Aoife Brennan

'When I hear TU Dublin, I immediately think of sitting in the student union drinking coffee'.

The friends I made in Bolton Street. I still meet up with so many from my class on a regular basis.

Linked to that is how much I loved being in Bolton Street. It’s such an iconic building, when you’re in the property business you notice these things, and it had a real sense of community.

Some of my closest friends come from my time in Bolton Street. I still work with people I met there and still have relationships with some of the lecturers. It’s a relatively small industry, so there are always links back.

I spent a number of years lecturing there part time. It was funny being on the other side, but it somehow still felt the same. Some of the same security staff were there. It always had a real coming home or family feel about it.

Yes, I had a clear plan. I had already secured my graduate programme role before I finished, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

Given the nature of Property Economics, there was a traditional route and a non-traditional route. I knew I wanted the traditional one. I wanted to be a chartered surveyor.

As I developed my skills and understood the industry more, I pivoted into property research and consultancy, which sits slightly adjacent to the typical chartered surveyor roles in commercial agency or valuations.

I also went back to Bolton Street seven years later to complete a Masters in Planning and Development. Again, it was a great experience and allowed me to expand my skill set and move into different areas of the industry.

Definitely both exciting and daunting. You leave thinking you know it all, but in reality you know very little about how things actually work in industry.

I loved learning how to apply the theory in practice. There’s more work experience and internships now, so it’s probably a bit different than it was 25 years ago.

I had a real mix of courses on my CAO, from property to aeronautical engineering.

I ultimately chose property because it was in Dublin and all my friends were going there. I’m from Carlow and the thought of going to Limerick on my own terrified me.

I’ve always loved buildings and the built environment. Even as a child, I was fascinated by architecture. I wasn’t creative enough to be an architect, but I liked the idea of commercial property.

I’ve a real love of old factories and industrial buildings, which might sound a bit strange. But commercial property suited my skill set. Whether you’re more numerical or more verbal, there’s something in it for you.

I’ve been here 20 years and I definitely didn’t think I’d be leading the company when I started.

But it’s a company I care deeply about. Being here so long means it feels a bit like a child to me, although I won’t tell my daughter that.

I’m delighted to be able to work on my vision for growth in the coming years, and to do that with great colleagues.

It doesn’t feel that different, to be honest. A lot of the work I was already involved in, particularly around strategy and implementation.

More than anything, I recognise this is a people business. My focus is on people, our clients and our staff, making sure they are getting the best service and advice, and have the best working environment and opportunities.

Have more self confidence and don’t get so intimidated.

'Speak up and don’t be afraid to sound stupid, because you won’t'.

I spend a lot of time bringing my 10 year old daughter to her activities. For my husband and I, it’s important that the three of us have time together as a family.

I love gardening and spend a few hours every weekend in the garden. I live in the countryside, so there is always something to be done.

There’s no greater satisfaction than cutting a hedge and standing back and looking at what you’ve achieved.

I have a greenhouse and love growing fruit, vegetables, plants and flowers. I’m not a fan of the gym, so gardening keeps me active and you get something done at the same time.