A mentoring program?
After a highly successful first edition in 2025, CBFI is proud to continue its mentoring journey, offering a new cohort of 15 young women the opportunity to benefit from the guidance and experience of 15 senior professionals from our executive business club.
The 2027 edition is sponsored by:
Who ?
You are a young woman who speaks French, Dutch, or English, approximately between 27 and 37 years old, working in the real estate sector in Belgium.
You have a first experience of leadership and are eager to further impact the company you are working for or the city you live in through your real estate expertise.
You want to lead our sector toward a brighter future, including ESG and societal dimensions in a business oriented community, being creative and a team player.
You are an architect, engineer, lawyer, entrepreneur, developer, investor, urbanist, jurist, financial analyst/director, banker, …
Why ?
At CBFI, we are 50 experienced women with the will to pass on knowledge and experience to the next generation.
We noticed that, despite a lot of talents, few women are in the leadership league, in the boards of directors or owning/starting their own company.
We want to change this and are ready to push boundaries, together with you.
We are committed to provide a meaning and remove barriers for women willing to take on responsibilities and positively impact the Belgian real estate sector.
What can a mentoring program truly mean ?
(Feedback from 2025 edition)
What ?
Following the same successful format as the first edition, 15 young women will have the opportunity to take part in the mentoring program.
- One year (2027) energizing program targeting your personal development and professional network,
- 15 pairs made of one CBFI mentor & one young woman mentee (you),
- 6 to 8 meetings of 1h30+ with your mentor spread over the year, being a bidirectional discussion to explore personal and professional questions, and deepen your understanding of the sector, the role of leaders, the societal impact of our jobs, the difficulties of ambitious roles and solutions, the power of an enthusiastic community, …
- One (or more) professional speed-dating evening with the 50 women from the CBFI to exchange more widely around any question or topic you and we would like to share,
- Opportunities to network with peers, mentees and mentors, …
- The program and the matchmaking between the mentees and the mentors will be organized by one of the founders of 40u40 ***
*** Although inspired by the 40u40, no responsibility or link will be made with that organization.
Your engagement ?
Your participation is free of charge as the whole program in sponsored by three major companies of the sector, Eiffage, Whitewood Capital and CFE Group. Your commitment and presence are required through the whole year as you will be given the opportunity to meet top women leaders of the sector. It therefore requires your time, energy, curiosity, and openness. The more you invest in the program, the more you will gain from it!
When ?
- Start of the applications : Nov 3, 2026
- Closure of the applications submissions : Dec 5, 2026 **
- Selection of 15 applications to be privately announced approximatively by Dec 30, 2026
- Matchmaking of the pairs to be privately announced by Feb 1, 2027
- Start of the program : Feb 8, 2027
- End of the program : Dec 31, 2027
** Only the first 60 valid applications will be taken into account
What do we need from you ?
The application form includes 4 parts :
- An overview of your profile information : your personal details, details about your current job, … (see the form below)
- A motivation letter (max 2 pages – 6.000 characters – FR, NL or EN) where you explain
- who you are and what drives you every day,
- why you would like to be selected for this unique program,
- your first experiences in leadership or influencing/impacting,
- how you relate to the Belgian real estate sector (all nationalities are welcome, but it is important to us that you develop yourself further in the Belgian real estate),
- why and how you would like to lead the sector in the future,
- in what way you would like to participate in the change to shape the future of our cities,
- your ambitions and your current barriers,
- and of course your expectations for the mentoring program, how it will help you grow and contribute to your goals in your career.
It needs to be truly personal (please avoid AI, it always looks empty), use real experiences you have been facing (be specific) and remember that failures and weaknesses are just as much a part of high potential profiles and careers as successes and strengths.
- A (max) 2 minute video (NL, FR or EN) presenting you, your values, your enthusiasm, your ambition, why you would like to be chosen for this program in an ‘elevators pitch’ mode.
- A mandatory agreement on the GDPR clause and use of pictures taken during the events.
Selection process ?
- We will validate up to 60 applications using the profile information form and your consent regarding GDPR compliance and photo usage, to advance to the first stage of selection.
- Screening : The motivation letters will allow for a first screening to pre-select 30 candidates for the second stage of the selection.
- Validation : The submitted video’s will then be reviewed to narrow the selection down to the final 15 mentees.