Alex Darlington

Meet Alex Darlington

What is your role at Avison Young?

Associate, Capital Markets. I am involved in a range of capital markets advisory, disposal and acquisition work for a variety of client types including: institutional, property company, private and corporate across all commercial property sectors.

How did you get into commercial real estate?

Completely accidently. I was at Loughborough University open day looking at doing my undergraduate degree in Psychology, when I noticed a stand at the fair for Quantity Surveying which looked interesting. I discussed the fundamentals of the course with the course representative but was advised that Real Estate would probably suit my interests better. I subsequently researched universities with Real Estate courses and careers in Real Estate post-university, and attended two more university open days at Nottingham Trent University and the University of the West of England. I still applied to Loughborough and a couple other universities for Psychology, as well as three for Real Estate, and had to make my decision between the two courses when my offers came in. I decided to take the plunge and do my undergraduate in Real Estate at Nottingham Trent University.

Who has been the most influential woman in your life?

My mom. She has instilled in me from a very young age the importance of hard work but has always been there to support me in any way possible. She has worked at the same local council since she was 16 and has worked her way up to be a leader in her field, overcoming many obstacles along the way and demonstrating a level of professionalism and resilience I hope to mirror in my own career.

What advice would you give women starting out in real estate?

Don’t think of yourself as being branded a “woman in the workplace”, or a “woman in real estate." As soon as you fall into that trap, you’re feeding the gender inequality issue. Do the best you can every day. Work as hard as you possibly can every day. Show everyone and the industry that gender doesn't matter, because you can do the job as well as anyone else out there.

This year's IWD theme is Choose to Challenge. What do you choose to challenge or celebrate to help create more inclusion in your community?

I choose to celebrate the success of the wonderful women I surround myself with every day at work and in my personal life. Every single one of them is an inspiration in their own right and deserve to every ounce of recognition they get.

What would people be surprised to learn about you?

Prior to embarking in a career in real estate, I worked a summer in Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL as a character performer. I was very good 'friends' with the likes of Winnie the Pooh, Chip n Dale, White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland...