Honouring International Women's Day: spotlight on the inspiring women of Oxford North

In celebration of International Women's Day 2025, we shine a light on the remarkable contributions of seven female leaders involved in Oxford North.

Influential figures such as Professor Dame Kay Davies, Jenny Hammarlund from Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Victoria Collett from Thomas White Oxford, Aja Pymble-Ward and Lara Samworth of Stanhope, Dr Elodie Siney, our new Operations Manager, and Liv Thomas from Savills.

Together with over 50 talented women working in the client and consultant teams in various fields including architecture, engineering, sustainability and communications, they are pivotal in shaping this significant masterplan.

Opening later this year, we are delivering the first three buildings The Red Hall and 1 & 2 Fallaize Street with lab-enabled space for science and technology companies, along with Fallaize Park, which is equivalent in size to Trafalgar Square, and our landmark timber cycle pavilion.

As we look forward to the opening of this vibrant new global innovation district and community, their collective efforts exemplify the vision and hard work necessary to create a thriving place for all.

Professor Dame Kay Davies, Chair, Oxford North’s Science Committee

Professor Davies, an esteemed geneticist, has been at the forefront of groundbreaking research that not only advances our understanding of genetics but also inspires countless young women to pursue careers in STEM.

Kay is the Emeritus Dr Lee’s Professor of Anatomy in the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics and Co-Director of the MDUK Neuromuscular Centre at the University ofOxford.

Her research interests lie in the molecular analysis and development of treatments for human genetic diseases, particularly Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and the application of genomics for the analysis of neurological disorders and gene–environment interactions. She has co-founded biotech companies as a conduit for the delivery of therapies for DMD to the clinic.She has published more than 400 papers and won numerous awards for her work. Kay is a founding Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2003. She was a Governor of the Wellcome Trust from 2008 and Deputy Chairman from 2013 to 2017. She now serves on several Boards in Life Sciences including the GRL Board of the Sanger Institute in Cambridge. She was the recipient of the Women into Science and Engineering (WISE) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and in 2008 was made Dame Commander of the British Empire for services to science.

Best piece of advice: Be tenacious and patient and learn from the setbacks. Being a scientist is one of the most rewarding ways of contributing to improving society.

Jenny Hammarlund , Senior Managing Director, Real Estate, EMEA, Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan - Oxford North Ventures’ joint venture partner

Jenny Hammarlund exemplifies strategic vision and leadership within the institutional investment sector, demonstrating how a long-term approach and collaboration can drive innovation.

Jenny leads the C$256bn Canadian pension fund’s real estate investment group in Europe and as such she is responsible for overseeing investment activity, strategy and overall portfolio management.

She has over 20 years’ experience in private equity, primarily focused on real estate acquisitions. She previously held positions as Managing Director at H.I.G. Capital and Director at KKR, where she was focused on sourcing and executing real estate investments across Europe. Prior to this, Jenny was a Director at Värde Partners in London and a Vice President at Lehman Brothers Real Estate Partners in New York where she was focused on real estate investments in the US. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and speaks four languages.

Best piece of advice: Be authentic and transparent, it is both the most sustainable and the most likely route to reaching your full potential.

Victoria Collett, Development Director, Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John’s College Oxford

Victoria plays a pivotal role in shaping projects that not only reflect the values of St John's College but also enhance the fabric of the community.

Victoria joined in April 2022 from Legal & General Capital where she headed development for its Suburban Build to Rent business, building-up a portfolio of projects with its sister companies and local authority partners including the North Horsham masterplan in West Sussex.

Victoria is a chartered surveyor with 20 years’ development and regeneration experience specialising in development management and financial advisory for the public and private sectors. Victoria has worked across England and Wales as a consultant, including at CBRE and Navigant Consulting, acting for many public bodies and third sector organisations, to achieve their real estate objectives through projects including the Canning Town & Custom House masterplan and the regeneration of South Kilburn. She spent eight years in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as lead advisor to Abu Dhabi Municipality’s Investment Office, with a development portfolio of more than forty projects. She delivered projects including Al Qana and Sheikha Fatima Park, which represented step-changes in the city’s real estate offer.

Best piece of advice received: Successful business relationships require win-win outcomes. You have not really won, if the other side has lost.

Aja Pymble-Ward, Development Director, Stanhope - Oxford North Ventures’ joint venture partner

Aja brings her expertise to Stanhope as their Development Director, championing innovative designs that prioritise sustainability and user experience.

Aja joined Stanhope in 2023 and really enjoys delivering world-class, large scale developments taking a diverse and inclusive approach.

Aja holds an honours degree in Civil Engineering and a Graduate Diploma of Law (Law conversion) and previously worked at Lendlease and SRM, specifically on developments such as Bloomberg London and One Bishopsgate Plaza. She has also spent time in the commercial, residential and health care sectors across the UK and Australia.

Best piece of advice: Knowledge is power and knowledge shared empowers everyone. Also, keep your promises!

Lara Samworth, Leasing Director, Stanhope

Lara joined Stanhope in 2021 and plays a pivotal role across their commercial projects, primarily concentrating on crafting successful marketing and leasing strategies for each of their developments, particularly at Oxford North. With exposure to occupiers across various markets she actively participates in the product design and pre-development stages to ensure the specification of the buildings Stanhope delivers meet occupiers needs.

At Stanhope her successes include leasing 560,000 sq ft at 8 Bishopsgate in the City of London, agreeing a pre-let with L&G for 190,000 sq ft at Woolgate in the City of London and her ongoing work with both office and science occupiers at White City Place.

Before her tenure at Stanhope, Lara was a Partner within the London Office Agency team at Knight Frank, where she dedicated seven years to offering development consultancy and leasing advice to clients. She qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 2015 after earning an MSc in Real Estate from the University of Reading.

Best piece of advice: Don’t underestimate the value of social intelligence, taking people with you on the journey is critical to success.

Dr Elodie Siney, Operations Manager, Oxford North

Elodie, newly appointed as Operations Manager for Oxford North, brings a wealth of expertise and a forward-thinking approach that promises to drive innovation within the organisation and support Oxford North’s future companies.

A clinical neuroscientist by training, Elodie has more than 25 years’ experience in research, biotechnology, business development, events, and property management and joined from The Oxford Science Park where she was Park Manager.

Prior to that she was Marketing and Events Manager at the University of Oxford’s BioEscalator and Chief Operating Officer at biotech start-up VisusNano.

Her unique blend of scientific expertise and entrepreneurial experience in operations, scaling, and company creation is outstanding, ensuring that our future occupiers will be in excellent hands.

Best piece of advice: Go out and network. Having discussions and exchanging ideas is how you move forward.

Liv Thomas, Associate, London & south east science leasing team at Savills

Liv Thomas is part of the agency team at Oxford North and is the first port of call for any occupier enquiries about leasing space in our offices and labs. Her keen insights and commitment showcase the critical role women play in shaping the future of property.

Liv joined Savills in 2021 in the Oxford commercial agency team. In January 2024, she made the move to London joining the London & south east science market leasing team, specialising in occupational agency, advising both landlord and tenant clients on R&D, laboratory, and manufacturing spaces across the London, Oxford, and Cambridge markets.In January 2022, Liv set up OxProp NextGen – a group with close to 1,000 followers focused on providing cross-sector networking and CPD opportunities to support the careers of the next generation of property professionals in Oxfordshire. Outside work Liv is kept very busy as an international lacrosse player for both England and Great Britain.

Best piece of advice received: No journey, whether in sport or career is ever a straight line. Setbacks and challenges will come, but they don’t define you, how you respond is what people will remember. Overcoming challenges has made me more resilient both on the field, but also in my career.

In conclusion

In the heart of the Oxford North masterplan, a remarkable team of more than 50 women is redefining the landscape and enhancing community spirit.

These professionals - ranging from scientists to architects, engineers to project managers, specialists in sustainability and community outreach - illustrate the diverse talents that shape this ambitious project.

Their collective efforts not only highlight the crucial role women play in urban development but also inspire future generations to envision themselves in these vital roles.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, it's a timely reminder of how these dedicated individuals are contributing to a brighter, more inclusive future that will soon flourish in Oxford North.

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