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Doyenne Conference & Awards 2026: Celebrating 10 Years of Empowerment in Property

March 25, 2026

by News on the Block Editorial Team

On Friday 6 March 2026, property professionals from across the UK gathered at the iconic The Kia Oval for the Doyenne Conference & Awards 2026, a landmark event marking 10 years of the Doyenne movement.

Held in celebration of International Women's Day, the conference brought together women and men from across the property industry for a day dedicated to inspiration, empowerment, discussion and celebration.

Founded by Samantha Massey of SAMAS Property Management and Alice Cadfan Lewis of Block Recruit, Doyenne has spent the past decade creating a powerful network within the industry, championing women’s voices while encouraging allies of all genders to drive meaningful change.

As the organisation celebrates its 10-year anniversary, the 2026 conference reflected both on how far the movement has come and the work still to be done to build a more inclusive, supportive and progressive property sector.

The programme featured a series of dynamic talks and panel discussions exploring workplace culture, communication, neurodiversity, leadership and allyship.

The conference programme explored a range of topics centred on workplace culture, leadership, inclusion and communication, offering both practical insights and powerful personal perspectives from across the property industry.

Helping to host the event and keep the day flowing smoothly was Louie-Mae Gibson, who served as overall moderator, keeping attendees entertained, laughing, and on schedule.

Selina Brown of Laughology delivered two engaging sessions that set the tone for the event. In “It’s Only Banter”, she encouraged attendees to reflect on the fine line between humour and harm in workplace culture, highlighting how casual language and jokes can sometimes reinforce exclusion or bias. This was followed by “Positive Communication”, where she shared practical strategies for building stronger professional relationships through empathy, awareness and more mindful communication.

Addressing wider societal issues, Amy Watson of Hassl delivered a powerful talk on tackling the root causes of violence against women and girls, emphasising the role that awareness, education and accountability play in creating safer communities and workplaces.

Personal journeys and leadership were explored in the brave and inspiring session “Reclaiming voice, reclaiming power: Survival > Impact > Healing > Leadership”, presented by Jess Parmar of The Property People and Jaclyn Mangaroo of The Property Institute. Their discussion highlighted how lived experiences can shape leadership, foster resilience, and give the courage to use one’s voice to drive meaningful change within the industry.

The importance of collaboration was further explored during the Male Allies in Action panel, moderated by Jaclyn Mangaroo and featuring Colin Stokes, Vince Coleman, Rob Robertson and Frank Somma. The panel discussed how men can actively support gender equality in the workplace, highlighting listening, advocacy and shared responsibility as key elements of effective allyship.

Another key focus of the day was neurodiversity in the workplace. In “Beyond the Box: Rethinking Neurodiversity in Block Management”, Danielle Cudjoe-Michalski encouraged the industry to challenge traditional perceptions of neurodivergence and instead recognise the strengths and perspectives neurodiverse professionals bring to the sector.

The discussion continued in the Neurodiversity and Women panel, moderated by Tracey Hartley, with panellists Claire Bates, Jodie Fraser, Shelley Jacobs, Zainab Khatoon and Rhiannon Orrow sharing their experiences of navigating neurodiversity within the industry and highlighting opportunities for greater understanding and inclusion.

Celebrating excellence: The Doyenne Awards

The conference concluded with the Doyenne Awards, celebrating individuals making a positive impact within the property sector and championing the values of empowerment, collaboration and progress.

The awards ceremony served as a fitting finale to a day that reflected ten years of community, advocacy and change through Doyenne.

2026 Doyenne Award Winners

Assistant of the Year:

Ebony Wynter – Winner

Chloe Daniels – Highly Commended

Best Customer Service:

Vikki Morlang – Winner

Abbie Madgin – Highly Commended

Donna Riegler – Highly Commended

Business Development Manager:

Claire Bates - Winner

Elizabeth Higgs - Highly Commended