Elena Seymour, Centennial | Behind the Role | PropConnex

Episode: Asset Management & Industrial Real Estate with Elena Seymour In this episode of PropConnex Spotlight’s Behind the Role series, host Samara Issa speaks with Elena Seymour, Head of Asset Management at Centennial. With more than 17 years in commercial real estate across Brookfield and Charter Hall, Elena explains how Centennial creates value across its industrial portfolio and what asset management involves day to day. In this episode, Elena covers: Centennial’s strategy of buying mispriced or undercapitalised assets in supply-constrained urban infill markets, and its in-house model across transactions, development and asset management Why asset management is one of the most misunderstood roles in property, and how it differs from property management What happens after acquisition: business plans, leasing, capital expenditure and delivering on the original investment thesis Why Centennial builds speculatively, and how a development pipeline helps retain tenants as they outgrow their space What makes industrial different today, from last mile logistics and automation to growing demand for power What the team looks for in an acquisition, from proximity to population centres and transport arterials to the quality of the slab How exit strategy differs between closed-ended and open-ended funds Her own career path, from Lendlease and a three-month contract at Brookfield during the GFC, to leading Charter Hall’s Queensland industrial platform from roughly $400M to over $4B Her advice for students: don’t get caught up on titles, focus on what a role will expose you to, ask questions, find a mentor, and back yourself. A great listen for anyone curious about how value is created after the deal is done, and how a non-linear career can lead somewhere unexpected.