Each year, the RREF Mentoring Awards recognise the exceptional commitment, enthusiasm and proactivity of mentors and mentees involved. The award winners are celebrated at the RREF Recognition Evening.

Emily Bartholomew, Programme Delivery Officer for RREF said: “It was a very competitive contest this year with a large number of nominations, but Jack’s commitment and enthusiasm for the programme combined with his determination to help his mentee succeed are commendable. Congratulations on winning this year’s RREF Mentor of the Year Award.”

Jack spoke highly of the experience, saying: “It has been an absolute pleasure to mentor a student for the Reading University Real Estate masters course over the past year, and it is very humbling to be put forward for this award. The quality of graduates coming through the masters scheme is improving year on year, with the industrial and logistics sector, in which I now have the pleasure of working, becoming an increasingly popular sector for students to pursue. 

I certainly have my mentor to thank for securing a graduate job following my masters course at Reading. It has been great to have been able to give something back to this amazing scheme and I look forward to seeing the students progress in their real estate careers.”

With 435 mentor/mentee partnerships in 2019/20, the RREF Mentoring Programme is a powerful example of support – as alumni and supporters commit time to guide and advise current students. Through one-to-one mentoring from experienced professionals, students can increase their understanding and experience of the UK real estate industry.

will help advance our sustainability strategy to the benefit of all of our stakeholders, including
customers and communities. Eva is an experienced sustainability professional with deep
expertise across the real estate environment which will enable us to continue improving our
sustainability performance across our European logistics portfolio and business operations.”

Dr Gkenakou has 15 years of sustainability experience, driving operational efficiency and
resilience across real estate. She joins from Multiplex Europe, where she was Sustainability
Director responsible for multiple strategic projects, including setting and delivering zero carbon
strategies, improving wellbeing for people on building sites through launching new assessment
standards, and delivering wide-ranging sustainability training programmes.

Dr Gkenakou is a member of several sustainability associations including the UK Green Building
Council, and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. She also holds a PhD
in Chemistry from the University of Southampton, an MSc in Environmental Engineering from the
University of Manchester and an MSc in Chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University
of Athens.