International Women's Day 2023: meet Orla McGrath

07.03.23 5 min read by Orla McGrath

On International Women’s Day 2023, find out more about some of our female colleagues, their roles and what advice they’d give to future placemakers.

Meet Orla McGrath, Head of Brand and Communications

What does your job at Muse involve?

I’m here to help define ‘Muse’, to capture why we are a great company to work with, and to find ways of sharing that message with everyone who is a stakeholder in what we do, from partners, to colleagues and the people living in the places we create.

What attracted you to working in property?

I fell into it. My first proper job was with a property developer. They were quite small at the time, and I got involved in everything from public consultations in pubs to taking reservations at sales launches. I learned how much places mean to people. I learned that developers have the power to make a positive social impact on a huge scale – and that I can be part of that.

Why do you think International Women’s Day is important?

Amongst many other things, it’s a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come in the workplace, and to shine a light on some of the inequities we still face. From under-representation at board level to unequal caring responsibilities, society still has a way to go.”

Do you have any advice for young women looking to get into the industry?

It’s a fantastic sector for people who enjoy making a difference, and there are plenty of ways to get into it that you may not have considered – have a look at our Working at Muse page to see the breadth of skills that are needed to deliver great places – finance, IT, HR, marketing, placemaking, PR, ESG there are all sorts of diverse skills sets needed to make great new places a reality.

Discover More

stories

The English Cities Fund and City of Wolverhampton Council reach landmark agreement

stories

Horsham homes move forward following planning submission

stories

Muse shortlisted for two Pineapples placemaking awards

stories

A community conversation in Prestwich

stories

One City Park on track to complete summer 2023

stories

Morgan Sindall Group invests in peatland restoration to help tackle climate change

stories

MIPIM 23: Look past the big numbers for the real benefit of HS2

stories

New neighbourhood at Stroudley Walk ready to go

stories

Creating places: Rustic Pizza Co. – our journey to Rotherham

stories

International Women’s Day 2023: meet Emma Payne