Intro
In our interview this week, we chat to Dilan Omari-Clark, acquisition recruiter for Europe for the proptech recruitment company LMRE, in charge of helping proptech firms attract talent and build teams. LMRE is a specialist proptech recruitment firm based in London, aimed at finding talent for the proptech sector, both within the UK and internationally. They take a client-led focus, aiming to simplify the recruitment process with their experienced consultants. It has its own podcast, the Propcast, and active blog on a range of proptech themes, which you can find here.
Dilan leads the firm’s expansion into the European market, with previous experience in the world of recruitment. Having founded an online real estate business at the age of 23, she is passionate about the proptech industry and start-ups. Today, we chat about her perspectives on the real estate sector, in the UK and internationally, and how proptech has affected the industry.
Interview
FLOORFY: Hello, Dilan! To begin with, tell us a little bit about yourself, and how you have ended up in your current position at LMRE.
Dilan: Thank you for having me as one of your guests today!
In summary, I started my own online student letting and estate agency straight out of university aged 23. We were one of the first agencies in the UK’s North-West to be proptech enabled which gave us a real advantage. I sold the company in 2018 when I was 28 years old. It was an opportunity to do something completely new and I thought it would be fun to become a solicitor as my next career step.
I started studying for my law degree whilst simultaneously working for a law firm. I quite quickly found that I missed a more fast paced environment and I moved across to Legal recruitment. I loved working in recruitment instantly but still really missed working in tech. By chance, I came across LMRE and it just seemed like a great match for me combining my interest in Tech, Real Estate and Recruitment.
FLOORFY: Principally, what does your job consist of?
Dilan: As I am heading up the expansion into the European market my job is quite broad and changes and shifts on an almost monthly basis as the business grows.
I do a lot of market research to find out about the latest proptechs across Europe and make sure I stay abreast of the latest industry trends and moves. At the core, my job is about helping candidates make their next career move and equally helping clients attract the right Talent across Europe. Additionally, I manage a small but growing team of European consultants.
FLOORFY: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the European real estate market today?
Dilan: The Mindset.
Real Estate is an old industry that up until recently did not see a need for change and digitalisation as things were going well. There was a persistent mindset of ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Change starts with a shift in mindset. COVID has most certainly been an accelerator for change which has been very positive for the digitalisation within the Real Estate industry.
FLOORFY: In your opinion, what does the arrival of proptech mean for the industry?
Dilan: In my opinion it means an opportunity to make processes more efficient, streamlined and to increase the bottom line.
FLOORFY: What changes would you like to see in the real estate sector in the coming years across Europe?
Dilan: I would like to see a high adoption rate of proptech across the industry in Europe.
FLOORFY: And tell us how you found out about Floorfy. What appeals to you about what we offer?
Dilan: I came across Floorfy during my market research for European proptechs. I think the pandemic has shown how useful and indispensable virtual viewings have become. It should be a must-have tool for any letting and estate agency operating in the 21st century.
