As an award-winning and well-known thought leader in the real estate recruitment space, Madison Berkeley has always done things differently. Their team’s expertise comes from years of real estate recruitment experience. However, what sets them apart is their genuine interest in building relationships and supporting other organisations that are also on a journey to change the face of real estate. For our latest Catching Up With feature, we sat down with Petrina Austin, Head of Asset Management and Partner at Tritax. Responsible for asset and property management across more than £9 billion of funds under management, Petrina has helped shape one of the UK’s leading logistics property businesses. From starting out as a PA in an international property agency to helping build Tritax Big Box REIT into a FTSE 100 success story, she shares her perspective on leadership, innovation, diversity and why curiosity remains one of the most valuable qualities in real estate today.
Finding her route into real estate:
Petrina’s introduction to the industry happened almost by accident. Originally studying languages at university, she took a summer holiday job working as a PA in an international property agency practice. What started as a temporary role quickly became something more. “My PA contract was extended and I really enjoyed working in the team,” she says. Curious about opportunities within the profession, Petrina began researching the APC and wider surveying pathway, eventually deciding to change direction and study Land Management instead. “I enjoyed the course a lot more than my Russian degree,” she says, “and I was ready to develop more practical skills.”
The industry itself also appealed to her personality and interests. “I’ve always been an outdoorsy person,” she says. “The role enabled me to get out and meet people, not be stuck at a desk.” The combination of legal, design and commercial disciplines particularly appealed to her, alongside the opportunity to influence tangible assets and businesses.
Learning by doing:
Early in her career, Petrina quickly realised that progress in property often comes from being proactive and visible. Working in agency, she understood that technical expertise alone was not enough. “The ability to win business and cross-sell between departments was key,” she says. Rather than staying in the background, she deliberately built relationships internally and volunteered for projects where she could work alongside some of the most respected people in the business. That approach gave her exposure to landmark transactions early on and helped accelerate her development. It also helped her navigate some of the challenges she faced entering what was still a heavily male-dominated industry. “Some roles were traditionally male exclusive,” she says. “Demonstrating professionalism, credibility and a strong work ethic early on was key.”
Trusting instinct and building a career:
One of the biggest lessons Petrina learned was the importance of continuing to grow professionally. While most career moves broadened her experience, she recalls one role that proved an important turning point. “I took one role which turned out to be a sideways move, even though it was sold to me as something more strategic,” she says. Although she initially tried to reshape the role into something more meaningful, she eventually realised the importance of moving on sooner. “Don’t stay in a role if you’re not learning and developing your career,” she says.
That experience reinforced her belief in being strategic about career development, particularly early on. Building a broad network, developing varied skills and staying open to new opportunities became central to her approach.
Why logistics property matters:
At Tritax, Petrina has helped establish the business as a market leader in logistics real estate in the UK. Today, she oversees asset and property management across a portfolio exceeding £9 billion, including the publicly listed Tritax Big Box REIT PLC and a range of private market products focused on logistics and industrial assets. For Petrina, the appeal of the sector lies in its pace of change and direct connection to how modern businesses operate. E-commerce, sustainability and AI are all reshaping the built environment. “I’m constantly hearing about how purchasing is happening through TikTok, and deliveries being made by drones,” she says. “I’m automatically thinking about what the opportunity is from a property perspective.” She also believes the traditional landlord and tenant relationship has evolved into something far more collaborative. “I don’t ascribe to the traditional landlord and tenant categorisation,” she says. “I see us as a property supplier with customers. We have a long-term commercial partnership.” That customer-focused mindset has become central to her asset management approach.
Culture as the foundation:
Alongside her asset management responsibilities, Petrina is also an Equity Partner within the Tritax business, sitting on investment committees, the operations committee and chairing the ESG committee. She says one of the most rewarding aspects of the role is helping influence the direction of the business itself. “Whilst sometimes that can be daunting, it’s also great to have responsibility for influencing the trajectory.” Developing people and building strong teams has also become a major focus throughout her career. “I am genuinely interested in businesses, people and developing the careers of my team,” she says. Petrina believes leadership works best when it combines experience with openness to new ideas and perspectives. She is particularly passionate about improving diversity across the industry, especially within logistics property. “As one of the few women in a senior role in the logistics sector, I’m keen to demonstrate to other women that the shed sector can be fun,” she says. More broadly, she believes diversity of thought and experience creates stronger businesses and better outcomes.
Proudest achievements:
Petrina says one of her proudest achievements has been helping build Tritax into one of the leading names in logistics property in the UK, including playing an integral role in the creation and growth of Tritax Big Box REIT into a FTSE 100 business. Alongside that, she is especially proud of building an asset management platform capable of managing more than £9 billion of assets while adapting to the governance requirements of a listed vehicle. Outside work, Petrina has also balanced a demanding career with family life. With two children and a husband serving as an officer in the British Army, managing everything during the early years was not always easy. “I actually don’t know how we managed to juggle everything when the children were both under two,” she says.
Advice for the next generation:
Petrina’s advice to younger professionals is to stay ambitious, keep learning and avoid standing still. “Be more strategic with your early career to vary your experience, develop your skills and your network,” she says. She also believes curiosity remains one of the most valuable qualities anyone can bring into the industry.
Looking ahead, Petrina believes the industry’s greatest strength will continue to be its human element. While technology can improve efficiency and analytical capability, she does not believe it can replace the creativity and relationships that define successful asset management. “AI can enhance our analytical abilities,” she says, “however, it will not recreate human interactions.”
