Future London 2024
BusinessLDN was delighted to host our ‘Future London’ annual conference on 13 June 2024.
London, the ever-evolving city, is diverse, agile and successful. But the often global, sometimes national, instabilities of recent years have taken their toll. London has seen poor productivity growth, high taxation, stretched public services and a cost of living crisis. In this year of mayoral, UK general and international elections we need to put growth centre stage.
We explored the London of tomorrow and examined the key areas that are affecting the ecosystem of our capital city. Through insights provided by some of London’s top organisations and senior business leaders, we discussed:
- How can London retain its competitive edge as the world-leading business capital?
- Where can attractive investment opportunities be found, and who’s leading the charge?
- How does London’s economic ecosystem benefit businesses operating further afield?
- How can business collaboration be utilised more effectively to deliver action where it’s most needed?
- What will the election mean for London?
For further information on Future London 2025, please contact our events team.
30 Euston Square
Mel Allwood
Director Sustainable Buildings, Arup
Mel Allwood is Sustainability Director for Arup London’s Buildings group. She and her team work with a number of the world’s leading property asset owners, investors and developers on net zero carbon strategies at both the portfolio, urban district and individual building level, in London and across the world. An environmental engineer and chartered environmentalist, Mel and her team have a reputation for innovative and market-leading use of sustainability strategies, and have achieved a number of UK and global ‘firsts’ in the field of sustainable building certification.
John Anderson
Chief Investment Officer, Imperial College London
John has enjoyed a long and central role in the Financial Strategy of Imperial College including: Multiple private bond placements; the IP exploitation journey from wholly owning Imperial Innovations, to the flotation of Touchstone Innovations to the merger with IP Group; Multi Asset Investment Management of the Endowment from £50m as at 2000 to over £500m in 2023; and the co-development of aligned Real Estate opportunities including the Grad Pad Postgraduate student accommodation platform, I-Hub and Scale Space as true co-location facilities and the emergence of a genuine and inclusive White City Innovation District in North West London.
Peter Arnold
UK Chief Economist, EY
Peter Arnold is the Chief Economist at EY in the UK & Ireland providing knowledge, analysis and insight to help businesses and governments understand the economic environments in which they operate. He leads EY’s Economic Advisory policy team and has over 20 years of experience in advising public and private sector clients, both in the UK and internationally, on economics, policy, competition and regulation. Peter is the sponsoring partner for EY’s Economics for Business Programme which includes the EY ITEM Club, the UK’s leading independent economic forecast, and EY’s Attractiveness Surveys, recognised as a leading independent analysis of FDI performance. Peter started his career at PWC, having graduated from the London School of Economics, and spent time at Ofcom the UK’s communications regulator, before joining EY in 2004.
Claudio Bizzaglia
Project Management & Engineering Director, Iris Ceramica Group
Claudio Bizzaglia is Sales Engineering Director at Iris Ceramica Group, where he is in charge of engineering innovative solutions integrated to the ICG ceramic surfaces, project management, regulations and B2B project collaborations. Claudio has many years of international working experience in the ceramic field, carried out in several geographical areas, including Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa, working with product research and development, design, certificationsand regulations, quality system, and collaborations with customers, institutes and universities, especially in Europe and USA. Furthermore, he participated in the negotiation and development of bilateral regulatory convergence agreements between governments, chambers of commerce and industry associations of various countries, especially between the USA and Brazil. Mr. Bizzaglia has been also president of the ISO TC189 technical-scientific international committee who is responsible for the development of ISO standards for the ceramic sector. He still participates at the working groups of the ASTM, ANSI and ISO international committees. He is a degreeas chemical engineer, and is fluent in Italian, English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Julie Carlyle
London Office Managing Partner, EY
Julie has over 25 years of experience working with boards of UK and global businesses – FTSE listed, large PE-backed and private companies. Julie works across disciplines and sectors but has a particular passion for the dynamic consumer market, working with many global consumer brands. Julie is the UK EY Centre for Board Matters Leader and London Office Managing Partner at EY. She is at the forefront of the board agenda including investor priorities/stewardship and the desire for business to create long term value for a range of stakeholders across society. She is passionate about progressing diversity on the boards of today and tomorrow.
Laura Citron
Chief Executive, London & Partners
Laura Citron is CEO of London & Partners, business growth and destination agency for London. Laura leads London & Partners in its mission is to create economic growth that is resilient, sustainable and inclusive. She runs inward investment and trade for the capital, supporting thousands of innovative businesses to grow in London and internationally. She leads London’s tourism industry to develop the destination and win visitors and events, including the Let’s Do London campaign and VisitLondon. Laura is a global advocate for London, regularly appearing in international media and events. Laura has been CEO of London & Partners since 2017, leading through both Brexit and covid. Before that she spent nearly a decade at WPP, where she was Managing Director of the Government & Public Sector Practice.
Sean Collins
Chief Executive, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers
Collins has been at the helm of Thames Clippers since the inception of the business in 1999. Today, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers carries over 5 million people each year, employs over 450 people and operates 23 vessels with a further three under construction. Under Collins’ leadership, the business has attracted external investment, most recently from Northleaf Capital Partners who acquired a majority shareholding and are committed to help drive growth with a focus on improving environmental sustainability. With a keen focus on training and development, Collins has instilled a people-first vision. The business has an in-house training academy and 76% of the Captains have worked their way up through the business. Collins began his career aged 16 when he was apprenticed to the Company of Watermen and Lighterman and has served as a Royal Waterman since 2008. Collins has also been National Rowing Champion and represented Great Britain at an international level.
Richard Cook
Group Director of Development, Clarion Housing Group
Richard Cook is the group director of development at Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest social housing provider, where he leads the development business and is responsible for the group’s sustainability strategy. He has a wealth of experience in the property sector spanning 25 years and has overseen the delivery of thousands of new homes each year at Clarion since joining in 2019. Richard was previously at Lendlease where he was responsible for an £8bn portfolio of developments including the £2.5bn Elephant Park regeneration in Southwark, as well as schemes in Manchester, York and Milan. Whilst at Lendlease, Richard was also head of design and build delivery for the London 2012 Olympic Village.
Howard Dawber
Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, Greater London Authority
Howard was appointed Deputy Mayor for Business and Chair of London and Partners in December 2023. Before joining the Mayor’s team, Howard worked in business for thirty years, spending 17 years as Managing Director for Strategy of the Canary Wharf Group. At Canary Wharf, Howard was involved in the development of the Elizabeth Line and supporting the 2012 Olympic Bid and Olympic Legacy as well as commercial inward investment projects in tech, health and life sciences, and financial services. He has been an active member of business organisations including Business LDN, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, TheCityUK and the London Property Alliance. He is a trustee of “The Line” art walk along the River Lea. Formerly Chair of the East End Community Foundation (2013-2022) he is now a patron of the charity, and a patron and former Vice-President of UK Youth. Howard was Chair of the Business Advisory Board for the University of East London School of Business and Law and has been a visiting lecturer at the School. Howard was a Parliamentary Candidate for the Labour Party and is the Chair of Labour Friends of Bangladesh and Labour Friends of USA.
John Dickie
Chief Executive, BusinessLDN
John Dickie is the Chief Executive at BusinessLDN. Formerly the organisation’s Director of Strategy and Policy, he was responsible for the business membership organisation’s public policy development and its member management team. A former Deputy Leader of Camden Council in London, John was a member of the current Mayor of London’s London Finance Commission, the previous Mayor’s Infrastructure Delivery Board and is a member of the King’s College Commission on London. His previous senior roles include Head of Corporate Affairs at the BBC, Regulatory Affairs Director at the European Competitive Telecommunications Association and Managing Director of consultancy Prima Europe, later GPC London, where he provided political and policy advice to major international businesses. John started his career at Swiss Bank Corporation International and has degrees from Oxford University and the London Business School.
Sally Ding
Acting Chief Financial Officer, Heathrow Airport Limited
Sally Ding is Director of Treasury & Corporate Finance at Heathrow Airport. Sally is responsible for setting strategic and sustainable business plan for Heathrow and its financing strategy. She is also responsible for Heathrow’s debt financing and related risk management, corporate finance, insurance as well as treasury operations, systems, compliance and risk management. Sally drives and plays a key role in shaping and delivering Heathrow’s capital structure and financing & insurance strategy particularly as Heathrow moves towards delivering a sustainable expanded Heathrow. Sally joined Heathrow in 2006 and has 20 years of treasury & corporate finance experience. She has a Bachelor degree in Business Law, Masters in Finance, AMCT and is CFA qualified.
Alison Dowsett
Managing Director (Land and Planning), Berkeley Group
Alison joined Berkeley in 2004 as Land Director for St James. In 2014, she was appointed as Managing Director of St William, the joint venture between National Grid and the Berkeley Group. Alison has pioneered the partnership and vision for St William by taking a landscape-led approach to transform previously inaccessible redundant brownfield gasworks sites into beautiful places and reconnecting them with the community. The St William Joint Venture acquired 27 sites from National Grid with the capacity for over 20,000 homes. Alison’s current role is Managing Director, Planning & Policy for Berkeley Group and Chair for Berkeley Strategic. Other Appointments: Alison is a Trustee of the Berkeley Foundation, an independent charitable foundation set up by the Berkeley Group, committed to help young people overcome barriers, improve their lives and build a fairer society.
Ruth Duston OBE
Managing Director, London HQ and Primera Corporation
Ruth is a leading expert in the Business Improvement District (BID) sector, with a 30-year career leading the development of successful place-based partnerships which drive urban regeneration and growth. The design and delivery of regeneration strategies is Ruth’s specialty, combining economic, social and physical developments within a partnership framework. Ruth has a track record of leveraging over £100m of private sector project funding in London, which has been the catalyst for generating more than £6bn of further investment. Having piloted the first BIDs in the UK in the early 2000s, Ruth has established a succession of BIDs and partnerships including in Westminster, Whitehall, Harley Street and the City of London. Ruth’s career began in Central Government and focussed on training, education and economic development across London and the East of England. In 2004 Ruth set up the Primera Corporation to deliver a range of services to the public, private, community and voluntary sectors. In 2018 Ruth was honoured by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by being made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to business. In 2014 was made an Officer of the Order of the Crown, a Belgian honour, following her fundraising for the Flanders Field Memorial Garden which opened at the Guards Museum in London, which Ruth is the Chair of.
Carolyn Dwyer
Strategic Director of Development Growth and Regeneration
Carolyn is a highly experienced Non-Executive Director and is currently on the Board of Jersey Development Company. She has over 30 years of experience in the development sector, including the planning, financing and delivery of major projects, placemaking and development of cultural strategies and programmes. Carolyn is the Strategic Director of Development, Growth and Regeneration at the London Borough of Sutton where her role is to secure smart, sustainable connected development and infrastructure to support inclusive growth. She is a member of the Office of Road and Rail Regulation’s Road Expert Panel and a Commissioner with the National Preparedness Commission. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation, a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and a Liveryman with the Worshipful Company of Paviors. She is also a Member of the Institute of Directors.
Katherine Fleming
Chief Operating Officer, The Northbank BID
Katherine Fleming has over 25 years’ experience in placemaking, large-scale project delivery and supporting businesses in Central London. With a background in Local Government before moving into the Business Improvement District sector, she has extensive experience on both sides of public/private partnership. In her role as Chief Operating Officer of a collective of four large business improvement districts, Katherine oversees the placemaking, communications and strategic planning for the London Heritage Quarter; one of London’s most important districts.
Andy Haigh
Director, Climate Positive Solutions, Grosvenor Property UK
Andy’s work as Director of Climate Positive Solutions ensures that Grosvenor responds to the latest climate science. He is responsible for developing best practice strategy and technical solutions on projects such as science-based targets, environmental resilience, energy efficiency in buildings and embodied carbon in developments. Previously Andy was Senior Sustainability Manager, Canary Wharf Contractors where he achieved board approval for their science-based targets. Before this he held a range of sustainability roles at Sir Robert McAlpine, leading the team between 2017 and 2019, and prior to that worked at Foster + Partners.
Matthew Hamilton
Director, South London Partnership
Director of the South London Partnership Matthew Hamilton was appointed as the Director of the South London Partnership (SLP) in January 2003. SLP provides sub regional co-ordination and delivery of employment and skills programmes for the London Boroughs of Kingston, Croydon, Sutton, Richmond and Merton alongside other work on growth, health, net zero and better connectivity. Prior to this role, Matthew was Head of Improvement Strategy at the Local Government Association and Director of the District Councils’ Network. Matthew has also worked in the Department of Health leading on legislation that created the Care Quality Commission and NHS Constitution, as well as being a Private Secretary to various health ministers.
Gregor Haran
Sustainability Manager, Landsec
As a dedicated professional, I have a deep passion for sustainability in the built environment, a commitment that has defined my career journey. With a background as an environmental designer, I've built my skills over several years, delivering developments with a holistic approach towards achieving net-zero carbon. My expertise extended beyond mere carbon neutrality, encompassing a broader perspective that integrates sustainable strategies to address wider environmental considerations. In my current role at Landsec, I am at the forefront of driving change by aiding in the alignment to their corporate net-zero carbon and sustainability strategy across the entire portfolio. This role has allowed me to apply my knowledge and skills on a larger scale, contributing to a more sustainable future in the corporate landscape.
Rob Heasman
CEO, The Earls Court Development Company
Rob Heasman was appointed as CEO of The Earls Court Development Company in November 2020. Prior to this, Heasman spent a decade at Lendlease including two years as Managing Director of Euston Over Station Development, as development partner for the Department for Transport and Network Rail, bringing forward plans for the UK's most ambitious station destination right in the centre of the capital. Prior to that, for nearly eight years he served as Project Director for the flagship Elephant Park development in Elephant & Castle, where through a strong focus on collaboration with key stakeholders and the local community, he delivered on the early vision to create a place full of life.
Paul Hewlett
Director of Strategy, Workspace Group plc
Paul joined Workspace as Director of Strategy & Corporate Development in 2021. He was previously Executive Director of the UK Investment Banking Real Estate team at J.P. Morgan Cazenove. Paul has over 20 years of Corporate Finance advisory and Corporate Broking experience, advising companies across the real estate sector on corporate strategy and a wide variety of transactions, most notably focused on Mergers & Acquisitions and Equity Capital Markets.
Peter Hogg
London City Executive, Arcadis
Peter is a Chartered Surveyor with thirty-five years of experience delivering major, complex real estate and infrastructure programmes in the UK and globally. He has enjoyed a 26-year career at Arcadis, where he is London City Executive and UK Cities Director. A passionate urbanist and built environmentalist, Peter is a non-executive board member of the CBI and the Thames Estuary Growth Commission, chairs the Places board of the Association of Consultancy & Engineering, and was a commissioner of the post-pandemic London Places Commission. He has worked on some of London’s largest infrastructure projects including Terminal 5, the Jubilee Line Extension and London St Pancras International.
Rachael Hunnisett
Associate Director, Green Finance Institute
Associate Director for Built Environment, Green Finance Institute With over a decade of experience in the financial services sector, starting her career as a mortgage advisor, Rachael has held multiple positions across the finance landscape including business development, national accounts and new build. Rachael is passionate about the role finance plays in creating sustainable, positive social and environmental outcomes for all. Joining the Green Finance Institute in early 2023, Rachael lead the GFI’s Green Mortgage campaign as part of the flagship Built Environment programme and in February 2024 progressed to Associate Director for Built Environment. Rachael is responsible for driving growth, scale and impact across the green home finance market, working with stakeholders from across the public and private sectors.
Antonia Jennings
Chief Executive, Centre for London
Antonia is Chief Executive Officer at the Centre for London – London’s independent think tank, creating solutions-based policy to build a capital which works for all Londoners. Prior to joining the team, Antonia was Associate Director of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), having also worked for the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change and the Economic Change Unit. Throughout this work she has promoted new economic thinking, with expertise across progressive local economic development, deepening democracy and sustainable economics. She was also Chair of the board of Rethinking Economics for five years.
Richard Jones
Account Director, Arcadis
Richard is Northern Cities Executive for Arcadis bringing together the almost two thousand strong business across the North of England to support growth in jobs, homes and skills in and around the great Northern Cities. Richard provides the strategic direction and leadership in the development of urban and city related initiatives, aligning with Arcadis’ global strategy. He fosters relationships with clients, government agencies and industrial partners and contributes to industry though leadership. Richard is one of fifteen Global City Executives and through the global network he is able to bring international expertise and best practise to the UK. He is a Chartered Civil Engineer with almost 30 years’ experience in development planning and specialises in front-end technical advisory and due diligence; development strategies; concept designs; and has provide expert witness evidence. Richard has led many regeneration projects in the UK and internationally, having lived and worked in the Middle East for 4 years.
Vincent Keaveny CBE
Senior Adviser, DLA Piper UK
Vincent Keaveny was Lord Mayor of the City of London in 2021/22. He is a Senior Adviser in the international law firm, and was previously a Partner at DLA Piper advising on finance and debt capital markets transactions in the UK and Europe. In 2014/15 he served as President of the City of London Law Society. He is a graduate of University College Dublin (BCL), Trinity College, Dublin (MLitt), holds a Doctorate of Science (honoris causa) from City, University of London and is an Honorary Bencher of Gray's Inn. Vincent’s Mayoral theme - People and Purpose - championed a purpose led and people focused UK FPS sector. He co-chaired the Socio-Economic Diversity Taskforce and currently chairs Progress Together, the financial services membership body promoting greater socio-economic diversity in the industry. He is senior independent trustee of the Sir John Soane's Museum, a member of the council of Gresham College, a director of Actors Touring Company and chairs the board of the vocal ensemble, Exaudi. Vincent was awarded a CBE and honoured by the Vatican as a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great in 2023.
Daniel Kelly
Commercial Director , Boldyn Networks
Danny is the Commercial Director for Public Sector and Next Generation Infrastructure at Boldyn Networks UK & Ireland, Danny has over 18 years Telecoms & Technology experience in the UK & Ireland whilst also holding global role responsibility for various business lines in his career. Prior to joining Boldyn Danny enjoyed a long tenure at Cable & Wireless and subsequently Vodafone UK where he held various commercial roles and eventually several leadership positions on the Vodafone UK Business Executive Board & Leadership team, through which he establish a deeper understanding of Strategy, Business Development, Commercial and B2B Product whilst simultaneously being exposed to a very many industry verticals as a lead transformation partner to industry Danny's impact has extended beyond conventional telecom services, as a guest faculty member at distinguished institutions, Barts Medical and Imperial Medical College London where Danny has clearly demonstrated his dedication to shaping future leaders and influencing industry dialogues on technology and innovation adoption.
Jason Longhurst
UK Head of Sustainability Investment & Partnerships, Prologis UK Limited
UK Head of Sustainable Investment & Partnerships at Prologis UK, supporting the company’s plans to strengthen its position and commitment to drive sustainable growth opportunities whilst maintaining its leadership as one of the world’s most sustainable corporations. Acting as lead on public, private and trade sector engagement on wide-ranging agenda areas including innovation, market disruption and sustainable economic growth as well as a positively increasing the company’s profile as a world leader in industrial & logistics real estate. Jason is Chair of the UK Business Council for Sustainable Development, he is also a NED advising Clean Growth and Sustainable Development SME innovation companies shaping Net-Zero and Green Economy in the UK. He has held a number of Director/Board positions in both public and private sector organisations including regional development agency, county and unitary bodies, driving growth, investment and sustainable development approaches with industry leaders across multiple sectors. These include national growth programmes unlocking the Humber Energy Bank (offshore energy), the Oxford to Cambridge (OxCamb) Growth Corridor, the City of Bradford national Clean Growth City programme and City of Culture 2025 approach. Current chair of the South East Consortium Housing Sector Workgroup Zero Carbon Challenge, sits on the UK Business Group Alliance for Net Zero and SME Net Zero Working Group for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and chairs UKBCSD Mainstreaming SDGs Board. Continues to supporting cross sector sustainable development and economic growth in the UK.
Andy Lord
Chief Operating Officer, Transport for London
As Commissioner of TfL, Andy is responsible for ensuring the delivery of safe and reliable transport services to keep London moving, growing and to make life in the Capital better for residents, visitors and businesses. He is responsible for delivering the priorities and objectives set out in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy and TfL Business Plan. Andy joined TfL in November 2019, as Managing Director London Underground having started his career with British Airways as a sponsored undergraduate in 1989, gaining an honours degree in mechanical engineering from Manchester University. His career saw him take on roles across engineering, operations and customer service, culminating as Director of Operations and member of the Executive Leadership Team for just over seven years. Prior to joining TfL, Andy was Executive Vice President at Menzies Aviation leading the business and operations for the UK, EMEAI. Andy is also a NED at Defence Equipment and Support.
Paul Lynch
Managing Director, Stagecoach
Paul Lynch is Stagecoach’s Managing Director for London. He has worked in the bus industry for nearly 40 years in various UK locations and overseas, and in different regulatory environments, being instrumental in various groundbreaking partnerships. He joined Stagecoach in 1994 as a result of the privatisation of London Buses and has held MD or equivalent positions for over twenty years. Stagecoach London operates a large number of local bus service contracts on behalf of Transport for London, employing 5,000 staff and carrying over 250 million customer journeys each year. Paul was also recently heavily involved in Stagecoach’s bids in the Manchester bus franchising competitions. He is President of the bus & coach’s trade body, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), in its 50th anniversary year of 2024.
Kingma Ma
UK Managing Director, PT1
Kingma is the UK Managing Director of PT1 VC, a venture capital firm investing in European early stage startups that impact the built environment. He has been investing in this space for the past 5 years, and prior to VC, cofounded his own startup and worked in product mgmt roles at tech startups. He lives in London and is also the Chair of the British Property Federation's technology council.
Craig McWilliam
Chief Executive, The Arch Company
Craig McWilliam became The Arch Company’s Chief Executive Officer in January 2022. The Arch Company is the UK’s largest landlord to small and medium sized enterprises, with a diverse portfolio of approximately 5,200 properties across England and Wales, concentrated in metropolitan areas. He joined after spending a year as Programme Director of the NHS’s new hospitals programme. Prior to this, Craig was Chief Executive of Grosvenor Britain & Ireland from 2017-2020, having joined the business in 2010 as a board member. Prior to Grosvenor, Craig held roles in investment banking and private equity. Craig studied Land Economy at the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of the RICS. Craig is vice chair of the University of Greenwich, chair of Coram’s Fields and Harmsworth Memorial Playground charity and a member of the endowment committees of Church Oxford and St John’s College, Cambridge.
Dr Nicola Millard
Principal Innovation Partner, BT Group
In her long career at BT Dr Nicola Millard has done many jobs, including futurology, research, usability, customer service, marketing, and business consulting. She was involved with some BT firsts, including the introduction of AI into BT’s call centres, initial home working experiments, and helping to develop BT’s “net easy” customer experience metric. She currently looks at human-centred innovation in both employee and customer experience for BT’s business and public sector customers. Nicola is an award-winning presenter, with 2 TEDx talks and hundreds of conference panel, chair and keynote sessions under her belt. She occasionally pops up on radio and TV around the world, including appearances on ‘Woman’s Hour’, ‘Tech Tent’ and ‘Back in Time for the Weekend’ for the BBC. Nicola got her PhD from Lancaster University in 2005, has authored over 50 publications – including 1 book and numerous book chapters - and is a mentor at Cambridge Judge.
Federica Minozzi
Chief Executive Officer, Iris Ceramica Group
With over 25 years of business experience, she took over the role of CEO of the company in 2012, having held other positions of major responsibility in the companies of the family-run multinational. Internationally renowned as a virtuous example for the whole Italian ceramics district, she works constantly to promote environmental sustainability. Her vision and strategic planning, along with her extensive, in-depth knowledge of the subject, have allowed her to create and develop several revolutionary solutions in the ceramics sector. Her actions have always been based on the Group's founding values: innovation, sustainability and excellent quality.
Anna Moore
Founder & Chief Executive, Hestia Homes
Anna is Co-Founder and CEO of Hestia, a turnkey energy efficiency service for housing portfolios. Hestia help people live happier, healthier lives by making energy efficiency easy. They combine software and services — offering (1) predictive stock assessment modelling (2.3bn data points, 98% accuracy), (2) on-site surveying and design, and (3) contracting. Anna is committed to sustainability and the built environment. She sits on the Board of the Built Environment Trust; chairs BusinessLDN’s Retrofit Task Force; sits on the City of London’s Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Task Force; is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Constructors; and works with the Urban Land Institute, the British Property Federation, and the UK PropTech Association. Previously, Anna was a Partner with McKinsey & Company, where she led the firm's UK Construction and Real Estate practice and co-led its European Sustainability Strategy practice. In these roles, she was one of the leaders of McKinsey’s Net Zero Built Environment team and led the global launch of McKinsey’s Sustainable Materials Hub. She was lead author of McKinsey’s research on sustainable value pools, including the $2tn annual market in green construction and real estate.
Patricia Moore
Managing Director, UK, Turner & Townsend
Patricia Moore is the UK Managing Director. Patricia sits on the Turner & Townsend Executive Committee and as UK Managing Director leads a team of 4500+ people servicing clients across Real Estate, Infrastructure, Defence and Natural Resources markets. Patricia’s experience encompasses the whole programme life cycle, she is skilled in business case appraisal, major programme set up, delivery through to commercial close and claims resolution. Patricia joined Turner & Townsend in 1999 and supported clients across a diverse range of projects. In 2015 Patricia was appointed as Managing Director of Turner & Townsend’s UK infrastructure business and in 2018 appointed as the UK Managing Director. A Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Patricia has an MSc in Construction Law and Arbitration and has a Diploma in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors.
Alex Neal
Partner, Gerald Eve LLP
I am a Partner within the Planning and Development team. I have over fifteen years’ experience as a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and provide planning advice for a wide range of mixed use, commercial and residential development proposals. I am a member of the Camden Working Group and the Knowledge Quarter Liaison Group, a group set up by the London Property Alliance alongside senior planning and placemaking officers from Camden Council to share best practice and industry insight among the group to help resolve specific shared challenges across the borough and, in particular, in the Knowledge Quarter and its surrounds. I am currently advising on the Belgrove House development opposite King’s Cross Station, a new-build specialised laboratory and office building which will be home to MSD’s London Discovery Centre and Headquarters.
Keiran Pedley
Research Director, Public Affairs, IPSOS UK
Keiran Pedley is Director of Politics at Ipsos and a leading expert on politics, public opinion and the major trends shaping society. A graduate of the London School of Economic in 2007, Keiran spent his career at a number of different polling firms before joining Ipsos in 2019. At Ipsos, Keiran played a leading role in the successful calling of the 2019 European and General Elections. Since then, whilst focusing on politics and election, Keiran has also led work on public attitudes to the Covid-19 pandemic response, the rising cost of living, various international conflicts and many other issues shaping society. Keiran is regularly called upon by broadcast and print media for his expert take on politics and public affairs. He writes a monthly column for The Evening Standard and is a regular contributor to The I Newspaper.
Jeremy Rees
Chief Executive, ExCel
CEO of ExCeL London since 2018. I believe passionately in the power of face-to-face events as a driver for positive social and economic change. ExCeL hosts 400 world class events per year and welcomes some four million guests to the venue. I am incredibly proud and privileged to lead such an amazing, hardworking, professional team. Since opening in 2000, ExCeL has firmly established itself as the home of world-leading events, as well as being dubbed one the world’s most connected venues – further aided by the recent introduction of the Elizabeth line. It is also the first and only UK venue to be awarded carbon neutral status to the internationally recognised PAS 2060 standards, all part of our wider roadmap to becoming net zero by 2030 and strengthening our community outreach. Under the ownership and close support of ADNEC, we continue to invest in the venue and its wider footprint with a 25,000sqm expansion programme set for 2024. In addition to the events and venue business we also own two hotels on campus ( Aloft Marriott and Hilton Double Tree) and are maximising property development opportunities building nearly 1,000 flats with our JV Partner Mount Anvil.
Syreeta Robinson-Gayle
Head of Affordable Housing, Barratt London
Syreeta Robinson-Gayle is the Head of Affordable Housing for Barratt London, a leading developer in the Capital. With a strong background in housing and urban regeneration, Syreeta has sought to address the affordable housing crisis in London. She is known for her collaborative approach, working closely with RPs, Local Authorities, and the GLA to deliver sustainable and affordable housing solutions. Syreeta has a doctorate in Environmental Engineering, and is a qualified Building Surveyor. She has been actively involved in various initiatives aimed at overcoming the systemic challenges in the housing sector. Her work includes reassessing financial models and funding, advocating for policy reforms, and promoting innovative partnership models to tackle this complex issue. Barratt London have made significant strides in increasing the supply of affordable homes, contributing to the city's efforts to meet its housing targets. Syreeta will continue to work to ensure that future generations of Londoners have a secure and affordable home.
Kate Shoesmith
Deputy Chief Executive, Recruitment & Employment Confederation
Kate has been with the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), the UK professional body for recruitment, since March 2013. The REC sets standards for UK recruiters and provides research insights and thought leadership on the labour market. At the REC, Kate is responsible for campaigns & our work with government, marketing, digital, communications and research. Kate is a spokesperson for the organisation, regularly appearing in the UK media and speaking at conferences to talk about the jobs market, employment and skills. She firmly believes how equal access to better skills development opportunities can empower every individual. Kate has a background in policy and public affairs, in not-for-profit organisations with a focus on skills and employment. She is currently a trustee for the homeless charity and membership organisation, the House of St Barnabas, and is a non-executive for the Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative. In 2023, Kate appeared in the inaugural Top 100 women working in trade associations. She has also previously been a governor for two London further education colleges and an adviser to a number of external forums including Business in the Community, UNESCO Education for All, Youth Employment UK, and Women in Recruitment.
Andy Silvester
Editor, City AM
Andy Silvester has served as editor of City A.M. since 2020, having joined the year before as deputy editor from a leading national newspaper. Prior to that he worked in a number of communications and campaigning roles in Westminster. He was born in south London and live in north London, and is still in therapy to come to terms with the move.
Ged Simmonds
Managing Director, Mace
Ged Simmonds is a forward-thinking construction leader, with a strong drive to succeed and deliver positive change in the industry. Since 2013, he has led Mace’s construction of commercial offices in London, and is now the managing director of Mace’s Private Sector business unit, taking responsibility for the delivery of more than £700m of construction in the city each year; including both new build and retrofit and refurbishment projects for commercial real estate developers and investors across London. His team is leading the way in embedding circular and low-carbon construction practices in the city, working with some of the world’s leading developers to make the built environment more sustainable in delivery and operation; and reducing construction waste. Recently Ged was the business sponsor for Mace’s ‘Closing the Circle’ report, advocating for London to become the global capital of circularity in construction.
Mike Theobald
Head of Energy Transition, WSP
Mike Theobald is the Head of Energy Transition for WSP’s UK business. This role encompasses Renewables, Gas and Hydrogen, Carbon Capture and Storage, Net Zero Energy Systems and Thermal Generation Cycles. He is responsible for business performance, key project sponsorship, growth and strategy across these sectors. In addition to being responsible for a key WSP business segment, a significant part of Mikes role is externally interfacing with policy setting stakeholders and industry bodies. Mike is a frequent speaker across the sector and is routinely called upon to interface with parliamentary groups and closely aligned bodies within the Energy Transition. Mike has been with WSP for 3 years and brings a career of over 30 years leading UK and International projects, programmes, and businesses across a broad range of sectors but predominantly within the Energy and Process industries. He is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer and has worked in EPC Contracting, Consulting and Client organisations.
Tony Travers
Director, London School of Economics
Tony Travers is director of LSE London, a research centre at the London School of Economics. He is also a professor in the LSE’s Government Department and Associate Dean at the LSE’s School of Public Policy. His key research interests include public finance, local/regional government and London’s politics/government. He is a member of the London Partnership Board and was recently a member of the Future of Westminster Commission. In 2012-13 [for Mayor Boris Johnson] and again in 2016-17 [for Mayor Sadiq Khan], he chaired the London Finance Commission and was a member of the City Growth Commission. He co-chaired the King’s Commission on London in 2017-18. He has been an advisor to the House of Commons Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee and has previously advised committees in the Commons and the House of Lords. He is a board member of New Local, an independent think-tank. He is an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy and of the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation. He was a Senior Associate of the Kings Fund from 1999 to 2004, and a member of the Arts Council’s Touring Panel during the late 1990s. From 1992 to 1997, he was a member of the UK government’s Audit Commission. He was a member of the Urban Task Force Working Group on Finance. He chaired the Waltham Forest Growth Commission (2013-14) and was a member of the Mayor of London’s Tottenham Task Force (2011-12). He has published a number of books on cities and government, including Failure in British Government The Politics of the Poll Tax (with David Butler and Andrew Adonis); Paying for Health, Education and Housing How does the Centre Pull the Purse Strings (with Howard Glennerster and John Hills); The Politics of London: Governing the Ungovernable City; London’s Boroughs at 50 and London’s Mayor at 20 [with Jack Brown and Richard Brown].
Cath Webster
Chief Executive, Thriving Investments
Chief Executive Officer, Thriving Investments - Cath Webster Cath leads Thriving Investments (formerly PfP Capital), a niche investment management company that is solely focused on the UK Living Sector and seeks to generate strong returns for its investors by creating thriving communities. Cath’s focus is to increase funds under management alongside the delivery of social value, augmenting the existing fund management platform across high-quality affordable housing, and private-rented residential and urban regeneration strategies. She joined in January 2023 from property development and investment specialist Quintain where she was Executive Director for Strategy and Investment. With 30 years of experience across strategy, investment, and finance within the UK and European real estate markets, she is a commercially minded individual with a broad network combined with an unwavering focus on the delivery of key projects and transactions. Alongside the lead strategic role in business investment and development, Cath seeks to drive sustainability and diversity initiatives and is Co-Chair for the Creative Land Trust, a start-up charitable trust aiming to provide 1,000 permanent, affordable creative studios in London over the next 5 years.
Thomas Woldbye
Chief Executive, Heathrow Airport Limited
Thomas Woldbye took up the role as CEO of Heathrow in October 2023, after 11 years at the helm of Copenhagen airports. As CEO, Thomas is focussed on driving innovation, improved customer service, sustainability and growth at the UK’s hub airport. This includes overseeing the airport’s multi billion pound investment plans to upgrade existing facilities, expand capacity and provide an even better service for passengers. Thomas is a member of His Majesty’s Sustainable Markets Initiative, the BritishAmerican Business Advisory Board and the Jet Zero Council. Under Thomas’s stewardship, Copenhagen Airport was consistently rated as one of the world’s top airports, both in terms of customer and retail experience as well as efficiency and profitability. Previously, Thomas worked for A.P. Møller-Maersk for 27 years. He started his career as a management trainee in 1983, and over the next 20 years, held several management positions in Indonesia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and Denmark.
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Schedule
Thursday, 13 June 2024
8:30am – 9:20am
Arrival, Registration & Networking
9:30am – 10:35am
Session 1: Staying ahead: honing London’s competitive edge
Our first session will explore how the current economic outlook will shape the growth of new sectors and how we attract investment for future success.
9:40am – 10:20am
London as a place to invest
Our expert panel will share their views on London’s current strengths and sources of competitiveness, as well as the issues to address if London is to remain attractive to investors. This session will explore: • The investment location factors that matter to Boards and investors • What London can learn from international best practice • Act now: what politicians and regulators must do to keep London a leading destination for global capital. This session includes live audience Q&A.
10:35am – 11:05am
Refreshments & Networking
11:05am – 12:40pm
Session 2: London, the ever-evolving city
Businesses are having to deal with ever more rapid change: sometimes as innovators, often reacting to disruption. Session 2 opens with a case study from Iris Ceramica as how they’ve lead change to meet the challenges of decarbonisation, followed by a panel discussion that explores the broader learnings to be taken from the construction industry on both driving and dealing with innovation, before splitting into breakout sessions that explore some of the biggest disruptions facing London’s businesses right now.
11:06am – 11:50am
What goes around, comes around: what circular construction can teach us about driving innovation in business
Federica Minozzi, Chief Execuitve of Iris Ceramica Group, will set out how Iris Ceramica has driven innovation against the backdrop of increasing market and regulatory pressures to decarbonise; how success stemmed from holistic construction supply-chain thinking that considered the entire business lifecycle and their clients’ needs; and how being ahead of the curve creates competitive advantage. Our panellists will then discuss how London can deliver circular construction – regenerating, reusing and recycling – to help meet the city’s net zero commitments; and the wider lessons from leading innovation and dealing with disruption here for London businesses. This session includes live audience Q&A.
11:50am – 12:00pm
Session change over
12:00pm – 12:40pm
Breakout session 1 of 3 - Auditorium Basement: Reskilling the capital and creating a workforce fit for the future
Digital transformation and the transition to Net-Zero will create both a dramatic shift in the city’s skills needs and, not least through the deployment of AI, a substantial number of Londoners who will need new skills, either in their existing jobs or as they look for new employment. Our expert panel will look to answer: • What is being done now to soften the skills gap that is coming? • What strategies should organisations adopt to ensure an agile and resilient workforce? • Can the disruption of AI be a force for good that boosts labour market inclusion?
12:00pm – 12:40pm
Breakout session 2 of 3 - G1 Ground Floor: Taking advantage today of the digital connectivity of tomorrow
Digital connectivity has transformed the way individuals, businesses, and societies interact, communicate and operate. Collaboration between the public and private sector remains vital to providing seamless connectivity to London’s citizens and visitors, laying the foundation for data-driven solutions to city-wide challenges. This session will explore some of the current innovative partnerships in play and examine: • What role does connectivity play in laying the foundations for the data driven innovations of the future? •How businesses can benefit from better connectivity to boost productivity and their bottom line.
12:00pm – 12:40pm
Breakout session 3 of 3 - G4 &5 Ground Floor : Retrofitting London: creating viable investments
With London’s existing building stock being one of the key contributors to the capital’s carbon emissions, there is an immediate need for long-term strategies that will support the upgrading of London’s built environment. In this case, accelerated change would be welcome by many, so what will it take to make large-scale retrofitting an attractive investment? And, importantly, how quickly can these much-needed changes be implemented? Our panel will examine: • What is being done to remove existing barriers and create viable opportunities? • The financial gains to be had by those willing to invest in innovation • The wider associated benefits that can be derived from large-scale infrastructure upgrades.
12:40pm – 1:30pm
Lunch
1:30pm – 3:00pm
Session 3: A win-win: London’s place in the UK
London is a dynamic, international and successful business centre, responsible for one quarter of the UK’s economic output. Some see this scale as a barrier to growth elsewhere in the UK; others see London’s international heft as competitive advantage for the whole country. This session starts with a panel discussion around how London and other UK city regions can grow together; then splits into breakout sessions looking at three topics key to our future success.
1:31pm – 2:10pm
Growing Together
Leaders from across England will share their insights on how city-regions can work together to drive growth. This session will explore: ▪ How devolution from central to city-regional government is good for growth ▪ How cities can drive innovation and learn from each other ▪ How cities can collaborate to meet their common challenges Chaired by: Vincent Keaveny, Former Lord Mayor of London and Partner, DLA Piper Panellists include: Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership Andy Lord, Commissioner of Transport for London Plus more to be announced shortly. This session includes live audience Q&A
2:10pm – 2:20pm
Session change over
2:20pm – 3:00pm
Breakout sessions
Parallel breakout sessions to explore key issues in smaller groups, with a chance for more informal discussion.
2:20pm – 3:00pm
Breakout session 1 of 3 - Auditorium Basement: Housing reconsidered: an infrastructure opportunity?
The UK is in the midst of a housing crisis with London at the epicentre. The fundamental challenge is that we’re not building enough homes. But can we shift the dial and increase housebuilding by thinking of housing as not just bricks and mortar but as an infrastructure asset class, and attract investment globally and at scale? This session will explore: • What we need to change to make housing an attractive asset class for investors, across build for sale, build to rent and affordable. • What lessons we can learn from other cities, at home and abroad
2:20pm – 3:00pm
Breakout session 2 of 3 - G1 Ground Floor: Could life sciences become the life blood of the capital’s economy?
London's life sciences sector is at the van guard of developing groundbreaking therapies and technologies. From biotech startups to multinational corporations, it’s no wonder that investors are flocking towards the sector which benefits from the capital’s world-class research institutions, top-tier universities, deep talent pool and a single healthcare provider in the NHS. This session will explore: • How best to support the sector’s needs – from navigating a complex planning system and high demand for space to ensuring it has the skills needed to compete globally? • The role of universities in supporting the sector from cutting edge resource to technology transfer? • How the public and private sectors can work together to drive growth of the sector.
2:20pm – 3:00pm
Breakout session 3 of 3 - G4&5 Ground Floor: Who pays? How London can lead the way in energy transition investments
With London nearing megacity status, its energy networks demand significant levels of investment to simultaneously meet the needs of a growing population whilst decarbonising at pace. This session will look at the interplay between the public and private sectors in driving the energy transition in London, exploring the role that local area energy plans can play in providing a framework and evidence base to push forward the scale of investment required, and set an example for other cities to follow.
3:00pm – 3:20pm
Refreshments & Networking
3:20pm – 6:00pm
Session 4
5:05pm – 6:00pm
Networking drinks
Continue the discussion and cement connections made during the day.