Bringing together more than 250 leaders from business, government, and policy, this year’s Future London had a palpable sense of purpose – and plenty of buzz. Optimism, grounded in practical ambition, ran through every session. One message cut through: agency. London is ready to grow – but it needs the freedom and tools to get on with the job.
Our Chief Executive John Dickie opened with a clear call to action. With a Labour government nearing its first anniversary and big decisions looming on spending, infrastructure, and the Industrial Strategy, the time to turn ambition into action is now. In a turbulent world, the UK can use its political stability to chart a path to growth – with London at the heart.
That means tackling the housing crisis, accelerating infrastructure investment, and equipping Londoners with the skills to thrive. As John put it, “When London succeeds, the UK succeeds” – and success demands urgency, clarity, and bold choices.
View the full gallery from the day here
National renewal starts with London
In his keynote, Joe Powell MP of the Labour Growth Group echoed the call: London’s success is essential to national renewal.
That means confronting big challenges – housing, infrastructure, and attracting world-class talent. He urged reforms including increasing Global Talent Visas and launching a credible Investor Visa for high-growth sectors like biotech and clean energy.
On housing, it’s about getting homes built: grant funding, family homes, and unlocking strategic sites. On infrastructure – with schemes like the DLR extension ready to go – the message was clear: empower London with the tools to grow.
The capital can’t do it alone. The answer lies in bold, joined-up thinking between government and business – a genuine partnership, not just public finance.
A cautious economic outlook – but London leads
Peter Arnold (EY) provided sobering context: sluggish growth, tight finances, global instability, and rising US tariffs.
Yet London stands out – the UK’s growth engine and Europe’s top international investment destination. It generates nearly a quarter of UK GVA.
But this position can’t be assumed. It needs action – on infrastructure, skills, and regulatory certainty. Rebooting UK growth must start with London.
Heathrow: full capacity, but global opportunity
Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye made it clear: Heathrow is full, while Paris and Amsterdam pull ahead.
As the UK’s sole hub airport, it connects to 92% of global GDP, supports £800m in London GVA, and employs 80,000 – mostly Londoners. A third runway isn’t optional – it’s essential and a green opportunity. Heathrow already accounts for 17% of global sustainable aviation fuel use.
With a government-backed revenue mechanism, £2.7bn private investment could unlock 150,000 jobs and £10bn economic benefit by 2050 – at no taxpayer cost.
Heathrow already invests £1bn+ yearly and leads in punctuality. Future growth needs government backing delivery, not delay.
Devolution: learning from the regions
Former West Midlands Mayor Sir Andy Street, in conversation with Peter Hogg (Arcadis), stressed that powers mean little without freedom and funding. Governance matters – but so do convening power and public – private collaboration.
London needs real fiscal devolution, smarter borough collaboration, and a stronger business role, especially for business improvement districts (BIDs).
Our devolution panel – Ruth Duston OBE, OC and Alison Griffin – agreed: move beyond short-term pots. Boroughs provide 90% of services but lack the flexibility to meet local needs.
London lags behind northern trailblazers on skills and transport. With the right tools, it can shift from incremental change to full transformation.
BIDs already invest £62m+ annually in London, tackling skills, employment, and inclusion. As hyper-local public – private partnerships, they show how fiscal devolution can empower business communities.
Innovation and industrial growth go hand in hand
Federica Minozzi, CEO of Iris Ceramica Group, illustrated that innovation is a growth strategy. Her firm’s €50m green hydrogen investment improved competitiveness and opened global markets, while also helping to recruit talent from across the world. London can do the same – with policy certainty and consistency.
The housing crisis: time for real progress
In the first quarter of this year, 23 of 33 boroughs had zero new housing starts. Planning complexity, regulatory burdens, and rising costs drag progress.
Stevan Tennant (Ballymore Group), Nick Brindley (Newmark), Pete Gladwell (Legal & General Group), and Joanne Drew (Enfield Council) laid out fixes: adjust affordability targets, tie grants to viability, speed up planning, upskill the sector, and add flexibility. We need honest conversations on stalled sites – and family homes to support retention and affordability.
Infrastructure to unlock growth
Our infrastructure panel – chaired by Anna Purchas (KPMG), with Manish Gupta (TfL), Hannah Vickers (Mace Group), Kerry Bangle (WSP), and Neil Madgwick (UK Power Networks) – emphasised urgency.
The DLR extension could unlock 130,000 homes; the Thamesmead-Beckton area could create 25,000 homes and 10,000 jobs. These aren’t ideas – they’re shovel-ready. What’s missing is coordination, investor confidence, and decisive action.
In the long term: stay the course.
A unified approach to skills
Tunde Olayinka (GLA) introduced the Inclusive Talent Strategy, which aims to bring coherence to a fragmented system.
Employers need better labour market data, smarter use of devolved funds, and adaptable training. Coordination hubs and sector pilots are underway.
The goal: a joined-up system aligned to employer needs, with the London local skills improvement plan (led with BusinessLDN) at the centre. Now employers and Londoners must engage.
London’s AI advantage
Zephaniah Chukwudum (Microsoft), Professor Carmine Ventre (King’s Institute for AI), Mark Toman (BT Wholesale), Richard Punt (Deloitte), and BusinessLDN’s Policy Delivery Director, Mark Hilton, took a grounded view on the AI revolution.
AI is still in the hype cycle, but already reshaping work. London has world-class universities, firms, and talent. But to lead, it needs smart policy and shared benefits.
It’s not about automation, but augmentation. London must focus on resilience, transferable skills, and lifelong learning.
Sustainability: from risk to resilience
Climate risk is real – but so are the opportunities. Businesses are embedding sustainability into their core strategy.
Jennie Colville (Landsec), Ed Green (Grosvenor Property UK), Mete Coban MBE
(Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy – Greater London Authority), Amanda Stevenson (CBRE), and Temi Afolabi (The Nichols Group) joined us to look at what risk to resilience means for the capital.
For London, resilience means protecting communities, retrofitting homes, and building infrastructure for long-term growth. Greening the city offers co-benefits – better wellbeing, cleaner air, and stronger communities.
Green finance is key. But scaling projects requires clearer investment pathways and better collaboration. The payoff: a more liveable, equitable, future-ready city.
Fixing the foundations for growth
The upcoming Industrial Strategy and London’s Growth Plan signal a shift: place-based, focused, and deliverable.
Laura Citron OBE (London & Partners), the City of London Corporation (James Thomson CBE (City of London Corporation), Amanda Wolthuizen (Imperial College), Gavin Poole (Here East), and Craig McWilliam (The Arch Company) agreed: get the basics right – skills, power, planning, transport. Long-term clarity matters, especially for universities and financial services. This strategy must stay focused, honest, and aligned.
Social Value: inclusion as infrastructure
Charlotte Hill OBE (The Felix Project), Matthias Stausberg (Virgin Management), Richard DeNetto (Change the Race Ratio), Alex Williams (TfL), and Amjad Agil (SEGRO) showed how inclusion drives business success.
Employers are opening access to underrepresented groups and investing in young people. Programmes target systemic barriers through mentoring, training, and hands-on support – rooted in community insight.
From biodiversity to inclusive hiring, social value is now strategy – fundamental to growth in a diverse city.
Business tourism: the overlooked growth driver
Business tourism is critical. London has dropped from 2nd to 11th in International Congress and Convention Association rankings.
ExCel’s Executive Director of Conference and Events James Rees, Chief Executive of VisitBritain Patricia Yates, Dee Corsi of New West End Company, and Paul Brindley of Eurostar Group, closed our panel sessions for the day by making the case for business tourism as a driver of growth and opportunity.
ExCeL alone provides £4.5bn and 40,000 jobs. But London needs a strategic push: reinstate tax-free shopping, simplify business visas, improve borders, and avoid overtaxing aviation while staying sustainable.
“Let London be London”
Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, Howard Dawber, closed with confidence: London doesn’t need reinvention – just permission to play to its strengths.
Reflecting on 25 years of devolution and London First’s founding role, he pointed to a new London Plan, data-driven Growth Plan, and major events ahead. The call: let London be London.
A city ready to act
Future London 2025 stood out for its energy and resolve. The challenges are familiar. But the appetite to act is real. The question is whether government will match that energy with enabling reform.
With thanks to our Future London Gold Partners: ExCeL London, Heathrow, and Iris Ceramica Group; and our Silver Partners: Arcadis and Ballymore.