In Mind Your Business, we speak with business leaders and thinkers who inspire their respective companies and industries. Here, we feature Georgina Atkinson, managing partner of Origin Private Office
If you’ve ever ventured into the world of high-end properties, you know that the landscape can be both thrilling and daunting. The sheer variety of choices, the intricate details, and the high stakes involved can easily overwhelm even the most seasoned buyers. But what if you could bypass these challenges and have direct access to a team of bona fide experts to sift through minute details and provide you with actionable insights?
Georgina Atkinson, managing partner of bespoke, ultra-prime real estate advisory firm, Origin, is one such expert. With over 15 years worth of experience overseeing the sales of ultra high-end properties and advising investors on market trends and opportunities, Atkinson has made navigating the highest echelons of properties in the world her bread and butter.
More impressively, she exudes an understated steeliness, seeming to rattle off deep insights into the industry with minimal effort. Perhaps, that should be of no surprise—Atkinson has, after all, risen to the top in an industry that’s notoriously opaque. And with the launch of Origin (Atkinson co-founded the boutique advisory firm with industry leaders Ross Savas and Scott Tanner earlier this year), she’s demonstrating that breaking down walls, may simply be in her nature.
How did you decide that this was the right time to join your partners in launching Origin?
I’ve worked for big corporations and agencies in the past, and with Origin, I think we have really identified a gap in the ultra prime, ultra luxury segment of the market. There’s nothing really that offers personalised services to ultra-high net worth individuals. It’s a very niche and bespoke service—built entirely on relationships and trust with our clients.
How do you build and maintain this trust with clients?
We give them the very best advice, and we work with the very best partners around the world to provide that advice. We also know our clients inside out. We find out exactly what they desire and what their preferences are. We work incredibly closely with them on a day-to-day basis so we can understand their long-term aspirations. That’s really why we’ve set up Origin, because we’re not just here to provide advice on real estate, but on their lifestyle as well.
What are some of the emerging trends in the industry?
We’re seeing a huge rise in female wealth and female buyers in the ultra luxury sector market. We’re working with amazing women around the world and in Asia, predominantly—and we’re helping them build their portfolio. It’s amazing, because I think years ago, you wouldn’t have dreamt of such a rise in female-led investments.
Are there any other developments in the industry that you’re excited about?
We’re also seeing a huge trend in wellness-related developments. More and more wellness facilities are being incorporated into new developments around the world, including things like six-star medical facilities. Health and wellness has played a huge part in new developments, particularly since the pandemic, and will continue to do so.
To bring it back to the rise of female wealth and buyers, has there been an upturn in the number of women in the industry over the years?
Real estate, more so in the past, has been a male-dominated environment. In the construction segment, especially, seeing a female come on a building site in shoes and a hard hat was unheard of.
Now, that’s changing. We’re seeing more and more females coming to real estate, which is incredible. At Origin, we have some younger females who’ve joined our team and we’re now mentoring and teaching them about ultra luxury real estate around the world. I love that.
Has there ever been a moment in your career when you thought the industry wasn’t for you?
No. Real estate takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but I’ve never thought about doing anything else. I love what I do. We work with incredible people and families every day to bring forward amazing developments in trophy locations around the world.
