Returning to one of the standout moments of the Facilities Management Awards 2026, held last 11th March at the Radisson Blu, Royal Convention Centre, Dublin, Catalina Farcasanu of Qualitas Property Partners was named winner of the Women in Facilities Management Award, a recognition that celebrated her confident, forward-focused approach to FM leadership and the tangible transformation she has delivered across Qualitas's property and facilities management operations in Ireland.

Catalina Farcasanu has led an integrated transformation at Qualitas Property Partners that brings together property management and in-house FM operations under a unified, people-centred approach. At its core is a clear ambition: to make facilities management at Qualitas smarter, more transparent, and more accountable, in ways that are felt not just internally but by the residents and clients whose experience depends on how well the estate is managed. The introduction of QR-enabled reporting has streamlined how issues are logged and tracked, while a transparent compliance library with real-time client visibility has given stakeholders direct access to the governance information they need, removing the ambiguity that has historically created friction in property and FM relationships.

The decision-first review framework Catalina introduced reflects a management philosophy grounded in clarity and accountability. Rather than allowing recurring issues to cycle through the system without resolution, this approach prioritises structured review of the decisions that drive service delivery, enabling faster responses, higher within-SLA completion rates, fewer recurring faults, and a measurably calmer estate environment. The results speak to an operational intelligence that is rare in facilities management at this scale.

The judging panel noted the way in which Catalina has woven AI-assisted tools into a fundamentally people-centred model, ensuring that technology serves the humans on both sides of the FM relationship rather than replacing the judgement and care that good property management requires. That balance is increasingly important as the facilities management sector navigates a rapid technology transition, and Catalina Farcasanu's approach at Qualitas offers a compelling model for how it can be done well.

Her win at the Facilities Management Awards 2026 reflects a standard of FM leadership that raises the bar for governance, compliance, and resident experience across Ireland's property management sector, and positions her as one of the most forward-focused practitioners in Irish facilities management today.

View the full list of winners at fmawards.ie/shortlist, and subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with announcements, finalist updates, and event news.