Leading the way to succeed
The UDIA SA Awards for Excellence celebrate the industry leaders and emerging talent shaping the future of urban development.
The annual Awards for Excellence celebrate the innovation and excellence of the projects, people and companies that shape South Australia’s urban landscape and reflect the industry’s contribution to liveability in this state.
Mills Oakley partner Annoushka Scharnberg took out the Women in Leadership Award sponsored by Simple Integrated Marketing, while Hames Sharley associate director and studio leader Madeleine Steele won the Stuart Main — Young Leader Award sponsored by Finlaysons Lawyers.
Annoushka’s significant contributions in addressing gender imbalance in the development sector is impressive, with UDIA SA chief executive Liam Golding alluding to her fierce drive and determination. “Leaders like Annoushka elevate the urban development sector — her expertise, dedication and professionalism are truly inspiring, and she serves as an exceptional role model for emerging practitioners in the legal field,” he said.
Annoushka is proud – and grateful – to have played a role in reshaping the property and development sector she loves.
“I vividly remember my first UDIA event, invited by David Martin to a Christmas lunch shortly after joining my previous firm,” she recalled. “The male dominance in the room wasn’t surprising – but the scale of it was. It was such a limited female presence that I can still name the five other women who were present, 17 years ago.”
Today, that imbalance has noticeably narrowed. “I’ve had to crack that ceiling a few times,” she said. “The contrast with today’s events – where women are visible, vocal and influential – is something I’m immensely proud to have contributed to, but I’m equally grateful to the people in this industry who opened doors for me I didn’t know existed.”
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Over more than 15 years, Annoushka has provided strategic, commercial and innovative legal advice to some of the most significant property and development projects in South Australia. Her early work on Lightsview — one of the few South Australian master planned communities to win a national award — remains a career highlight.
“It was amazing to watch it grow,” she said. “The small-lot housing approach Alan Miller delivered was groundbreaking at the time, and seeing it embraced by the community was incredibly rewarding.”
She went on to work on Renewal SA’s transformation of the former Brompton Gasworks into the now-celebrated Bowden development. “Chris Menz — now CEO — was the development manager, and Alicia Davidge, the first recipient of this award, was project director. I had the privilege of working alongside an extraordinary team, Projects like that make you fall in love with your work all over again.”
Today, she is working on the $7.5 billion Gifford Hill, the largest development in South Australia’s history. “Gifford Hill is going to be a new city and I’m grateful that Grange and Costa brought me in at the beginning,” she said. “Some of my developments are coming to the end of their life, and then I’ve got amazing new projects just beginning.”
Annoushka is a strong advocate for supporting women in industry. In addition to mentoring women in industry, earlier this year she launched Fierce Females in Property.
“I started the group because I was finding these women didn’t know who they could lean on in the industry,” she said. “We have lunches and drinks together, trying to get senior females around some of our more junior females, to make sure that they know there’s always people they can go to.”
Gearing up for career growth
Madeleine – who leads a team of 40 multi-disciplinary designers and professionals at one of the state’s leading architecture firms – always knew she would have a career in architecture. “I remember telling people I was going to be an architect as early as I remember understanding that I’d one day need a job.”
Her skills won her the Stuart Main — Young Leader Award, with Liam noting her leadership style “grounded in empathy and collaboration”.
“In just the eight years since graduating from the University of South Australia, Madeleine Steele has forged an exceptional career that exemplifies the values celebrated by the Stuart Main — Young Leader Award,” Liam said.
It’s a description that resonates. “I also wear my heart on my sleeve. I try to communicate how I feel as best as I can, whether things are tough or I’m absolutely over the moon,” she said.
Sport has been a key influence in Madeleine’s architecture journey. The former competitive road cyclist’s first project was the Australian Centre for Sports Aerodynamics. “It opened before the Paris Olympics and multiple athletes went there before going on to win medals, so that’s pretty cool. Correlation does not equal causation, however … ”
A member of the UDIA SA Diversity in Development Committee, Madeleine’s growth has been shaped by a genuine willingness to contribute where needed. From Hames Sharley’s social committee and Reconciliation Action Plan Committee to the Champions for Change initiative, she actively supports change across the business.
Madeleine credits much of her success to the support of her mentor and fellow award-winner Annoushka, whom she met through cycling. “She was hosting an in International Women’s Day breakfast in 2018 and sent an invitation for me to fill a table,” she said. “I didn’t know the significance of this at the time.
“She gave me opportunities to get credibility, to be seen in leadership networks and for my company to recognise my ability really early. She introduced me to everyone. That’s a big part of how I’ve grown.”
Madeleine has plans for that growth to continue. “By the time I retire, I would love to be proud of the contribution I have made to seeing Adelaide grow and become an incredible global city that still feels like the Adelaide we love,” she said.
“I love the mechanics of this city, the way we’re wedged between the hills and the sea, but I think we have so much potential to grow and I want to be part of that.”
