15/11/2021 • What we believe
In Conversation With...#3
In this episode of In Conversation With... Emma Foster is joined by Priya Aggarwal-Shah, Founder of BAME in Property and Kush Rawal, Director of Residential Investment at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, where they share some of their experiences in creating inclusive environments. The trio talk about all things diversity, inclusion, and social inequality - digging deep into Priya and Kush's experiences whilst working within the industry, including the importance of having a diverse team making placemaking decisions. And even better, they share ways in which we can all make small changes to break down barriers and make an impact on our industry altogether.
Makers & Mentors from Mount Anvil
Emma Foster
Emma has 20 years of planning and development experience and joined the Mount Anvil team in August 2015. She is a champion for diversity and inclusion in a male dominated industry and has been the reason for many of the initiatives Mount Anvil has involved itself in.
Alongside Makers and Mentors, which is Emma's brainchild, she has worked with the GLA/MoL to agree a first of its kind £50m partnership. The collaboration supports Mount Anvil’s strategy to deliver 10,000 homes in London before the end of the decade, which at least 50% of will be genuinely affordable for Londoners. Again, Emma was a driving force in the creation of such a unique deal that will facilitate thriving communities.
Priya Aggarwal-Shah
Priya is the Founder of BAME in Property, the leading ethnic diversity network in the built environment sector, and a communications consultant for Grayling, specialising in housing and infrastructure.
Priya regularly speaks on panel events about diversity, community & online engagement, as well as urbanism, contributing to the wider debate and sharing ideas with industry leaders.
Kush Rawal
Kush is Director of Residential Investment at Metropolitan Thames Valley, formerly Thames Valley Housing, and has occupied a number of different roles during his tenure.
Kush was instrumental in the creation of Fizzy Living, a Build-to-Rent Provider and SoResi, the shared ownership arm.