Careers ahead

A natural curiosity is what got her to where she is today, but Leonie Wilkinson credits much more than that for giving her the confidence to succeed.

Now Senior Vice President in Brookfield’s Real Estate Group, Leonie leads portfolio management for Brookfield’s Australian core and core-plus real estate investment strategies. As part of a 150,000-strong global operating team across 30 countries, the insights and expertise Leonie is able to tap into are truly world-class. Leonie says of the role, “It’s just fascinating and every day is different. I really enjoy drilling right down into the details to figure out how we can invest well and maximise value while protecting our downside. I spend a lot of time communicating our decisions and performance to various stakeholders, and it is really satisfying to be able to distil a complex, fluid situation into a clear, concise message that gives people confidence in you and your team.”

With her career success in one hand, the accomplishment Leonie is most proud of is the life she’s built in Bondi with her two children and her husband of 22 years, a man she met while studying her first-class honours degree in Mathematics and Finance at UOW.

Leonie’s favourite subjects in the degree were economics and econometrics, which she would later describe as “the best foundation for my career, because of the broad grounding they give you”. She adds, “I think everyone would benefit from learning the basics of economics at some point.

“I have very fond memories of my time at UOW – I was able to live at home while I was studying in a beautiful environment. I am still good friends with many in my cohort. We had some wonderfully charismatic lecturers and tutors, who made themselves available to us for feedback and support.”

Leonie’s life mantra is “never take offence”, which has played a big role in developing her strength and resilience. “It’s brilliant,” she says, her honours year a very good example. “I had the opportunity to work closely with my supervisor, who constantly challenged me to improve my work… I had to learn how to take on tough feedback. It really is the breakfast of champions.”

She goes on to say that every new opportunity should be seen as just that – new: “No one was born with all the skills they have now; everyone is learning all the time. You are only going to learn and grow if you try new things. But if you’re feeling insecure or unsure, surround yourself with people that want to set you up for success. There are plenty around.”

When talking about what got her to where she is today, she highlights curiosity.

“If you choose a career that you are really interested in, you tend to ask a lot of questions and end up putting in a lot of discretionary effort to satisfy yourself, which naturally leads to better outcomes.”

On top of that, she identifies trustworthiness, network development and long-term planning as the characteristics that gave her the edge to grow and progress her career. “Be trustworthy – do what you say you’re going to do. Trust and relationships take a long time to develop, so take every opportunity to be reliable, deliver your best work and focus on adding value.

“Invest time and energy in building your networks. There is so much knowledge and insight available when you get out and talk to people.

“Think more long-term and focus less on short-term gains. It’s great to try different things, get totally out of your comfort zone and constantly learn.”

To those embarking on their next chapter, Leonie puts it simply: “Choose something you enjoy doing and that you are good at.” However, she also wisely reminds us, “Have an eye to where future jobs growth is going to be and where the people that inspire you are working.”

Leonie adds, “Then (and you might need to set aside a fair bit of time for this!), clarify your beliefs and values by asking yourself the big questions: What makes you happy? How do you think the world should be? What topics are you constantly debating? Why would someone employ you? How could your work make the world a better place? Once you understand your values, it becomes a lot easier to make decisions.”

She ends with some magical words of wisdom: “Don’t over engineer it! This decision won’t dictate your entire life. There is so much scope to grow and change your areas of focus, during uni and afterwards.”