the project and so had been involved from an early stage. Watching the evolution of construction for the 22 storey condominium was in itself rewarding. To see all the faces of the purchasers who have put their trust in you, who have made one of the largest purchases of their lives, who will call your “project” their “home”, was a feeling like no other.
Key Influence: First and foremost, my father, Frank Giannone. Growing up in the family business, I was always interested in the industry – visits to sales offices and grand openings, putting on the boots and walking through dirt and mud while visiting sites under construction – it was all so interesting.
Anne Morash, Cadillac Fairview (WLI Champion 2014) – She was the first female I met in an executive role and I really looked up to her. She is a strong presence, well respected, intelligent, and confident. I really enjoyed working with her, as it gave me an opportunity to really learn how to lead in a male dominated industry.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry:
1) How to appropriately intensify. We have run out of greenfield, and need to support a growing population and focus on enhancing and supporting density though Transit Oriented Developments – a concept that is spoken about more than is actually being developed and constructed in the GTA.
2) Transit – How to scale traffic and transit improvements to support a growing population. How to reduce dependency on the car.
3) Affordable housing – the real estate market in the GTA has been intense. Prices keep rising, as demand is high and supply is low. Land costs put pressure on pro forma results. It is becoming more challenging to build housing that is affordable to first time home buyers, new Canadians, and the general Torontonian market.
Secret Talent: I am an avid baker. It is a passion of mine, and my stress relief!
On Championing Others… I make sure to give coworkers and peers opportunities to shine. I challenge them to set targets and deadlines that motivate them and sometimes push them out of their comfort zone, and provide support to help them achieve and succeed in order for them to gain experience and enhance their skills, while also benefitting the project and company as a whole.
One word that captures you: Dedicated.
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Magic Moment: One of the things I’m most proud of is the creation of Dream Global in 2011. We recognized the opportunity to take the REIT structure and management style we developed here and bring it to real estate ownership abroad.
Key Influence: Michael Cooper – Michael is an amazing listener. I’ve learned from him the importance of really listening to what people are saying and thinking about how they feel.
Big Bird – I learned a significant amount of what I know from Sesame Street.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: We need to focus on building better communities, the challenge being to think about everything that goes into that: we need to consider how people live, work, and play, and anticipate how they’ll be doing that 20, 50 years down the road. We need to listen to people and learn from each other so we can build in a way that is sustainable for communities and the environment.
On Championing Others… I try to give back in as many ways as I can. I am a member of Dream’s Leaders and Mentors Committee, part of the Patron’s Council for Community Living Toronto, and I sit on the Board of Directors of Women’s College Hospital Foundation. I am also always happy to mentor younger colleagues.
One word that captures you: Funny!
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Magic Moment: After 6 months of an intensive and extensive community engagement process at Alexandra Park involving dozens of meetings, focus groups and one on one conversations, the magic moment had arrived – the residents voted overwhelmingly in favour of a full scale revitalization and launched the transformation of an 18 acre downtown community.
Key Influence: Bruce Macdougall – Former Boss – Give staff credit for the good work they do and support them when they make mistakes. Engage fully in my work to get the most out of it.
Simone Atungo – TCHC Colleague – You don’t always have to have lived experience. Being a committed and involved ally can also be important and impactful in making changes.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: Infrastructure issues. Crumbling roads. Subway system that can’t keep up with the demand. Construction delays of public and private projects. Capital repair issues at Toronto Community Housing. Lack of new affordable housing. For TCHC, we need commitment from our all three levels of government.
Secret Talent: I sew my own clothes!
On Championing Others… I look for growth opportunities and paths for my staff. I praise colleagues to others. I pass on opportunities given to me to those who could gain more experience or profile. I support other people’s ideas publicly and give credit to them.
One word that captures you: Passionate
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Magic Moment: Generally for me the milestones have been multiple small achievements which enabled me to build my reputation, expertise, and thus career, in ongoing increments. But the key moments that shaped my career direction were moving from brokerage, to progressively more senior roles with a developer, a pension fund and national REITs.
Key Influences: Allan Perez – Taught me the Landlord side of leasing; calculated risk-taking and analysis; and critically, that honesty, humour and reputation are essential.
Frank Camenzuli – Hired me into the business and taught me how to be tough and persistent. He took a risk in hiring me and gave me an opportunity to prove myself.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: The way we make our City pedestrian friendly and deal with public transit is critical. Also critical is the effective development of our waterfront to its maximum potential. I believe Waterfront Toronto is doing a fantastic job in making our waterfront an amenity that can be enjoyed by the whole City year-round.
Secret Talent: I was an OFSA gold medalist in gymnastics on uneven bars. Also, it may not be a talent but I have an identical twin sister – we still confuse people
On Championing Others… I have been a member of Toronto CREW since 1998 and have actively participated in the organization as President, as a Board member for 5 years, and as a mentor. I think it is important to give credit where it is due and as a leader, to provide timely and constructive feedback
One word that captures you: Effective
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Magic Moment: When I was 27, I invented a tax structure for investing in Mexico that is now the basis for all international investment transactions between Canada and Mexico. This came about while doing a deal which was to become the biggest deal with Canada that had been done in Mexico until that time.
Key Influence: My First Boss – He helped me get into the investment industry when there were no women in that industry at the time. He taught me to be a leader.
The Opposite of My First Boss – I got hired to work in Chicago, so when I moved there and my boss found out that a woman had been hired, he quit. He taught me to be adaptive.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: To have the twin forces of technology and urbanization work together, and using them to bring both the private and public sides onto the same page.
Secret Talent: I have earned my pilot’s license and can fly planes
On Championing Others… I do this by being visible, mostly through public speaking. This allows people to see women in roles that many still think are for men only, particularly in engineering, math, and technology.
One word that captures you: Persistent
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Lauren White is an Executive Vice President of CBRE’s Land Services Group and has focused on land transactions since beginning her real estate career in 2006. Lauren specializes in infill redevelopment sites in the GTA, specifically the 416 region. She consults and provides developers, land owners, users and investors with the comprehensive ability to evaluate the highest and best use of a particular land parcel throughout the GTA as well as assisting in the disposition of all types of property.
In 2021, Lauren ranked #2 in the CBRE Toronto North Office for top sales representatives and has transacted over $4.2 billion in land dispositions along with her team since beginning her real estate career. While offering extensive knowledge of local market conditions, competitive land parcels, and the regulatory environment, she also assists her clients in forming a strategy for maximizing the value of their real estate holdings. Lauren prides herself in creating long-term partnerships with clients and CBRE business partners, referring and promoting business to both. She secures respective requirements by providing timely and accurate data regarding trends, directions in the local market, and marketing.
Lauren earned her Honors Bachelor of Commerce degree, specializing in the Housing and Real Estate Management program from the University of Guelph.
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Magic Moment: Early on I had an opportunity to work on the “Social Assistant Review” Implementation. This report really modernized our social safety net and removed stigma. It had a strong connection to poverty, housing and employment. This early leadership role taught me the power of collaboration, teams, city building and also the investment in all people to be a great society.
Key Influence: I have been fortunate enough to have so many mentors. Tony Dean, Rita Burak, Sandra Lang – Key influencers from the government. As well as Anne Golden, Kevin LaLonde, and Michele Darling from the private sector.
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: I believe housing issues are key to the future. Affordability in housing and higher rental stock are key to keeping a vibrant, diverse and livable city. I do believe that the private sector can play a role as gentrification happens and mixed use planning is key.
Secret Talent: Animal sounds
On Championing Others… Making yourself available to share experiences. Getting new and emerging leaders on committees or working groups. Hosting events to create networks. As well, as being a leader, I have created workplaces that support balance of work and family.
One word that captures you: Transformational leader, loyal
yulia April 13th, 2017
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Magic Moment: My experience in China was one of the most impactful of my career. Where mature market assignments were typically about efficiencies and improvements to compete, China was all about growth. And the biggest barrier to growth in a country of 1.3 billion people was people. We needed to attract and retain 4,000 people in 3 years in a market that averaged 35% annual turnover
Next Big Challenge As An Industry: Toronto is an important economic engine for Canada with the ingredients to be top five globally. Two million more people will make Toronto home over the next 15 years. A regional master plan, housing and transit is needed to accommodate growth and opportunity for all. Canada needs a stronger Toronto as a catalyst for growth elsewhere. Being too humble won’t cut it this time.
One word that captures you: Dynamic
yulia April 13th, 2017
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