As an award-winning and highly respected leader in the real estate sector, Madison Berkeley has always approached recruitment with a focus on relationships, insight, and expertise. For our latest Catching Up With feature, we sat down with Joanna Lea, Managing Director at South Kensington Estate, to explore her journey across some of London’s most prestigious property estates. Jo shares the career-defining moment of writing a handwritten letter to land a role at The Crown Estate, her transition to becoming a Managing Director, the importance of authentic relationships over superficial networking, and her perspective on what will shape London’s real estate landscape over the next decade.
Finding real estate by chance
For Jo, entering property was not part of a grand master plan. “Fundamentally, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do and I have never over-thought my career,” she says. After a family member suggested studying surveying, she enrolled at the University of Reading, loved the course, and quickly landed job offers at major agencies before graduating. She began her career at Cushman & Wakefield, but after passing her APC, and not really understanding how all the functions at an agency knit together, she wanted to give the industry one last chance before doing something different. Spotting an announcement that James Cooksey had joined The Crown Estate, she took a direct approach. “I got my Basildon Bond paper out and my fountain pen, and I wrote James Cooksey a letter. You could probably say that’s a defining moment.” Six months later, she joined the firm’s regional investment team in 2008—an experience where “all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle fell in, and I finally got real estate.”
Cutting her teeth across London’s estates
Jo spent her early Crown Estate days in the deep end, looking after the rapidly growing retail parks portfolio, managing development projects, and learning asset management on the fly—including an emergency crash course on rent reviews over a Starbucks coffee in South Molton Street. Seeking new challenges, she moved to Oxford Properties, gaining confidence under leaders like Paul Brundage and Jo McNamara, before joining Grosvenor. Despite an initial culture shock, Jo spent nine happy years at Grosvenor transforming its’ retail strategy across iconic destinations including Mount Street Neighbourhood, Elizabeth Street, Pimlico Road, North Mayfair. “I am unbelievably privileged to have worked on these amazing parts of London,” she reflects. “Equally, in having that privilege, it is incumbent on you to hand that baton over to somebody else so the next generation can make their mark.”
Why deep relationships matter
Having worked across major portfolios, Jo believes the landlord-occupier relationship has evolved significantly, but cautions against superficial changes. While many firms now speak about “customers” rather than “tenants,” Jo stresses that true connection goes beyond terminology or event networking. “Networking can be so superficial,” she says. “It’s about making really deep relationships with people, and they can’t be created overnight.” Whether picking up the phone to a restaurateur or checking in on a colleague, Jo believes long-term success is built on genuine trust and care. “Landlords increasingly recognise there needs to be a relationship. Success comes from building and maintaining those connections over time.”
A new chapter at South Kensington Estate
Seven months into her role as Managing Director at South Kensington Estate, Jo is embracing the responsibilities of executive leadership. Having previously managed billion-pound-plus portfolios, taking on a sub-£400 million estate allowed her to focus less on pure portfolio management and more on leading a business. “I never imagined I would get to this level, but it was a brilliant opportunity at the right time,” she says. Describing the move into the MD role as a “real-life MBA in front of everybody,” Jo has already restructured the team and set a clear strategy for the business. “I still love real estate, but I increasingly find the world around real estate even more interesting. Every day is a school day.”
Lessons learned along the way
Looking back over her career, Jo’s advice to those starting out in real estate is centred on authenticity and curiosity. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and stay true to who you are,” she says. She recalls advice given to her by one of her mentors, Anthea Harries: “Your career is a marathon, not a sprint,” which she has found particularly important when navigating the balance between her career and being a parent. She also advocates for writing down goals, a habit inspired by former mentor Ewan Venters, who challenged her to write 50 life goals. “Always ask the stupid question,” she adds. “I can guarantee that if it’s a question I’m asking, someone else in the room doesn’t know it either.”
Looking ahead
When considering the next decade for London’s great estates, Jo highlights AI and strong city leadership as key factors. While AI will dominate headlines, Jo believes its true value lies in helping landlords master the operational basics and sweat existing assets harder. Crucially, she emphasises the need to preserve London’s global appeal and vibrancy. “London is and will continue to be one of the best cities in the world, but if you kill the golden goose, it takes a long time to build it back,” she says. “As landlords, we need to do the basics better, look after our existing customers, and make the cogs work harder within the existing ecosystem.”
