Tom joined the former Argent business in 2012 and became a Partner in 2020. Between 2019-2022, Tom was Head of Residential for the Related Argent business and CEO of the Heart of Hale development, overseeing a pipeline of more than 8,000 new homes across London. Prior to this role, Tom was responsible for residential at King’s Cross, including the delivery of the Gasholders apartments. In 2023, Tom was appointed Chief Executive Director of Related Argent, leading the team of 175 property and urban regeneration professionals, working to improve urban life for everyone, every day. Today the business he leads has a UK property portfolio of c.£13bn, totalling in excess of 21 million sq ft. Before joining the business, Tom worked in project management consultancy and as a practising architect on numerous large-scale mixed-use schemes, including the Shard and the London 2012 Athlete’s Village. Tom is a chartered member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and sits on its Housing Group.

Tom Walsh is a social entrepreneur and investor with close to 30 years experience in real estate, private equity, and business leadership. As Co-founder of Zen Housing & Zen Living, he has invested in £450 million in acquiring around 2,000 homes in the last 14 months, with to expand to 5,000 by the end of 2026. He also co-owns a regional housebuilder, a strategic land business, overseeing significant land development projects, and is the Founding Partner of ALTERX a European real assets investor, where he has directed €300 million in equity investments. Previously, as a Partner at Rockspring Property Investment Managers, he led investments exceeding €1.2 billion across Europe. Beyond business, Tom is interested in how we collectively make societal impact and in particular community projects including social housing, The School of Hard Knocks charity that focusses on children remining in education and promoting inclusivity in youth rugby.

Michelle is a distinguished customer experience leader, with over a decade of expertise in crafting and executing strategies that drive value. As Director of Customer Experience at Canary Wharf Group, Michelle leads with a focus on attraction and retention of office customers, sponsoring innovative transformational projects that enhance the overall experience for all customers. Her passion for leadership and inclusion is evident in her mentorship within the KPMG Cross Allyship Programme and is amentor for the Leaders Plus Network. Michelle also founded ‘Wharf Connect,’ a network dedicated to cultivating and supporting the next generation of leaders in Canary Wharf. Previously, as Head of Customer Experience at The Crown Estate, she successfully led customer strategies for its £14 billion UK real estate portfolio, consistently delivering value through enhanced customer interactions. Her previous roles at Santander further underscores her commitment to advancing customer-centric strategies across industries.

Simon is DWS’ UK Head of Real Estate and Global Co-Head of Research based in London. A member of the senior management team and investment committee Simon manages a team of analysts based in London, Frankfurt, Singapore, Tokyo and Sydney, providing strategic insight and guidance across all parts of the real estate business. Simon joined DWS in 2011, becoming Head of European Research in 2015, Global Co-Head of Research in 2020 before taking on the position of UK Head of Real Estate in 2024. Previously Simon served as an Economist at Hammerson and the Centre for Economics and Business Research.

After qualifying as a lawyer, Peter formed the Argent Group of property companies with his brother in 1981. Argent is particularly known for major mixed-use projects like Brindleyplace in Birmingham, and King’s Cross and Brent Cross Town in London. Peter has also been a non-executive director on several other property companies and a trustee of a number of charities connected with education, combating intolerance, and public performance art. He was shortlisted for the Wolfson Economic Prize on delivering garden cities in 2014 and was until October 2020 Chair of Mayfield Market Towns Ltd. Peter was the principal author of the 2020 Housing Sprint Report and became Chair of Homes England in October 2020.

Tom has been with McLaren since 2020 and leads the Regeneration business, focusing on urban renewal and aiming to positively impact on the social, cultural and economic challenges within urban areas.

Nick Barr is the Senior Director of Global Workplace Innovation and Experience at Google DeepMind, a world leading AI company that aims to solve intelligence to advance science and benefit humanity. Nick is passionate about creating environments and experiences that enable, energise, and inspire people to do pioneering work. He leads a broad range of operational functions including workplace, AV and network infrastructure, events and experiences and international business operations such as logistics, procurement and extended workforce governance.

Jonny is a member of CBRE’s European leadership team with particular responsibility for major clients across the region. Jonny travels widely across the European Markets, working closely with the most active global capital. Jonny previously lead the European Capital Markets team and has a deep experience of transactions in all major European markets.

Roger Orf is the former vice-chairman of Apollo Global Management and previously was Citigroup's global CEO of their real estate business. He has spent the majority of his career investing in European real estate markets since arriving in the UK in 1991 while working for Goldman Sachs. Following his retirement from Goldman Sachs, Roger embarked on an entrepreneurial path, most notably founding E-Shelter GmbH, a German based data centre business which he and his partners sold to NTT for over €l billion euros. Roger has incubated other prominent real estate companies including Regus, the now the largest serviced office business in the world and Vonovia the largest German residential business. He has been a member of the Chicago Booth Council since 2015 and has previously served on the boards of Atrium European Real Estate, the Urban Land Institute, Regus PLC, and the Ambassador Theatre Group. Roger earned his bachelor's degree magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Georgetown University and holds both a JD and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Kris has been in the smart buildings business since the late 90s, when he founded the integration and consultancy company, Konnectiv. Kris has experience with commercial and residential smart building projects and has designed, delivered and consulted on smart building systems in some of the highest-profile buildings in Europe, including The Shard and The Gas Holders in London. Kris is a recognised expert in the field and regularly speaks at events worldwide about smart buildings, the Internet of Things, the future of technology, and how it will affect how we work and live. He is also a past chairman of CEDIA, the global smart buildings trade association, and oversaw several key programs during his tenure, including establishing City and Guilds apprenticeships in the industry and British Standards in the UK. Kris is known for his entrepreneurial, focused, and pragmatic approach to the smart buildings business. Many have described him as not suffering fools, but he thinks that has more to do with his Yorkshire heritage and people expecting him to live up to the stereotype.

Sophie Chick leads the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) sustainability agenda across Europe, focusing on decarbonisation and affordable housing. She directs C Change, ULI’s flagship programme accelerating the decarbonisation of real estate, and C Change for Housing, which tackles the twin challenges of climate change and housing affordability. With over 15 years in real-estate research and leadership, including heading Savills Global Research Department, Sophie is known for turning collaboration into action. Her work helps shape practical, market-ready solutions that move the property industry towards a low-carbon and more equitable future.

As Managing Director for the Midlands at Muse, Maggie leads some of the region's most ambitious regeneration opportunities. These include the delivery of thousands of homes and tens of thousands of jobs at Arden Cross, Mell Square, Smithgate, and Greyfriars. Originally from Solihull, Maggie has established Muse as one of the Midlands' most trusted delivery partners.

Kate Josephs CB joined Sheffield City Council as Chief Executive in January 2021, having spent 20 years in national government in the UK and United States. As Chief Executive she leads a diverse organisation of over 8000 staff, supporting the cross-party political administration to deliver on their priorities for England’s fourth largest city. Kate has overseen a comprehensive programme to transform Sheffield City Council and focus action around the outcomes that matter most for residents. She has championed the development and implementation of co-produced ten-year City Goals to support alignment of action across public, private, third and community sectors in the city. Among a suite of key strategies now in place in Sheffield; last year Kate and her team worked with partners to develop and launch the city’s first ever inclusive growth plan. Kate’s career as a senior leader in the UK civil service included positions in HM Treasury; the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit; and the Department for Education (DfE). Kate joined Sheffield from the Cabinet Office’s COVID 19 Taskforce where she was Director General; in June 2021 she was awarded Companion status, The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, in HM the Queen’s birthday honours in recognition of exemplary public service during her civil service career. Kate also spent time living in Washington D.C. working for the US Federal Government during the Obama Administration, including as Executive Director of the White House Performance Improvement Council. Kate grew up in and went to comprehensive school in Doncaster, was educated at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, and lives in Sheffield with her husband and two children.

Ed leads Octopus Real Estate and sits on the Investment Committee. Since joining in 2017, he’s helped expand the platform across care homes, affordable housing and specialist real estate. He previously led our Care Homes and Corporate Development teams. Before Octopus, Ed trained as a lawyer at Allen & Overy. He holds a BA in Economics from Durham University and an MBA from the University of Cambridge.

Rick Lawrence is a Chartered Surveyor with over 37 years’ experience in the property industry. At Platform4 (Network Rail’s new property development company), Rick is Partnerships Director, where he leads on establishing partnerships with strategic authorities, local authorities, and public bodies to deliver new placemaking and mixed-use regeneration opportunities around transport hubs across the country. He previously acted as Partnerships Director for Places for People, leading long-term placemaking and regeneration projects for Runnymede Borough Council, including a £90 million mixed-use scheme in Egham town centre. Prior to this, he spent 19 years with Landsec / TT Group, where he was responsible for overseeing joint venture partnerships with public sector organisations including the Department for Work and Pensions, the DVLA and Central Bedfordshire Council.

Emma joined British Land in 2014 and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2025. Prior to this, she jointly led the company's 53-acre Canada Water development project in central London. Before joining British Land Emma spent 7 years at Landsec where she was responsible for number of central London developments and led their strategic land portfolio. She previously held development and land management roles at Barratt and Crest Nicholson. Emma is Vice Chair of ASU London, a higher education provider founded by Arizona State University where she also Chairs the Audit & Risk Committee. She was previously on the Board of Assura Plc from 2021-2025 and on the Board at Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association from 2011-2018 where she also Chaired the Group Investment Committee.

Anne is a Non-Executive Director at L&G Asset Management Limited , The Crown Estate , a global governing trustee , board member and Chair of Europe at the Urban Land Institute and she is an advisory member at Trinity College Cambridge to the Investment Committee. Anne has an extensive track record in transforming and growing global real asset businesses, working closely with institutional investors and international occupiers. Anne previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of Telford Homes, a Trammell Crow Company Developer. She was a Board Director and Chief Investment Officer at PATRIZIA, and a Board director at AXA Real Assets heading Asset Management. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles at Lazard, Cambridge Place Investment Management, and JLL.

Tom Murphy is a former Senior Resident Fellow at the Urban Land Institute. And was a three-term mayor of Pittsburgh. His extensive experience in urban revitalization—what drives investment and ensures long-lasting commitment—and how visionary leadership is the key to success, defines his 45+ years of service to communities.   Murphy served three terms as the Mayor of Pittsburgh, from January 1994 through December 2005. During that time, he initiated a public-private partnership strategy that leveraged more than $4.5 billion in economic development in Pittsburgh. Murphy led efforts to secure and oversee $1 billion in funding for the development of two professional sports facilities and a new convention center that is the largest LEED-certified building in the United States. He developed strategic partnerships to transform more than 1,000 acres of blighted, abandoned industrial properties into new commercial, residential, retail, and public uses, and he oversaw the development of more than 25 miles of new riverfront trails and urban green space.  Before he was appointed Senior Resident Fellow at ULI, Murphy had served as ULI's Gulf Coast liaison, helping to coordinate with the leadership of New Orleans and the public to advance the implementation of rebuilding recommendations made by ULI's Advisory Services panel for Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In addition, he worked with the Louisiana state leadership, as well as with leadership in hurricane-impacted areas in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, to identify areas appropriate for ULI involvement.  From 1979 through 1993, Murphy served eight terms in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. He focused legislative activities on changing Western Pennsylvania's economy from industrial to entrepreneurial, and authored legislation requiring the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's pension fund to invest in venture capital. In addition, he authored legislation that created the Ben Franklin Technology Partnership, which is dedicated to advancing Pennsylvania's focus on technology in the economy, and he authored legislation to encourage industrial land reuse and to transform abandoned rail rights-of-way into trails and green space.   Murphy served in the Peace Corps in Paraguay from 1970 through 1972. He is a 1993 graduate of the New Mayors Program offered by Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. He holds a Master of Science degree in Urban Studies from Hunter College and a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry from John Carroll University.