Kara Collins has been appointed as JLL Australia and New Zealand’s inaugural Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The real estate and investment management firm made the announcement on Wednesday. Her role will involve working closely with key clients and stakeholders to deliver global, regional and local Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) strategies.
JLL’s CEO Dan Kernaghan said Collins’ new role will help establish change for an inclusive future for the company.
“Kara’s appointment as the Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion underscores JLL’s steadfast commitment to driving positive change and creating a more inclusive future,” Kernaghan said.
“Her leadership and passion will undoubtedly inspire our employees to embrace diversity and champion equitable practices throughout our organisation.”
Collins joined JLL in 2018 as a senior property manager and outside her role, she led several state and national DE&I committees.
Collins’ hard work in the industry, paired with her commitment to DE&I, has not gone unnoticed: she received JLL’s Australian and APAC DE&I Award in 2020 and was a finalist in the WA PCA Property Leader of the Year Award in 2022.
Julie Skinner, the Head of HR at JLL Australia and New Zealand (JLL ANZ), said she is thrilled with Collins’ appointment.
“JLL ANZ’s inaugural appointment of a dedicated Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leader is a commitment to champion change for the future of our clients, communities, and team members,” she said.
“Welcoming Kara Collins into the DE&I Leader role is an extension of her six years of commitment to JLL’s clients and an opportunity to innovate in our DE&I deliverables to all stakeholders. I’m thrilled to be working with Kara on these initiatives and we have an exciting, continued journey ahead of us.”
Collins will be working closely with Nashunda Williams, the global Head of DE&I, who is looking forward to working with her.
“Kara’s past accomplishments and experience reflects her commitment to fostering inclusive and equitable environments, where employees feel welcomed, valued, and empowered,” she said.
“We look forward to the positive impact she will have in driving JLL’s DEI journey and creating lasting, transformative change.”
Collins said she is excited to get stuck into her new role at JLL ANZ, a company she has worked at for six years.
“JLL has continuously shown a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and I am honoured to be entrusted with leading these efforts for Australia and New Zealand,” she said.
“I am excited to work with the passionate DE&I teams and leverage JLL’s extensive resources to ensure our workplace is an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and can thrive.
“We are fortunate that our clients are keen to partner with us in our Diversity endeavours, and we do not underestimate the role we can play in ensuring that the communities in which we operate are inclusive for all. I look forward to personally supporting our team in their partnership with our clients in this important work.”