BIRMINGHAM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / October 16, 2025 / Building on its highly successful debut last year, the Women in CPO Midlands event made a strong return for its second year, continuing to champion and support women in the surveying profession.

Led by Theresa Tschainer, Senior Associate at Chartered Surveyor Bruton Knowles, the inspiring Birmingham-based event brought together 16 women from across the sector to share experiences and expertise and explore ways to make real change.

The surveying industry has historically been and continues to be male dominated despite progress being made. In fact, the latest data from RICS found that only 18% of Chartered Surveyors are women and among membership grades, only about 4% of female members are Fellows (FRICS) in comparison to 16% of male members.

With this in mind, Theresa founded the Midlands Women in CPO (Compulsory Purchase Order) group in 2024, with the aim to create a network of peers, information sharing and mentoring to encourage collaboration, professional growth, and greater representation of women in the sector.

The Midlands group forms part of the wider Women in CPO community, which was established in 2024 and now brings together nearly 300 members across the UK.

The community hosts regular online webinars and in-person meet-ups, including the Midlands September event held at the Birmingham office of law firm Browne Jacobson. The session featured keynote talks from Isabella Buono, Barrister at Landmark Chambers, and May Beaney, Senior Associate at Bruton Knowles, who shared insights and experiences from the world of compensation.

Theresa commented: “I was delighted to see such a strong turnout for our second in-person event, which created a really welcoming atmosphere that encouraged discussion, connection and collaboration.

“The focus of the afternoon was on compensation, with two excellent speakers sharing their perspectives on recent cases and tribunal decisions, and what these mean in practice. I was particularly proud to see my Bruton Knowles colleague May, bringing real clarity to complex cases, supported by Isabella’s expertise which added a strong legal dimension to the topic. The session offered a mix of professional viewpoints that sparked lively discussions and engagement. 

“Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendees sharing that it was ‘very inspiring to be in a room with such knowledgeable women’ and highlighted the value of having ‘a safe space to ask questions’. For me, these words demonstrate the real value of the Women in CPO community: providing an environment where women can share expertise and experiences, build confidence and support one another.

“There is a clear appetite for this kind of forum, and the high attendance, enthusiasm, and positive responses exemplify the real need for networks that boost women’s voices and perspectives within our sector.”

With this momentum, Theresa is already looking ahead to the next Midlands Women in CPO in-person meet-up, planned for the coming months. If you would like to find out more about the group and upcoming events, please contact Theresa at Theresa.Tschainer@brutonknowles.co.uk.