1. What’s the next big innovation or development in the built environment that you’re most looking forward to?
Lorna identified two parallel innovations she is most excited about. The first is the industrywide shift from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) within buildings. Although she is careful to note she is “ not an electrician ,” she believes the shift could make building maintenance far more accessible and cost-effective because “ you don’t have to be especially qualified to work on a direct current network ,” widening the pool of people who can safely carry out maintenance tasks. She also suggested DC may be “ more sustainable ,” though she flagged that this would need expert verification.
Her second point was the growing interest in re-using heat from data centers, particularly given how many of them are now being built. She welcomed the fact that the industry is “ starting to think sensibly about how we use the energy that we’re wasting ,” noting that while energy itself “ isn’t replaceable ,” it can be redirected or repurposed rather than lost entirely.
2. What have younger team members pushed you to rethink?
Rather than one specific lesson, younger colleagues have prompted Lorna to reflect more broadly on the future of real estate and how the next generation’s attitudes differ from those of previous cohorts. She observed that young professionals today often display “ far more aversion to risk-taking ,” compared with the more “ gung-ho ” mindset that shaped earlier eras of the industry.
This shift, she says, raises questions about how property deals, culture, and networking can evolve. Historically, real estate was “ very sociable ,” with deals often taking place informally, “ hanging around in bars and doing deals over a pint .” She doubts this model will continue, citing a broader generational trend towards healthier habits, less alcohol, and more structured work–life routines – behaviors that could change how relationships and networks are built.
Lorna also referenced wider structural changes which, combined with shifting generational values, could reshape why people enter the industry in the first place. For many in her generation, property was appealing because it was “ one of the few office jobs where you’re actually out of the office a lot .” She is unsure whether the same attraction holds for today’s entrants.
Underlying all of this is her curiosity: “ I’m just curious about what the future world of real estate will actually look like .”
3. Which part of your business process do you think AI will struggle to replace?
Lorna believes AI will find it hardest to replicate the instinctive, human side of consulting – in particular, “ instinct and a hunch ,” and the ability to sense when “ someone’s not quite telling you what’s really on their mind .” These nuances, she argues, depend on emotional intelligence and human interaction in ways that AI cannot easily match.
She also worries that AI risks tasks replacing it shouldn’t replace. Creative report writing and proposal development, for example, risk becoming too generic if teams rely on automated drafting. If people simply ask AI to “ write me a proposal ,” the result may distance professionals from the work and weaken their understanding of the value they are offering.
Finally, she questions whether AI can truly spot new opportunities rather than just extrapolate from historical patterns. While AI may highlight what others have bought or what has been done before, it may struggle to identify opportunities that arise from subtle human contexts – such as sensing “ that somebody’s not happy ” or recognizing a “ toxic environment ” that suggests alternative strategic angles.
4. Looking back at your own career, what’s one skill or mindset you believe emerging leaders in real estate should prioritize to stay competitive in such an evolving industry?
Before answering directly, Lorna questioned whether real estate is, in fact, evolving as fast as people assume, noting it may be changing “ very, very slowly .”
The mindset she ultimately emphasized is listening – genuinely and consistently. She believes the industry will only evolve effectively if leaders pay attention to “ what people coming up through the system are thinking and what ideas they’ve got .”
She contrasted this with past environments where senior staff might take a junior person’s idea and “ pretend it was theirs ,” a culture that placed undue weight on status and hierarchy. Drawing on her own experience, she described how difficult it was earlier in her career to secure a place on pitches, because “ they didn’t want you to go on a pitch unless you’ve been on a pitch ” – a circular barrier she only broke once she became a partner.
Now, Lorna advocates for bringing the actual delivery team into pitches and decision-making, and for leaders to “ respect what [others]are doing and saying ,” regardless of seniority.
