Around £150bn worth of investment opportunities are set to be showcased and discussed at UKREiiF (The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum) this May as towns, cities, and counties across the UK look to meet investors and developers to bring forward sustainable and inclusive growth within their regions.
Almost 12,000 domestic and international attendees will head to Leeds in May 2024 for a three-day event where UK cities and regions will highlight opportunities and ambitions across numerous sectors, including housing, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, technology, healthcare, energy, retail and high streets, infrastructure, leisure, and hospitality, industrial, and more.
With over 30 stages, the event has brings a mixture of content, activity, and fringe events together to create an inspiring and creative way to make connections, tackle challenges in the sector, and create investment opportunities to drive inclusive and sustainable prosperity across the UK.
Leading industry event
Launched in 2022, the event is held over three days and brings together the public and private sectors, with all of the UK’s cities and regions represented alongside the UK Government and the numerous governmental departments. Over 700 speakers will be involved across 30 stages, with speakers already confirmed including The Rest Is Politics stars Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, in addition to the Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Kerry McCarthy. Mayors from numerous devolved authorities have already announced they’ll be attending, including Mayor Tracy Brabin of West Yorkshire, Mayor Oliver Coppard of South Yorkshire, and Nik Johnson of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Having grown from 3,500 attendees in 2022 to 7,500 in 2023, the event in 2024 is set to attract over 12,000 to Leeds. In addition to 12,000 attendees, the event is set to attract a further 3,000 people to the city to enjoy the fringe events across the city, with £20m set to be generated for the local Leeds community. The event generated £2.25m in social impact in 2023 for the local economy.
Facilitation and investment
The event has already been lauded across the UK by many cities and regions, with Torbay Council recently confirming a major £100m investment into the seaside destination, which is set to create jobs, homes, and revitalise the leisure offering in the region, all happening directly because of the event. In addition to this, there are several other schemes totalling over £500m of investment known to be in the pipeline across other cities following direct facilitation and introductions at the event.
During UKREiiF, international and domestic investors, developers, and occupiers will be invited to meet and greet UK cities and regions to understand their requirements and see if there are any natural collaborations and partnerships that can be brought forward.
High praise
The sudden emergence of UKREiiF as Europe’s fastest-growing real estate and built environment event comes with much high praise from senior figures in the industry:
President of international investors Amro Partners said: “UKREiiF tells me that the UK is open to business, and as an investor, that is a fantastic message. The event brings together government ministers and officials, people from Whitehall, local authorities, investors, and developers; it’s a phenomenal representation of the real estate sector.”
Alan Denby, Director of Pride in Place at Torbay Council, added: “Being at UKREiiF has enabled Torbay to have discussions with investors, developers, and occupiers, and from these discussions we’ve announced the preferred development partner to work with us on four key development sites worth over £100m to the local community, and that investment is a direct result of being involved in UKREiiF.”
Alastair Campbell, Former Director of Communications for No. 10 Downing Street, said: “UKREiiF brings together all the different parts of the equation that are needed to regenerate regions and the economy successfully. And it’s changing people’s views of the industry world.”
Greg Ward, Principal Regeneration Office for Economic Development at North Northamptonshire Council commented: “I was unsure of the opportunities UKREiiF would bring, but I decided to attend, and our council was pleasantly surprised. There were a lot of learnings to have, but the dedicated investment and development facilitation sessions were excellent, in which we had five prospects come from this, which has led to follow-up meetings in North Northamptonshire.”
International delegates
Around 1,500 delegates are expected from overseas, including a trade delegation from Asia headed up by the Department for Business and Trade. European capital investors and developers will be in attendance, attracted by the strength of the UK’s market, especially in new and emerging sectors such as Agri-Tech, Life Sciences, Aerospace, EV and Data Centres.
International cities and regions are also signed up, with those registering early including Illinois State, New York Economic Development Corporation, Choose Paris, Business Iceland, and the Municipality of Genoa, with many more set to announce their attendance as they look to share best practices amongst UK regions while sharing their own case studies and success stories.
Numerous speakers have been confirmed, including senior figures from the public sector and government, including:
- Kerry McCarthy MP – Shadow Minister for Climate Change
- Cllr Liam Robinson – Leader of Liverpool City Council
- Rachel Fisher – Deputy Director at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Cllr Satvir Kaur – Leader of Southampton City Council
- Duncan Wilson OBE – Chief Executive at Historic England
- Natalie Forrest – Senior Responsible Officer for New Hospital Programme, NHS
- Cllr Alan White – Leader of Staffordshire County Council
- Cllr Claire Holland – Leader of London Borough of Lambeth
- Robin Dobson – Group Property Director at Network Rail Property
- Graeme Craig – Chief Executive of Places for London (formerly Transport for London Property)
- Ludo Tolu – Deputy Director at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Cllr Bev Craig – Leader of Manchester City Council
- Amanprit Arnold – Property X-Change Lead at Greater London Authority
- Lara Newman – Chief Executive of LocatED (Department for Education)
- Michelle Humphreys – Director of Strategy Projects at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- Sarah Shaw – Head of Planning at Glasgow City Council
- Mark Bourgeois – Interim Chief Executive of Government Property Agency
- San Ting Gilmartin – Director of Capital Planning and Developments at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
- Mel Barrett – Chief Executive of Nottingham City Council
- Ahmed Goga – Director at Great South West
- Roger Mendonca – Chief Executive of Midlands Engine
- John Wilkinson – Director at Western Gateway
- Dr Richard Hutchins – Managing Director of the Oxford to Cambridge Pan-Regional Partnership
- Clare Hayward MBE – Chair, NP11
- Charlotte Goy – Chief Executive of Destination Lincolnshire
- Dipti Patel – Corporate Director of Place at London Borough of Harrow
- Deborah Cadman OBE – Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council
- Kate Willard OBE – Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board
- Julia Prescot – Deputy Chair of the National Infrastructure Commission
- Tom Riordan – Chief Executive of Leeds City Council
- Andy Williams – Director of Investment at Coventry City Council
- Sarah Horden – Chair of the NHS Homes Alliance
- Becca Heron – Strategic Director for Growth and Development at Manchester City Council
- Mayor Tracy Brabin – West Yorkshire Combined Authority
- Mayor Nik Johnson – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
- Dame Linda Pollard – Chair of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Jonathan Martin – Director of Inward Investment at London Borough of Waltham Forest
- Ben Still – Managing Director of West Yorkshire Combined Authority
- Pat Richie CBE – Chair of Government Property Agency
- Cllr Kay Mason Billig – Leader of Norfolk County Council
- Lord Iain McNicol, Vice-Chair of the APPG for ESG
- Amira Amzour – Deputy Director for Water Strategy and Environment at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- James Heath – Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission
- Lord Andrew Stunell, Vice-Chair of the APPG for Healthy Homes and Buildings
- Angela Barnicle – Chief Officer for Asset Management and Regeneration at Leeds City Council
- Paul Richards – Director of Development and Regeneration at Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
- Amy Butterworth – Chief Executive Officer at Make It Happen Birkenhead
- Mayor Paul Dennett – Salford City Council
- Kate Kennally – Chief Executive of Cornwall Council
- Maria Machancoses – CEO at Midlands Connect
- Mayor Oliver Coppard – South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
- Ravi Chand CBE – Senior Responsibility Officer at the Cabinet Office
- Prof Julienne Meyer CBE – Chair of the Older People’s Housing Taskforce at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
- Charlotte Glazier – Programme Manager for Greening the Public Realm at the London Borough of Islington
- Lord Richard Best OBE – Co-Chair of the APPG for Housing and Care for Older People
- Lydia Lee – Assistant Director for Culture and Regeneration at London Borough of Bromley
- Caroline Pillay – Interim Director of Regeneration and Development at London Borough of Newham
- Alice Lester MBE – Operational Director for Regeneration, Growth and Employment at London Borough of Brent
- Matin Miah – Assistant Director of Development and Economy at London Borough of Barnet
- Kate Josephs – Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council
- Donna Nolan – Chief Executive of Watford Borough Council
- Melissa Roman Burch – Chief Operating Officer at New York City Economic Development Corporation
- Garry Taylor – Assistant Director for Major Projects at Hull City Council
- Jason McEwen – Deputy Director for Real Estate and Capital Investment at Government Property Agency
- Jane Meek – Assistant Director for Thriving Place and Investment at Cumberland Council
- Amy Harhoff – Corporate Director for Regeneration, Economy and Growth at Durham County Council
In addition, the private sector is set to feature heavily, with the first confirmed speakers including:
- Jeremy Wrathall – Founder and CEO of Cornish Lithium
- Sarah Windrum – Future Mobility Cluster Lead at HORIBA MIRA
- Gerraint Oakley – Executive Director of Growth and Development at Platform Housing Group
- Michelle Lewis – Director at Essar Group
- Lohan Presencer – Chairman of Minister of Sound
- Emma Cariaga – Head of Residential at British Land
- Stephanie Hyde – Chief Executive at JLL
- Honor Barratt – Managing Director at Birchgrove
- Shuen Chan – Head of ESG at Legal and General
- Melanie Leech CBE – Chief Executive of British Property Federation
- Damien Sharkey – Managing Director of HUB
- Gemma Bourne – Investment Director at Big Society Capital
- Lynda Shillaw – Chief Executive Officer at Harworth Group
- Rebecca Milne – Transformation and Operations Lead for Workplace Solutions at Haleon
- Shivani Goolab – Director at Investec
- Bay Downing – Investment Director at Downing Group
- Tom Almas – Joint Founder and CEO at Wizu Workspace
- Jo Barnes – Managing Director at Sewell Estates
- Anna Strongman – CEO at Oxford University Development
- Nicola Shaw CBE – Chief Executive at Yorkshire Water
- Olaide Oboh – Executive Director at Socius
- Andrew Taylor – Planning Director for Countryside Vistry
- Imogen Ebbs – Head of UK Funds at Aviva Investors
- Clare Miller – Chief Executive at Clarion Housing
- Tony O’Brien – UK Development Director at Travelodge
- Hayley Rees – Managing Director of Pension Insurance Corporation
- Shane Paull – Chief Operating Officer at McCarthy Stone
- Tim Seddon – Development Director at Retirement Villages Group
- Sarah Jones – CEO of Anchor Hanover
- Ben Rosewall – Head of Investment for Later Living at Legal and General
- Nick Sanderson – CEO at Audley Group
- Katerina Papavasileiou – Director of ESG at Federated Hermes
- Paul Pavia – Head of Development at MEPC
- Nikki Bains – Head of Planning, Transport and Strategy at Birmingham Airport
- Samantha O’Dwyer – Managing Director at Cornwall Airport Newquay
- John Irving – Chief Executive of Liverpool John Lennon Airport
- Charles Crowe – Managing Director and Head of UK Investment at PGIM
- Isobel Dench – Associate Director at Intermediate Capital Group
- Erin Peart – Director of Campus at Northumbria University
- Nicola Cameron – Director of Property Joint Ventures at University of Glasgow
- James Dunne – Head of Operational Real Estate at abrdn
- Prakash Krishnamurthy – Director at IHG Hotels and Resorts
- Lloyd Lee – Managing Partner at Yoo Capital
- James Craddock – Managing Director at SEGRO
- Alison Dowett – Managing Director for Planning and Policy at Berkeley Group
- Paul Brocklehurst – Chair of the Land, Planning and Development Federation
- Nora Senior CBE – Chair of the East Midlands Freeport
- Kate Howe – Development Director at Tritax Symmetry
- Edmond Leahy – Head of Estates at Evri
- Tony Mannix – Strategic Advisor for Retail Logistics at GXO
- Rachael Dennis – Chief Executive of InCommunities
- Yvonne Westhead-Fyles, Director of Development at Livv Housing
- Phil Marsden – Director of Projects at Muse
- Chris Santer – Fund Manager for Positive Impact Investments at Schroders
- Jackie Sadek – Chair of the UK Innovation Corridor
- Sandi Rhys Jones – President at CIOB
- Brett Ormrod – Net Zero Carbon Lead at LaSalle Investment Management
- Shamez Alibhai – Managing Director and Head of Community Housing at MAN GPM
- Matt Webster – Head of Environmental Sustainability at British Land
- Yohance Harper – Partner at Quadrant Estates
- Charles Royce – Executive Director at AEW
- Mark Williams – Executive Director at RivingtonHark
- Ami Kotecha – Co-Founder and Group President at Amro Partners
- DJ Dhananjai – Head of Living at Royal London Asset Management
- Gemma Smith – Chief Executive at Strata Homes
To find out more, visit www.ukreiif.com
