As the only executive female partner in London at Sotheby’s International Realty, Becky Fatemi knows what it takes to breakthrough ceilings in real estate’s very highest echelons.
And as no-nonsense operator, her CV has signposted what it really takes to get there. A star turn at Foxtons back at the turn of the Millennium led to Fatemi founding her own entertainment agency Rokstone, which would eventually take shape as one of the UK’s leading high-end botique proper agencies 20 years later – and eventually as one of the entire sector’s most eminent execs in one its most-recognisned consultancies.
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So, what on paper, does it take? More than £10 billion in sales and lettings helps. Having a reputation defined by being discreet and trustworthy is a given. But it’s also understanding that in the property-sphere you do not just succeed by the power of one – it takes a whole machine to get you there; the mentorship and guidance of its biggest and brightest minds, and the humility to know you do not pull the ladder up behind you.
This is foundational to Fatemi’s own philosophy and at the very crux of her own philanthropic endeavours as the founder of Shadow to Shine, a youth mentoring organisation that helps 600 young people from underrepresented backgrounds get into the professional world, and her diversity ambassadorship at the The Luxury Property Forum.
There could not then, be a neater or more fitting segue into why this International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain”, could be more appropriate.
In our conversation with Fatemi, we discuss what it takes to forge a career in ultra-high-net-worth property circles, the power of your network, and how influence and accountability should be the prime levers to create a lasting legacy in this sector.
At the very top of London's super prime market, what does the philosophy of "Give to Gain" mean to you, and how has it shaped your career?
A slogan I carry with me every day is ‘Each one, Teach one’ which I took from my Dear late friend and mentor Virgil Abloh. For everything an ambitious successful person inputs into his/her work, and into his/her actions and investments they have the opportunity to make a difference and inspire so they should do it wisely and share that wisdom.
At the pinnacle of London’s super-prime market, “Give to Gain” is not a slogan it is a strategy grounded in integrity. In ultra-prime real estate, particularly at Sotheby’s International Realty, success is not driven by a single transaction but by generational relationships. Giving means investing time, insight, listening without judgement, having utmost discretion, and often on opportunities without immediate return. Over time, that generosity compounds into trust. And in this tier of the market, trust is the ultimate currency.
As the only female partner in London at Sotheby's International Realty, when has giving first truly influenced the trajectory of your career?
Early in my career, I made a conscious decision to prioritise advisory over doing things purely for own gain. There were moments when stepping back from a fee in order to protect a client’s long-term position felt counterintuitive. But those decisions built credibility. Being the only female partner in London required resilience, but it also required generosity, mentoring quietly, supporting peers, and sharing knowledge without insecurity. That approach ultimately elevated my profile and deepened my network in ways competition never could.
In ultra-prime property, trust and relationships often outweigh money. How does generosity translate into sustained deal flow at this level?
At £20 million, £50 million, £100-million-plus price points, clients are buying into people as much as property. Generosity at this level means absolute discretion, global connectivity, and thinking beyond the immediate deal. It might mean introducing a client to a tax adviser, an art specialist, or facilitating an off-market acquisition with no guarantee of instruction. Sustained deal flow is the by-product of becoming indispensable and indispensability is built through giving first.
Having transacted over £10bn in sales and lettings, how do you differentiate between financial capital and social capital in high-value negotiations?
Financial capital completes transactions. Social capital creates them. In super-prime, access is everything, access to off-market stock, to sovereign buyers, to family offices, to decision-makers. Social capital is your credibility, your reputation for execution, your ability to close discreetly and cleanly. Without it, financial capital remains inert. With it, opportunities appear before they reach the open market.
You founded Shadow to Shine while managing a £10bn career. What inspired you to build it, and how does widening access strengthen the future of the luxury property sector?
My Charity Shadow to Shine was born from a recognition that this industry often feels opaque and inaccessible to young people without connections and from less privileged backgrounds. I wanted to create structured access including mentorship, exposure, belief and teach simple basics like how to impress in an interview, email etiquette and cv writing they may never have had.
Luxury property cannot remain sustainable if it only recruits from narrow demographics. Widening access strengthens the talent pipeline, broadens cultural intelligence, and ensures the sector remains relevant to a global client base.
How can successful women in property and finance use their influence more deliberately to improve representation and opportunity at the top?
Influence must be used intentionally. That means sponsoring, not just mentoring, women into leadership roles. It means opening doors to revenue-generating opportunities, not just advisory committees. It also means visible leadership. Representation shifts culture. When women see other women transacting at scale, leading divisions, and negotiating globally, ambition expands.
Launching Sotheby's first private buying division was a bold step. Was it driven more by competition or collaboration, and how does "Give to Gain" guide how you structure deals?
Launching a private buying division was driven by evolution rather than competition. Clients increasingly demand advocacy, not just brokerage. Structuring deals through a buying lens means aligning fully with the purchaser’s objectives, even when that challenges traditional agency models. “Give to Gain” here means prioritising the client’s position above short-term revenue and trusting that long-term loyalty will follow.
Luxury property prides itself on selectivity. Where does the industry still fall short on diversity, and what practical accountability is needed to drive meaningful change?
The industry still falls short at leadership level and within revenue-driving roles. Diversity cannot sit solely within HR policies, it must sit within P&L accountability. Firms should track promotion velocity, deal allocation, and pay parity with the same rigour they track profit margins. Transparency drives change.
As someone of Iranian heritage working globally, how do you reflect on the ongoing instability in parts of the Middle East, particularly its impact on women and future generations? How can global wealth holders use capital and influence responsibly to support resilience and opportunity?
My Iranian heritage gives me both pride and perspective. Instability disproportionately affects women and young people, particularly in access to education and economic independence. Global wealth holders have a responsibility beyond capital preservation. Strategic philanthropy, impact investment in education, and support for female entrepreneurship can create structural resilience. Capital, when deployed consciously, becomes a stabilising force rather than a passive asset.
On International Women's Day, what message would you give to ambitious women entering property, finance, and wealth management? And if "Give to Gain" became the dominant leadership philosophy in super prime real estate, how might the industry look in ten years?
To ambitious women – you got this. Stay strong. Protect your reputation fiercely. And never underestimate the power of composure. Your credibility is your greatest asset.
If “Give to Gain” became dominant in super-prime real estate, the industry would become more collaborative, more diverse, and more globally intelligent. Transactions would feel less adversarial and more strategic. Leadership would expand beyond traditional archetypes. And ultimately, value, both financial and social, would compound more sustainably for everyone involved.
Shadow to Shine employability and entrepreneurial training courses, mentoring, work experience and various other opportunities to empower young people from underrepresented backgrounds to realise their full potential.
