Judges' Comments

Helen is an experienced leader of the property and development industry, whose passion and drive has helped shape state planning, environmental law developments, influence public policy, reform administration and transform urban development outcomes in South Australia, within both the public and private sectors.

Holding senior positions over 30 years (including as a director, non-executive director, chair and former local government CEO), has provided her with the opportunity to traverse strategy, governance, town planning, administration, stakeholder management, consulting and reputation management.

Helen is passionate about helping others develop their careers in property and since 2015 has been delivering annual professional development programmes for UDIA South Australia.

Helen’s great commitment to sharing her knowledge and experience by mentoring up-and-coming property development professionals, ensures we have a strong future of young leaders following in her footsteps.

Her contributions to the property development industry are many, highly valued and well recognised and her zest to continue to reach higher is inspirational. She has many firsts to her name including being the first female CEO in local government and first female judge appointed to UDIA’s South Australian Awards for Excellence, where Helen has been helping identify future leaders for the past five years.

As a managing director, Helen continues to grow boutique consultancy Holmes Dyer, achieving bespoke outcomes for clients in the creation, delivery and management of land, cities and communities.

She continues to raise the bar in liveability outcomes by designing with a new lens of socially responsible, connected, environmentally sustainable and economically accountable design.

Helen is an inspiring property development professional and note-worthy winner of the UDIA National and Frasers Property Women in Leadership Awards.