Ep 17 | The Journey of Harriet De Freitas – From Athletics to Real Estate

In this episode, I sit down with Harriet De Freitas, a Director at Avison Young, to explore her unconventional journey into the property industry. Growing up with parents based in Africa, she spent much of her childhood moving between family and friends, always surrounded by love. Though not naturally academic, she thrived in athletics — ironically sparked by early morning detention runs at school.

Harriet's academic turning point came during her GCSEs at school in Surrey, leading her to pursue geography in her A-levels in Dorset, drawn to its links with the built environment. Despite struggling with dyslexia and feeling unsure about her future, she considered running a farm shop before choosing university as a way to gain direction. She attended Bristol University, where she studied Geography with Environmental Management and was inspired by friends pursuing careers in real estate.

After university, Harriet moved to London and worked at a headhunting firm, quickly learning the importance of work ethic and self-motivation. Realising she wanted a professional qualification, she initially considered teaching but ultimately pursued a master's in real estate at South Bank University. During her studies, she gained hands-on experience at a small surveying practice and through work experience at Edward Simmonds.

Harriet's early real estate career saw her working at Nightingale Partners, gaining insight into London's investment market, before moving into leasing at Tuckerman in 2015, focusing on the Victoria and Westminster markets. In 2022, she made the leap to Avison Young, joining a larger team during a personally turbulent time but embracing the challenge. She has since been involved in cross-selling business development and recently participated in a panel discussion forecasting 2025's market trends.

Beyond her professional achievements, Harriet is deeply involved in fundraising as Chair of the West End Agency Society. An avid runner, she's set to take on the London Marathon in 2025, a charity swim across the Caribbean, and marathons in Berlin, Chicago and Medoc.

Join us as we uncover Harriet's inspiring story of perseverance, adaptability and her relentless drive to push boundaries in both real estate and sport.

I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

See you next time,

Steve

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This podcast is sponsored by Fidgens, providing cost-management services for commercial projects in London. 

And finally, connect with me on LinkedIn where I share my thoughts on industry insights and updates.

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Guest: Harriet De Freitas

You can follow Harriet on LinkedIn here.

Avison Young is built on the belief that commercial real estate isn't just about the buildings and the square footage and the occupancies. At its best it's about spaces and places that improve lives and help businesses thrive; for the employees, citizens and communities that make impact matter. Avison Young strive to be real estate at its best, helping people be more productive, prosperous and positive.