Meredith O’Connor
International Director, United States
This International Women’s Day and every day, we are proud to recognize our inspiring women leaders and allies at JLL.
Who is a female inspiration/role model to you and why?
Sheila Penrose, Chairman of the Board at JLL, is an inspiration to all women in our industry. She is a trailblazer and excellent leader, but also authentic and compassionate. She puts a client’s interest first and has a very good moral compass. Her Leading Women Executives Program course was extremely helpful to me and I incorporate a lot of her techniques and advice into my business almost every day. I have learned a lot from Sheila throughout my years at JLL.
Why does inclusion matter to you?
Women need to be involved in policy, operations, and be a part of the conversation so we don’t miss out on the big opportunities to be the most innovative service providers in real estate. We cannot let our competitors get ahead of us, and we need to create new policies and procedures that include all aspects of diversity and inclusion throughout our business.
How are you inspiring women to achieve their ambitions at JLL?
I have mentored many women at JLL and have also hired diverse teammates. I spend at least 2 to 5 hours every week either recruiting or mentoring women in our industry.
