_Forward together with Beverley Kennard

Beverley Kennard joined Knight Frank as a coordinator in our Islington office on the day that it opened. 12 years on, she’s progressed in her career to Partner and Head of Lettings Operations.

She remembers clearly what it was like to work in a support role having been in the industry for almost 20 years. She makes time to talk to, and understand, those ‘unsung heroes.’ “I recognise the huge importance of what our support teams do,” Beverley says. “For me, sitting down with someone who wants to know how they can get to the next level, or how they can really be involved at the firm, is really important. I want to help them to get there and create those opportunities.”

Beverley’s been advocating for people in support roles throughout her career, and has worked on projects to ensure there’s a clear career framework for them. These projects support people to have worthwhile and meaningful one-to-one meetings and appraisals, ensuring everyone’s clear on their accountabilities.

The power of coaching

Who’s given Beverley that support and encouragement along the way? Instantly, she cites Gary Hall, Partner and Head of Lettings, who she’s worked alongside throughout her career in the Lettings team at Knight Frank. “He’s played a massive role, but really without me realising, which I think is a true example of a good coach.”

Gary’s encouraged her to think about what she wants, and what she needs to do to get there. With his coaching support, she’s been prepared for the next role when she’s achieved that step up. She values him always holding their one-to-one meetings monthly, along with having meaningful appraisals and mid-year reviews. “They’re always really good conversations, and I leave them feeling empowered.”

The importance of diverse thinking and conversations

“For us to move forward and make a difference, we have to educate ourselves. We need to listen and learn,” Beverley says. That’s why she takes the time to hear about other people’s experiences and thoughts as they differ from her own. Having an insight into someone else’s experience helps her to help them.

Beverley encourages people to learn from our Employee Resource Groups. By attending their events, reading the important updates and hearing about what’s important to others, you educate yourself and grow your understanding.

“We’ve all got a role to play to educate ourselves on what gender equality means. It’s so important that we’re all talking about it and recognise it. If we’re to create a really diverse business with diverse thoughts, we must have diversity.”

Beverley relishes being a leader in our business and intends to be here for the long term. But she’d like to see other women in leadership roles. “There are some fantastic women in great roles, but just not enough.”

Listening to others and understanding their experiences is clearly important to Beverley. Her favourite thing to do outside of work is to spend time with her family and friends, particularly her two nephews, and see the world through their young eyes. A different perspective is always welcome.

“For us to be a strong business, we must be diverse in our thoughts. Our clients and customers are diverse and we need to represent them.”

Find out more about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Knight Frank.