“Don’t worry about whether you have the technical skills,” is the career advice of Scentre Group’s Lillian Fadel. “Think about what you can bring to the table.”
Fadel, group general manager of centre experience, boasts a diverse background in retail spanning risk, workplace health and safety, operations, development and centre management.
With a family background in construction, Fadel says she always liked the idea of a career in property.
“I originally thought I’d do accounting, but Dad talked me out of it. He wanted me to become a builder, because he was one, and because he thought I could create my own business.”
While Fadel holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering, “it wasn’t long into my degree that I realised engineering was not for me”. A stint working for an insurance company followed, before she landed a job helping Westfield “set up their OHS systems”.
Learning the ropes of retail
Fadel began working with teams across Westfield’s centres, learning the ropes of retail.
“The people I worked with were facilities and shopping centre managers and I got a real appreciation of what they did – from cleaning and security to air-conditioning, retailer relations and customer experience. The whole thing.”
A role in operations at a Westfield centre soon followed before the national operations manager announced his retirement and Fadel put her hand up. “Suddenly, I was setting the strategy for facilities management and procurement for all our centres nationally,” she says.
After three years as Westfield’s national operations manager, Fadel was ready for another challenge, and so took on the role of centre manager at Westfield’s Mount Druitt shopping centre.
“The centre was about to undergo a redevelopment and I could see this would give me exposure to a side of the business I had limited exposure to. At the time, many people were surprised that I would give up a national role to be based at one centre.”
The decision proved a smart one, and within two years Fadel was appointed to the development team as the only female.
Defining moments
At this point in her career, Fadel had undergone unsuccessful IVF treatment, and was urged by her doctor to try again. Despite the odds, Fadel found herself pregnant with twins.
“I’d only been in the development role for three months when I fell pregnant. I took parental leave in November 2006, and I know some people thought I wouldn’t come back, but I was back at work three-and-a-half months later. And then in June 2007 I found out I was 19 weeks pregnant – not planned. I took another two months off. I had three boys a year and six days apart.”
Fadel says this was perhaps the toughest phase of her career.
“It was personally a very happy time, but professionally it was pretty tough. I never felt that I would lose my job, but it was hard to hear people’s opinions on how they thought my pregnancy would impact other females’ opportunities to join the development team. It was a really, really difficult time because I felt that I had let females down.”
Returning to work after the birth of her third son was no picnic either. “I was sleep deprived and without the help of my parents I still don’t know how I could have done it. Ultimately, though, if you want to do something you can make it happen,” she says.
Property’s potential for women
Westfield had given Fadel a richly rewarding career. “But I got to the point where I needed new challenges. I moved to Dexus, Westfield’s biggest joint venture partner, to become head of retail development.
“I left for all the right reasons, and I loved working for Dexus. It exposed me to senior leaders, boards and directors, and opportunities I would never have had otherwise. It taught me to think bigger and broader.”
After 18 months Fadel returned to Scentre Group as general manager of development and strategic asset management with “an even broader understanding of the property industry”.
“I really appreciate the diversity of roles in the property industry. You can move very easily into different disciplines. I think I was a better developer because I’d worked in a centre and understood the customers’ requirements. Diversifying my skills allowed me to have a greater appreciation of the business model in its totality.
“When I look back at my career, there were a number of occasions when I was not the first choice for a role. Sometimes I wasn’t even the second or third choice. People often look at a person’s ability in the context of their title, but I have always thought in the context of diversity of experience and thought – and that’s been central to my career journey.”
Career lessons
- Look laterally. “I’m always curious and I want to learn new things. I have cared less about climbing the career ladder vertically and more interested in furthering and growing my skill set.”
- Be true to yourself. “If you always do what people expect you to do, rather than what’s right for you, you’ll always be disappointed.”
- Back yourself. “There have been plenty of times in my career when I’ve thought ‘what have I done?’ But if you wait until you have more experience you may miss the opportunity. Don’t get caught up in worrying about whether you have the right technical skill set. Think about what you can bring to the table.”
Lillian Fadel is one of 20 women in property featured in Grow the Talent Pool, a report developed by the Property Council and EY in 2018 to continue the conversation on gender representation, diversity and inclusion in the property industry.