2026 Workplace Leaders Top 50: Polly Plunket-Checkemian

The Workplace Leaders Top 50 list has been announced and with the celebration event taking place at London's Hurlingham Club this summer, we sat down with 2026 winner Polly Plunket-Checkemian, Senior Director at Aletheia.

How did you get into the workplace and FM industry?

I came to it midway through my career.  I’d been working in real estate, as an asset manager and a property manager, and in those roles had been increasingly exposed to occupiers and the demand-side of the industry.  

In those days, the relationship between ‘landlord’ and ‘tenant’ had friction and hierarchy and not enough shared objectives and partnership. I wanted to change that.

What does it mean to you to be recognised as a Workplace Leaders Top 50?

I’m inordinately grateful.  In choosing to work at the intersection of ownership, management and occupation, my work has always taken place behind the scenes realigning, brokering, and finding solutions which enable all parties to realise their objectives.  

It’s meant that profile rather falls by the wayside, so this recognition is deeply felt.

What is your favourite part of being in the workplace industry?

Seeing the extraordinary talent it has. It’s a place for people who want to make a lasting difference for the work lives of others, and that’s special.

Tell us an interesting fact that no one knows about you?

I’m back at university, coming to the end of a part time degree in Sustainability and Behaviour Change. That’s been gamechanging!

If you weren’t working in the workplace or FM industry, what would you be doing?

Part of a river clean up task force.

What does it take to be a workplace leader?

Communication skills and deep resilience.  80% of the job is comms upwards, sideways and across the organisation, its stakeholders and supply chain.  

The ability to communicate with agility, simplicity and urgency of the value of workplace unlocks budget and performance.  

Resilience is needed to respond to the demands of a corporate environment where external factors and internal changes constantly change the system you’re dealing with.

To read more about the Workplace Leaders Top 50, see here: https://www.theworkplaceevent.com/workplace-leaders-top-50