JLL ‘steppingstone’ turns into springboard for upward mobility

When Mahnaz Sadri first joined JLL’s Toronto office, she assumed it would be a ‘three-year gig at most.’ Now, more than six years later, Mahnaz says ‘jumping ship’ from the Fortune 500 company would be unthinkable, and regards her role in PDS as her life’s calling.

Unlike many other corporate environments, Mahnaz quickly found JLL to be her end destination for upward mobility and professional advancement, rather than a steppingstone for the next opportunity. Six years later, Mahnaz has chalked up an enviable legacy as one of JLL’s most outstanding women, presiding over a glittering portfolio totaling over $71M.

Among the landmark projects she’s overseen are a $30M office revamp for a Fortune 50 Professional Services Firm in downtown Los Angeles, a $17M renovation across LinkedIn’s campus in Carpinteria, California, $13M capital projects for Sony in Santa Monica, California, and a $7M refurbishment of Thomson Reuters’ customer center in Ontario, Canada.

With her focus mainly on interior build-outs, her greatest fulfillment comes from advising clients on how best to bring their vision of their future workplace to reality. “The opportunity to work on projects end to end, connecting with people from different disciplines and levels, and building relationships with people from diverse backgrounds is immensely rewarding.”

“Despite its 100,000+ workforce and footprint across 80 countries, JLL feels more like a startup,” says Mahnaz. “It’s very entrepreneurial in both character and spirit, but with the backing of a large company.”

JLL values diversity beyond just words. Singling out her past bosses for particular praise, Mahnaz says, “Through their support and encouragement, I've learned to find my inner voice and bring my authentic self to work as an Iranian woman in a male-dominated industry.”

Mahnaz has personally experienced the lengths JLL will go to support its employees. When she first joined JLL’s Toronto office, she was four years into a long-distance relationship. What she didn’t know was that a chance remark about her circumstances to her manager would lead to her moving to Los Angeles without having to compromise her career aspirations.

“I had just started working with the PDS team in Toronto and really didn't think anything would come of our casual conversation.” With JLL’s support, she was able to relocate to join the PDS team in Los Angeles, enabling her to continue doing what she loves. Two months later, Mahnaz and her fiancé were married.

Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Mahnaz is the fourth of five siblings. With Iran nearly halfway into its eight-year war with Iraq, she recalls the sounds of sirens punctuating her family’s daily life. Mahnaz often finds herself drawing on the same inner strength her parents showed during those challenging years—the sacrifices they made for their family left a deep and lasting impression on her.

Mahnaz Sadri and her family

Seeking a better life for their family, her parents moved her to Canada. In 2004, at age 18, she arrived with her older brother in Saint John, New Brunswick, to start her B.S. in Civil Engineering at the University of New Brunswick. “The initial plan was for us to all move together, but our immigration application wasn’t approved in time, so my parents sent us earlier on a student visa to avoid delaying our studies,” she explains. Two years later, after a six-year wait, her family settled in Montreal, Quebec.

Mahnaz holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, with a major in structural design; a graduate certificate in building engineering from Concordia, with a specific focus on construction management and sustainable development; and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering obtained from McGill University.

Armed with this brace of qualifications, Mahnaz started her career as a PM system specialist for Canada’s largest engineering construction firm. Based out of the company’s headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, she signed up for a two-year stint in Panama as a program trainer for a new $2B PM system rollout for a mining project. For this, Mahnaz underwent an intense three-month training program, but on the day of her send-off, she was retrenched when the company lost the project mandate.

Instead of throwing a pity party, Mahnaz took the setback in her stride.

A few years later, after gaining valuable experience in the industry, her talent came to the attention of JLL’s PDS Canada lead, and she pivoted to JLL’s PDS team in Toronto.

Mahnaz attributes JLL’s ability to attract and retain exceptional talent to its supportive, affirming culture. JLL helps its employees reach their goals without dictating their next steps. “In JLL, the opportunities are endless, and you’ll go far if you set your focus on steering your own growth.”

Reflecting on her own experiences at JLL, Mahnaz said the unfailing willingness of its people to lift each other up had been an eye-opener for her. “We arguably have the sharpest minds in the industry who are not only brilliant experts in their field but so giving of their time and advice. Feeling confident in the value I bring to the table through having access to that pool of exceptional talent is priceless to me.”

Mahnaz is particularly passionate about supporting women’s empowerment. In 2018, she launched JLL Women’s Business Network SoCal Chapter, and in late 2019, she was selected to co-lead America’s Women’s Business Network (WBN) with its 10,000+ members.

While Mahnaz’s co-workers see her as an exceptional woman of substance, she credits her parents for instilling in her the values that have shaped her success. “Their remarkable resilience and gratitude for even the smallest blessings, while also striving for the best, will always be the guiding compass I draw my inspiration from.”