Breaking the glass ceiling in ASEAN real estate

IN a male dominated industry, Lobien Realty Group (LRG) chief executive officer Sheila Lobien has proven she can be on a par with or even better than her male counterparts in the local real estate industry.

In less than a decade, the University of the Philippines alumna  has established herself as the face and voice of commercial real estate in the Philippines. Through her leadership, LRG has risen to become one of the country’s most respected real estate advisory firms, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global brokerage companies.

Lobien has recently been honored with the prestigious ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN) Award, recognizing her exceptional contributions to entrepreneurship, leadership, and the advancement of women professionals across the ASEAN region. It stands as one of the region’s most respected distinctions for women in business. It celebrates leaders who demonstrate resilience, innovation, and meaningful impact in their industries and communities, qualities that have defined Lobien’s career and leadership.

Held during the Pinnacle Entrepreneur Forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on November 21, 2025, the ceremony was presided over by H.E. Sun Chanthol, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Council for Development, with nearly 1,000 entrepreneurs and business leaders in attendance.

Speaking to BusinessMirror, Lobien hopes  her award should inspire more Filipinas to break more glass ceilings, strive for empowerment and continue the journey to global excellence. “Just last week, I was with some foreign clients and they shared how very satisfied they were with how LRG serviced their office requirements after months of grueling legwork and negotiations,” says Lobien.

“Women should not be shy in claiming spaces that are deemed off-limits to them—if we need to insist, strive and fight for that inch, we need to do it. Our limit should be our dreams,” Lobien adds.

In less than a decade, the University of the Philippines alumna has transformed the landscape of real estate consultancy in the Philippines. She founded Lobien Realty Group, which quickly rose to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with established global brokerage companies.

The milestone is a fitting recognition of Lobien’s remarkable journey as an entrepreneur, a formidable leader in a traditionally male-dominated industry, and a fervent advocate for women’s professional advancement across the ASEAN region.

Under her dedicated professional leadership, Lobien’s core team has been instrumental in leasing out a vast amount of office and commercial space in key Philippine business districts. Moreover, Lobien’s ability to compete and thrive as the CEO of one of the very few female-led commercial estate brokerages of its stature demonstrates the resilience and high-level capability of women in high-stakes business environments.  By building the LRG brand, Lobien’s entrepreneurial success is a powerful narrative, proving that vision and competence transcend gender barriers.

Championing women empowerment in ASEAN

Lobien’s contributions extend far beyond the boardroom of LRG. Her most significant impact lies in her active, vocal, and structural efforts to advance the careers and businesses of women professionals, particularly across the ASEAN community.

She challenges the narrative that women must choose between career and family, instead advocating for a work-life balance that recognizes all aspects of a woman’s life.

Lobien firmly believes that true empowerment is translating one’s strength into service for family, community, and organizational growth. Her own journey, juggling the demanding role of a CEO with personal commitments, serves as a beacon of inspiration, showing the younger generation that success is possible through competence, integrity, and resilience.

Lobien is a dedicated leader and adviser in the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP Ph) and the Women Business Council. Crucially, she chairs the Women in Business Committee of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP). In this capacity, she actively develops and implements initiatives focused on mentoring and networking; promoting diversity; and creating safe spaces.

Lobien’s team hails the ASEAN-level award because it crystallizes their belief that they are doing their jobs correctly and with excellence.

“The AWEN award is particularly special for me because of three reasons: it is a regional/ASEAN level award so the probability of being chosen is almost nil because the scope is quite large; it is exclusive for women entrepreneurs which underscores the realization of how hard it is to be an entrepreneur, more so if you are a woman and even more challenging is that the real industry is considered to be a male-dominated business; and it is a recognition, in a way, of my LRG team’s achievements as we have thrived together through thick and thin, including the ill-effects of the pandemic.”

The article is found here:
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/12/02/breaking-the-glass-ceiling-in-asean-real-estate/