Interview with Jasmine Dillon, Managing Director of Marketing, Community & Experience at Hines

Jasmine, Hines has a long-standing legacy in global real estate. Could you tell us more about your role and how your team is shaping the firm’s vision in today’s rapidly evolving market?

As MD of Marketing, Community & Experience at Hines, my role is about bridging the commercial with the customer. We're shaping spaces and stories that reflect not only where the market is heading but where people want to be. Real estate is no longer just about location and price per square foot – it's about creating experiences that align with modern values, from sustainability and social impact to wellbeing and human connection.

You’re currently delivering The Round, London’s first £2bn wellness village on the Southbank. What inspired this concept, and how does it reflect the shifting priorities of today's property buyers and tenants?

The Round is born from a recognition that wellness is no longer a niche – it’s an essential. Younger generations are demanding environments that support holistic health, meaningful community, and purpose-led design. From circadian lighting to biophilic elements and socially conscious amenities, The Round is a response to that – a blueprint for what future-forward living and working should look like.

We’re seeing a growing influence from Gen Z and Gen Alpha on everything from tech to wellness. How are these generations shaping the future of real estate - especially in terms of design, amenities, and community?

They’re reshaping everything. These generations are digital natives yet crave real-world connections, so our spaces must support both. Design must be fluid – places to retreat, recharge, and gather. Amenities are wellness-focused, and community-building isn’t an add-on – it’s integral. They value meaningful design and expect spaces to reflect their ethics and identity.

The idea of ‘wellness’ has moved far beyond spas and fitness centres. What does wellness mean in the context of modern real estate, and how are you incorporating that into your developments?

The role of real estate is critical – people spend most of their time at home or in the office, so the spaces we create and develop play the most important role in wellbeing. Where we spend the majority of our day will have a far greater impact on our well-being than the 45 minutes spent at the gym. Wellness today is about the full human experience. It’s how light supports sleep, how nature calms the nervous system, and how environments help us feel seen, safe, and supported. We’re integrating this from the ground up – in materials, lighting, acoustics, layout, and programming. It’s no longer just ‘nice to have’ – it’s non-negotiable.

Given the scale and ambition of The Round, how do you balance the demands of sustainability, luxury, and long-term liveability in one project?

It comes down to one idea: responsibility. Luxury today means thoughtful, enduring design. Sustainability isn’t just certifications – it’s embedded operations, local sourcing, and legacy thinking. We design for life – not trends. Our goal is to create spaces that feel as good in 30 years as they do on day one.

There’s a massive intergenerational wealth transfer on the horizon. How do you see this impacting the expectations of UHNW families and property investors - especially in terms of what younger stakeholders value?

Younger stakeholders bring different priorities – wellness, social purpose, and environmental accountability. They’re asking: what’s the impact of this space? How does it reflect our values? We’re seeing UHNW families more attuned to these questions, guided by the younger generation’s vision of legacy: not just financial, but social and ecological too.

How do you think “pester power” is influencing decision-making at the top end of the market? Are Gen Z voices really affecting what ultra-high-net-worth families build, buy, or invest in?

Absolutely. Gen Z are advisors now – influencing everything from design ethos to ESG scrutiny. Their voices are reshaping conversations around authenticity, well-being, and impact.

What role does storytelling and brand narrative play in the marketing of developments like The Round? Especially when appealing to such a values-driven, design-conscious generation?

Storytelling is everything. It’s how we translate values into experience. For a generation attuned to greenwashing and inauthenticity, a strong narrative rooted in truth, culture, and community is key. The Round’s story is not about prestige – it’s about purpose. That’s what resonates.

As someone driving the place vision for one of the most ambitious developments in the UK, how do you stay ahead of cultural and market trends? Are there particular voices, reports, or data sets that inform your strategy?

At Hines, we benefit from being involved in a huge number of ground up developments and managing a wide variety of buildings and places all around the world, so we have access to a huge amount of insights on customer experience and future design trends. We listen as much to grassroots as to global. Smaller studios, cultural hubs, B Corps – they often set the tone for what’s coming next. We look to academic research, ESG data, and youth-focused insights, but we also speak directly to communities, creators, and changemakers. The best intel is lived experience.

Finally, what excites you most about the future of cities like London? And how do you see projects like The Round contributing to its next chapter as a global hub for luxury, wellness, and innovation?

London’s superpower is its cultural energy – and that’s increasingly driven by purpose.  
London has always been super strong on community across our many diverse neighbourhoods, but that’s been harder to find in the city. I think the transformation of some of our more central neighbourhoods over the last few years, with thoughtful mixed-use destinations, has really changed that, and we’re seeing more connection between living and working, which is supporting more community creation and driving more innovation. With The Round, we will connect community and corporates and help to redefine what it means to live well in a city – blending luxury with livability, and wellbeing with community.