CELEBRATING THE POWER WOMEN OF INDIAN REAL ESTATE

SO thers are shaped by an instinct to question, explore and keep learning. For Radha Dhir, it was curiosity that became the defining force behind her leadership journey. From joining Deutsche Bank as a management trainee in 1995 to becoming the bank's first woman and youngest Managing Director in India in 2008, every milestone was driven less by a desire to break barriers and more by a determination to understand, improve and challenge the status quo. That instinct to keep asking 'why', she believes, has been the thread running through every stage of her career.

"Curiosity got me further than any single hardship. I have never been afraid to ask 'why', and that instinct to challenge the status quo has shaped my entire career," she says.

Rather than measuring her growth through successes alone, Radha credits her failures for making her the leader she is today. The global financial crisis tested her resilience and taught lessons that no business school could offer. Those experiences reinforced her beliefthat setbacks are not roadblocks but opportunities to evolve. That conviction became even stronger when she joined JLL during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading through one ofthe most uncertain periods in recent history, she made a conscious decision to prioritise the well-being and safety of her people above everything else. It was not the easiest path, but it proved to be the right one. Even amid extraordinary disruption, the business exceeded its targets, reaffirming her belief that organisations perform best when people feel valued and supported. While she believes conversations around women in leadership have become more meaningful, Radha is clear that equality is still a work in progress. Becoming the first woman CEO of an international property consultancy in India was an important milestone, but it also highlighted how uncommon such appointments still were. She feels women continue to be judged against higher expectations, particularly in traditionally male-dominated industries like real estate.

"The conversation has evolved, but I would be doing a disservice to younger women if I said the challenges have disappeared. My approach has always been to focus on outcomes, take risks and aim to be the exception rather than wait for the rule to change,"she says.

For Radha, diversity in leadership is ultimately about perspective rather than representation alone. She believes women often bring a thoughtful balance of strategic ambition and empathy, enriching conversations and strengthening decisions. Among the many changes reshaping the industry, Radha believes artificial intelligence will have the most profound impact, transforming everything from asset management to workplace strategy and investment decisions.