When most people think back to their student days, they will have memories of dingy apartments with peeling paint and well-worn furniture. To the delight of many, Scape Australia has flipped the script with its bright, modern and intelligently designed spaces, offering unparalleled convenience and comfort for university students across the country.

Since taking over as CEO in 2020, Anouk Darling has led the company through a remarkable growth phase, with revenue increasing by 277 percent, expanding to 800 employees and 38 properties with over 18,000 beds.

“I am deeply passionate about transforming the way we live,” Darling tells The CEO Magazine. “The chance to create living and learning environments that positively influence our residents, our team and the wider community was a key motivator for me to take on the role of CEO.”

The mother of three sees this as phenomenal opportunity as Scape’s first female CEO, as a senior female in the wider property industry and as an executive on multiple boards. “In all of these capacities, I have a responsibility as a role model, champion and advocate for not only the current generation but also future generations of leaders, and I take this responsibility incredibly seriously,” she says.

Darling’s achievements in transforming student accommodation have resulted in her being awarded CEO of the Year Property Development & Real Estate at The CEO Magazine’s 2024 Executive of the Year Awards.

Exceeding expectations

For Darling, student accommodation is about curating environments that create positive and impactful experiences for everyone. This is apparent not just from attractive social areas, recreation facilities, a packed events calendar and multipurpose study spaces, but the attention given to student wellbeing.

“We are constantly evolving our built environments so that our residents can realize their potential,” she says. “This involves not only providing high-quality accommodation but also overlaying pastoral care that prioritizes their wellbeing. The student experience extends beyond shelter; it encompasses support, care and opportunities for personal growth.”

One of Scape’s recent initiatives in this area includes the launch of ScapeSafe Hub, a network of tech-enabled human support staff, providing remote monitoring as well as in-person oversight by designated team members at all Scape locations. This service allows for rapid responses to incidents and welfare support needs, representing a strategic investment in resident and staff safety, wellbeing and operational efficiency.

And these investments have benefits beyond just comfort and safety, Darling explains.

“Our ‘Gen Z Wellbeing Index’, a sector-leading study delivered for the second year in 2024, shows that Scape residents are more likely to enjoy better physical and mental health, improved sleep, healthier diets and stronger friendships,” she says. “Proving that purpose-built student accommodation, when executed well, can significantly enhance a young person’s life.”

Scape is continuously measuring and tracking its progress so that it can improve its offerings and remain at the forefront of the industry.

“We understand that our brand evolves with each experience… As it stands today, through our ‘Kantar Brand Study’, we are extremely proud to be sitting in as first choice in the market, having moved up two positions over the last two years,” she adds.

‘The Earth’s Best Living Company’

In addition to providing exceptional experiences for students, Darling is also focused on making Scape an amazing organization for its employees and wider society.

“I have always believed in leading with purpose, aligning to an ambitious vision that gives people a reason to believe. As the CEO of Scape, I have been fortunate to set our bold vision to be The Earth’s Best Living Company,” she says.

Several ways Scape has been working toward this goal include its actions during the COVID-19 pandemic when it housed over 3,500 Afghani evacuees who were airlifted from Kabul. During the same period, Scape also provided accommodation for people who were in a high-risk boarding house environment and helped students who were stranded.

The company also invests heavily in employee engagement and learning, helping ensure employees are positive about the company and, crucially, share their positive experiences.

“Our team members are our brand ambassadors,” Darling says with a smile. “We support their wellbeing, reflecting our commitment to their success through initiatives such as ‘Bueller’ Day in October, where employees get to take a day for themselves – Ferris Bueller style.

“We also run a program called EScape, where team members have access to our properties at no charge in every state for five nights a year.”

Darling is also a champion of diversity, playing a pivotal role in ensuring that Scape has an innovative and impactful diversity, equity and inclusion strategy in place.

“I am immensely proud to see the profound progress we have made in this space,” she says. “We recently had the tremendous honor of being recognized as an Inclusive Employer 2023–2024 by the Diversity Council of Australia and are currently a finalist in the AFR Most Innovative Companies award.

“These achievements underscore our exceptional efforts in exceeding the National Index Benchmark in critical areas such as awareness, engagement, and fostering an inclusive organizational climate. It reflects our commitment to inclusive leadership, building diverse teams and validating our ongoing efforts to create a truly inclusive and forward-thinking environment at Scape.”