When you think of industrial property, you don’t usually picture female real estate agents in amongst the shed talk, but Knight Frank’s passion for supporting female sportspeople has seen at least one agent start to change this stereotype.

Grace Egan is a Sales and Leasing Executive in Knight Frank’s Industrial Logistics team in Melbourne, but she is also known for being an Australian Rules footballer who plays for Richmond in the AFL Women’s (AFLW) league.

Joining Knight Frank nearly one year ago now, Grace works full time at the firm, while also training for her sport four days a week after work and on weekends.

“I have always wanted to step foot into the real estate world but only ever looked into residential real estate, and those hours don’t work well with football,” she said.

“When I heard about this position with Knight Frank, I was very quick to jump at the opportunity to get into the industry.

“I have loved every second of my role since starting last May and I couldn’t be more grateful to be doing what I’m doing.

“I like the industrial sector because I have found great similarities in many aspects between my role at work and football. 

“For example, you have to be very motivated to work hard, and the harder you work and put yourself out there the more you are rewarded through doing deals, building relationships, and strengthening your personal brand as well as Knight Frank’s.

“The industrial team at Knight Frank have been very supportive in helping me learn the ropes and build my knowledge to become a great agent.”

Grace is currently marketing space for rent in the Spotswood Business Park at 154-157 Melbourne Road in Melbourne’s Spotswood, with colleagues Nathan Edgar and Andrew Gallucci.

The development consists of 10 fully fenced secure yard spaces, offering container storage and canopies with crushed rock surfaces.

She is also leasing a land site at Lot 13, 35 Patch Circuit in Laverton North, with a rental rate of $60/square metre, with colleague Steve Jones. The property offers 1,686sq m within the much-sought-after core logistics precinct of Laverton North, 13 kilometres west of the Melbourne CBD and 10 kilometres west of Port Melbourne.

Grace’s recent deals include a property leased at Unit 1, 9 Independent Way in Melbourne’s Ravenhall, consisting a 553sq m office/warehouse building under construction on 877sq m of land at a rental rate of $140/per square metre.

Grace’s appointment at Knight Frank is aligned with the firm’s commitment to not only support female sportspeople, but also its desire to create career opportunities for women in property as it works towards gender equity in the workplace.

The relationship with sportspeople is mutually beneficial, with these employees given an opportunity for a career outside sport with the flexibility required for training and playing games, while Knight Frank benefits from the personality attributes of sportspeople that sees them succeed in a sales-oriented environment. 

Both pursuits require hard work, resilience and discipline, they thrive on competition, rely on reputation and are achievement driven.

In line with its commitment to support female sportspeople, this month Knight Frank announced it had extended and broadened its Principal Partnership of the NSW Waratahs Women’s rugby union team for another two years, after completing its first partnership year.

The partnership will continue to see Knight Frank as a Principal Partner of the four-time Super W Championship-winning Waratahs and once again have its logo feature prominently on the front of the jersey for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Knight Frank’s Principal Partnership will also see its support for the Waratahs broadened to include not only the Super W team but also the Opens Women’s Sevens team, U17 Girls Seven’s team, the Women’s Senior

Academy, and the Girls Gen Blue U18 Academy. The teams combined have around 116 women players.

As an added layer to the partnership, Knight Frank will look to provide employment pathways for Waratahs Women’s players that work around their training commitments.

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