Keynote: Isabelle Scemama, AXA IM

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  Isabelle Scemama

  Isabelle Scemama is Global Head of AXA IM Alts. She is also a member of the AXA IM Management Board and a member of the Board of Directors of EPRA. Isabelle oversees AXA IM’s alternative business unit, AXA IM Alts, which has €184 billion of assets under management and employs over 840 people located in 15 offices, serving the needs of more than 600+ clients globally. In her role, she leads the definition and execution of AXA IM Alts global strategy as well as the supervision of its day-to-day management. Isabelle also sits on AXA IM – Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Committees and chairs the AXA IM Alts Management Board. Isabelle joined AXA IM - Real Assets in 2001 to develop the third-party business. She notably launched, respectively in 2005 and 2013, the CRE and infrastructure debt lending platforms, now firmly established as global leaders, before taking the responsibility of the full fund management activity of AXA IM - Real Assets. She was later appointed CEO of AXA IM – Real Assets in 2017, and in 2020 also took on responsibility for the overall alternatives’ asset management activity of AXA IM, as Global Head of AXA IM Alts. Isabelle has more than 32 years of experience in the alternatives asset management industry, of which 21 years are within AXA IM. Before joining AXA IM, Isabelle held various positions in corporate and real estate financing at Paribas. Isabelle graduated from IEP Paris (Sciences Po) with a degree in Political Science in 1989.

  AXA IM Alts

  Global Head

  Keynote

  Isabelle Scemama

  Global Head

  AXA IM Alts

State Of The Market: Shaping Real Estate’s Future

Analyzing today's top financing and investment trends, and how they'll shape deals come 2025

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  Rita-Rose Gagné

  Rita Rose Gagné is the CEO of Hammerson plc, an owner, operator and developer of prime urban real estate in some of the fastest growing cities in the UK, Ireland and France. She joined the company in 2020 to develop and spearhead the strategic transformation of the business. She brings extensive experience in real estate investment and global property markets combined with strong strategic, operational leadership and financial management skills. Prior to joining Hammerson, Rita-Rose was President of Growth Markets at Ivanhoé Cambridge, responsible for over $8bn of real estate assets, platforms and a development pipeline across Asia Pacific and Latin America, covering logistics, retail, mixed use, office and residential sectors. Having joined Ivanhoé Cambridge in 2006, Rita-Rose held a variety of positions including Executive Vice President of Global Strategy, Portfolio Management and Investment Funds, covering North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, India and Latin America markets. Rita-Rose holds a Bachelor of Law from Laval University as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from McGill University and HEC Montréal. A trained lawyer, she was a senior partner at Fasken, a global law firm covering real estate, infrastructure, corporate mergers and acquisitions. Rita-Rose has sat on the board of multiple companies located in Belgium, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia and Europe. She is executive director of Hammerson plc.

  Hammerson

  CEO

  Rita-Rose Gagné

  CEO

  Hammerson

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  Safinaz Zakaria

  Safi joined Crosstree in 2013 and is responsible for sourcing, execution and delivery of investments. Safi has worked on deals across most asset classes including office, retail, hotel, industrial, residential, co-living and student, investing across the capital stack. Prior to joining Crosstree, Safi was with Rothschild in the Real Estate and Leisure Investment Banking team. Safi holds an MA in Economics and Arabic from the University of Edinburgh.

  Crosstree

  Partner

  Safinaz Zakaria

  Partner

  Crosstree

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  Joanne McNamara

  Joanne McNamara is Executive Vice President – Europe of Oxford Properties, a leading global real estate investor, asset manager and business builder. In this role, Jo is responsible for all aspects of Oxford’s business across Europe. Jo is a member of Oxford’s Leadership team, Investment and Executive Committees, and most recently took up a non-executive role at ESR, a Pan-Asian fund management business. Jo was one of Oxford’s first team members in London, joining the European investment team in 2010, and over the past decade has contributed to and led many of the organization’s most significant investment and development transactions. Jo was most recently responsible for the operating performance of Oxford’s European business and leadership of the 40+ person European team. Prior to joining Oxford, Jo worked in investments and development at leading real estate companies. Jo has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (Honours) from Cardiff University and a Master of Science in International Real Estate from the Oxford Brookes University and currently lives in London. She previously received recognition as a PERE Woman of Influence and received a 2021 PERE Award for European Industry figure of the year.

  Oxford Properties

  Head of Europe

  Joanne McNamara

  Head of Europe

  Oxford Properties

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  Victoria Ormond

  Victoria is Partner and head of capital markets research at Knight Frank. Drawing on over fifteen years of real estate experience, Victoria develops market leading insight, thought leadership, commentary and analysis, including for the flagship publication, Active Capital. Prior to joining Knight Frank, Victoria was Senior Research Analyst at Savills Investment Management. Victoria began her real estate career with seven years at RBS, where she worked as Associate Director in origination for Pan-European commercial real estate portfolios before joining its German Restructuring team. At Bayfield Training, she has also been involved in the design and delivery of real estate courses for major commercial real estate fund managers, lenders, investors and lawyers. Additionally, since 2011, Victoria has been a supervisor and guest lecturer at the University of Cambridge, covering areas including real estate finance, valuation, urban economics and statistics.

  Knight Frank

  Partner, Head of Capital Markets Research

  Victoria Ormond

  Partner, Head of Capital Markets Research

  Knight Frank

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  Sarah Sivyour

  Sarah Sivyour is global head of real estate and head of region (UK & Middle East) at Ashurst. Sarah joined Ashurst as a trainee in 2000 having graduated with a first-class degree in French and German. She has worked extensively across the real estate sector, advising clients on all aspects of real estate-driven transactions including corporate real estate acquisitions and disposals, joint venture arrangements, sale and leaseback and portfolio transactions, development agreements and pre-lets.

  Ashurst

  Global Head of Real Estate

  Moderator

  Sarah Sivyour

  Global Head of Real Estate

  Ashurst

Elevate & Empower: Women In Senior Management

A discussion with women in leadership about the companies and teams they're building for tomorrow

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  Ana Estrada

  Ana is a managing director in Real Estate within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. In this role, she is responsible for sourcing, executing and managing real estate investments across Europe.Ana joined Goldman Sachs in 2003 as an analystand was named managing director in 2015. Ana earned a BS in Economics at Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona and an MBA from IESE, Barcelona.

  Goldman Sachs

  Managing Director

  Ana Estrada

  Managing Director

  Goldman Sachs

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  Cath Webster

  Cath joined in January 2023 to lead on increasing funds under management alongside the delivery of social impact, augmenting the existing fund management platform across high-quality affordable housing, private-rented residential and urban regeneration strategies. She was previously Executive Director for Strategy and Investment at property development and investment specialist Quintain. Cath has 30 years of real estate experience across private equity, fund management and investment banking. She has an MBA from INSEAD and is a Member of the BPF’s Affordable Housing Committee, a Member of the RICS and Co-Chair for the Creative Land Trust.

  Thriving Investments

  CEO

  Cath Webster

  CEO

  Thriving Investments

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  Yalda Gerami

  As the Regional Vice President and Head of the Built Environment Industry for the UK&I, Yalda is passionate and responsible for leveraging technology in order to solve complex business challenges, supporting organisations of all sizes harnessing the power of the Salesforce Platform in order to drive efficiency, productivity and growth, while also focusing on key areas such as sustainability. With over a decade of experience in Salesforce and the Salesforce ecosystem, Yalda has a diverse background in Built Environment, Media, Gaming, Retail and Hospitality with a vision to align and be aligned to all stakeholders to support in bringing business and technology together, in order to support organisations become market leaders and support with their digital journey. Outside of Salesforce, Yalda is committed to mentorship and community engagements, actively participating in initiatives aimed at empowering women and fostering diversity and inclusion within the industry.

  Salesforce

  Regional Vice President, Built Environment

  Yalda Gerami

  Regional Vice President, Built Environment

  Salesforce

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  Ioanna Paschalidou

  Ioanna Paschalidou has 15 years of experience in real estate asset management across Europe and currently leads the firm’s Portfolio Management function as well as Henderson Park’s ESG efforts. Before joining Henderson Park, Ioanna was a Principal at Blackstone in London, where she managed Blackstone’s German Portfolios and retail portfolios. Prior to Blackstone, Ioanna was a Senior Director in Development and Asset Management at Tishman Speyer in Frankfurt managing assets in Germany and Italy, and before that was the Portfolio Manager for Tishman Speyer’s pan-European value add fund based in London. Ioanna began her career as an Analyst at JP Morgan Asset Management in London. Ioanna holds an MEng in Engineering, Economics and Management from the University of Oxford, and an MSc in Construction Economics and Management from University College London. She is fluent in English, French and Greek, and is proficient in German.

  Henderson Park

  Managing Director

  Ioanna Paschalidou

  Managing Director

  Henderson Park

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  Tannyth Bush

  I am a Partner within the Business Services and Outsourcing Team at BDO, leading the Real Estate and Construction specialist outsourcing team. I offer my expertise to a diverse clientele, including funds, REITs, family offices, and private investors. My role involves providing strategic guidance and practical solutions tailored to the unique needs of each client, ensuring their financial and operational goals are met. With over 15 years of experience within the outsourcing team, I am deeply committed to assisting clients. My extensive knowledge spans a wide range of accounting matters, from financial reporting and compliance to advisory services. I am passionate about helping clients navigate the complexities of the real estate and construction sectors, providing insights and recommendations that drive their success. One of my key focuses is on incorporating cutting-edge technologies into accounting processes. I am dedicated to streamlining and automating operations, utilizing the latest tools and software to enhance efficiency and accuracy. This approach not only saves time but also provides clients with real-time financial data, empowering them to make informed decisions. I boast considerable expertise in the real estate sector, backed by a strong technical understanding of accounting principles. My experience includes working with a wide range of real estate entities, from large property portfolios to single-asset investments. I have significant experience with large real estate portfolios and a deep understanding of the industry's regulatory environment, adeptly navigating its challenges. My collaborative approach extends to fostering strong partnerships with leading managing agents, legal teams, internal Real Estate specialists, and other advisors. By working closely with these professionals, I can provide clients with comprehensive, multidisciplinary support. This collaboration ensures that all aspects of a client's real estate investment, from acquisition and development to management and disposal, are expertly managed. In my role, I have successfully led large-scale, multi-disciplinary assignments, bringing together diverse teams to achieve common objectives. My ability to coordinate and lead these projects is a testament to my organizational skills and strategic vision. I am committed to delivering exceptional service and value to my clients, helping them achieve their business goals and maximize their investments.

  BDO

  Partner

  Tannyth Bush

  Partner

  BDO

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  Victoria Murray

  As a partner in the real estate team, I act for institutional investors and specialise in real estate investment, development transactions and asset management. With over 20 years’ experience both in the City and Cripps, my role includes advising property companies, real estate funds, developers, and occupiers. I specialise in investment work for UK and overseas property investors across all asset classes and sectors, on both a direct and an indirect basis. I have particular expertise in high value transactions involving complex offshore corporate structures, portfolio acquisitions and disposals, and sale and leaseback transactions. I also assist clients with the asset management of significant retail and industrial schemes. Areas of expertise: Investment work Development Portfolio management Property finance Asset management Qualifications and memberships Admitted as a solicitor in September 2001 MA (Hons) St And GDL The College of Law LPC The College of Law

  Cripps

  Partner

  Moderator

  Victoria Murray

  Partner

  Cripps

Women Building Real Estate: Shaping Our Cities

Bisnow's Construction, Development and Design Outlook for 2025

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  Abigail Dean

  Abigail Dean is the global head of strategic insights for Nuveen Real Estate, responsible for the organisation’s global research, sustainability, proptech and innovation functions. She oversees the Tomorrow’s World Strategy, which uses analysis of demographic, sustainability and technology trends to ensure the investment strategy is focused on buildings that are fit for the future. Dean has recently overseen the organisation setting a target to achieve net-zero carbon by 2040. The target exceeds by a decade the commitment that the World Green Building Council states is necessary to meet the Paris Accord, and is the largest commitment made by a real estate investment manager to date, based on AUM and geographical diversity. She has also led the organisation’s approach to the integration of physical climate risk considerations into the investment process. Creating a positive and inclusive team culture is also a high priority. Dean sits on the NRE People and Culture Committee and the European Charity Committee. Dean is passionate about driving sustainable change in the property sector and sits on several industry committees, including the GRESB Benchmarking Committee and the INREV ESG committee. She is also a board member of the Better Buildings Partnership and was a key collaborator in the development of the BBP Climate Commitment. Outside of work, Dean is an enthusiastic (if moderate-paced) runner and enjoys cycling, hiking, skiing and swimming. She has participated in the JLL Property Triathlon most years in the past decade. She has two children, aged 7 and 10, so is a reluctant player in park-based football games and a more enthusiastic participant in family bike rides, forest walks and competitive board games.

  Nuveen Real Estate

  Head of Sustainability

  Abigail Dean

  Head of Sustainability

  Nuveen Real Estate

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  Alison Dowsett

  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.

  Berkeley Group

  Managing Director, Planning and Policy

  Alison Dowsett

  Managing Director, Planning and Policy

  Berkeley Group

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  Bronwyn Jones

  Bronwyn graduated from the University of Cambridge in 2013 with a BA in Land Economy and began her career as a graduate surveyor at Savills. Bronwyn is a fully qualified Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Since joining Greystar two years ago, Bronwyn has worked on The Bermondsey Project, a landmark scheme that will provide over 1,600 new homes in the London Borough of Southwark, and was appointed a Director at the start of 2024.

  Greystar

  Director

  Bronwyn Jones

  Director

  Greystar

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  Doua’a Abdulhadi

  As Corgan’s Interiors Studio Leader in the London office, Doua’a Abdulhadi is focused on building the studio and offering Corgan’s global expertise to clients in the U.K. and beyond. Doua’a brings more than13 years of experience as an architect and interior designer for landmark projects across the Middle East, U.K., U.S. and Europe and in sectors such as residential, hospitality, and workplace design. She demonstrates a history of working in the architecture and planning industry and her exposure to diverse global markets and cultures allows her to celebrate uniqueness and authenticity in her work. Doua’a seamlessly blends aesthetics across disciplines to create cohesive, inspiring interior spaces. Her approach is grounded in building strong, trusting relationships with her clients, deeply understanding their needs, and fostering a collaborative environment. Doua’a, who is fluent in Arabic, English and French, and graduated from the University of Jordan with a bachelor’s in architecture is a an International WELL accredited Professional (WELL AP).

  Corgan

  Studio Leader, Interiors

  Doua’a Abdulhadi

  Studio Leader, Interiors

  Corgan

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  Louise Cowell

  Louise is a CTA qualified Director in RSM’s VAT practice with over 14 years’ experience advising clients on all areas of VAT and now specialising in Real Estate and Construction. She is also a British Property Federation VAT committee member. Louise's clients include house builders, property developers, investors and construction businesses. She has advised clients on VAT matters concerning a range of asset classes from logistics to hotels but she has a particular interest in the residential sector specifically, build to rent, PBSA and co-living developments.

  RSM

  Director

  Louise Cowell

  Director

  RSM

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  Kat Coveney

  Kat is a partner in the Herbert Smith Freehills market-leading real estate team in London. Herbert Smith Freehills has appeared in the UK's Legal 500's Tier 1 ranking for Commercial Property and Chambers UK's Tier 1 ranking for Real Estate/Big Ticket category for many years (including for 2025). Kat has a broad practice spanning all aspects of the real estate sector and the lifecycle of real assets. She advises clients on development, investment, corporate real estate, joint venture, equity and debt financing, pre-letting and leasing transactions, and has particularly extensive expertise in the delivery of some of the largest and most complex long-term development and regeneration projects in the UK market. She also specialises in multi-faceted and large-scale energy and infrastructure projects with real estate elements which support the UK's energy transition. Alongside her practice, Kat is a leading committee member of Herbert Smith Freehills' Gender Equity Matters Network and has for many years, organised women in real estate networking events. She is passionate about supporting and driving greater diversity in the real estate industry. In terms of her background, Kat has an MA in Modern Languages (German) from the University of Oxford and completed her GDL and LPC at BPP University Law School in London. She joined Herbert Smith Freehills in 2008 and has also spent time in the Hong Kong office and in Germany.

  Herbert Smith Freehills

  Partner

  Moderator

  Kat Coveney

  Partner

  Herbert Smith Freehills

Introducing our 2024 Honorees

More to be Announced!

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  Anna Strongman

  Anna Strongman is CEO of Oxford University Development (OUD), a joint venture between Oxford University and Legal & General set up to build Innovation Districts and subsidised accommodation for graduate students and the university workforce. Anna was previously Managing Partner of Argent LLP in London, where she spent 12 years executing a range of asset, development, and business planning projects. Highlights included leading the Asset Management of King’s Cross, developing Coal Drops Yard, and setting up a BTR portfolio with JV partners Related. Anna was instrumental in building the business from 40 people to a team of 200 over a ten-year period and led the corporate side of the business as Managing Partner. Before joining Argent, Anna worked in the planning and economic development team of Arup, worked for DTZ in Scotland, and lived for 18 months in Japan, where she studied Japanese and conducted research at the Japan Productivity Centre as a Daiwa Scholar.

  Oxford University Development

  CEO

  Anna Strongman

  CEO

  Oxford University Development

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  Anne Breen

  Global Head of Real Estate

  Abrdn

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  Becky Worthington

  CFO

  Canary Wharf Group

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  Ekaterina Avdonina

  Ekaterina is responsible for the overall leadership of the Mirastar platform. Prior to establishing Mirastar, Ekaterina co-founded DCAM in 2011, serving firstly as Head of Investments and subsequently as Manging Director. During her tenure, she repositioned the business as a fully integrated Pan-European logistics development and asset management platform. Third party investment was secured through 3 separate mandates, enabling the development pipeline and assets under management to increase from €400m to over €1.3bn in less than 3 years. Ekaterina is a recognised Pan-European industry leader and is a regular contributor to panels and articles in the logistics sector. Prior to DCAM Ekaterina worked in ING Real Estate’s lending team in the Netherlands and with GVA in Moscow.

  Mirastar

  CEO

  Ekaterina Avdonina

  CEO

  Mirastar

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  Honor Barratt

  Honor is the CEO of Birchgrove, a specialist age-exclusive developer working to establish a portfolio of assisted living neighbourhoods with well thought-out facilities for rent. Central to Birchgrove's proposition is the belief that renting instead of owning a home is the most liberating form of tenure, allowing neighbours to retain their independence without the burden of homeownership. Birchgrove has a bunch of happy neighbours in Sidcup in Kent and two neighbourhoods in Woking and Ewell, both in Surrey. Following closely behind are Banstead, Godalming, Leatherhead - all in Surrey - and most recently Chiswick, Hampton Court and Old Isleworth in London. Honor is happiest in the company of older people and this has nothing to do with the amount of Victoria Sandwich or good chat on offer.

  Birchgrove

  CEO

  Honor Barratt

  CEO

  Birchgrove

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  Jenny Hammarlund

  Jenny Hammarlund is a senior managing director at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Based in London, she leads the real estate investment group in the UK and Europe as well as global strategy and value creation. She is responsible for overseeing investment activity, strategy and overall portfolio management, and she also led the integration of Cadillac Fairview’s international investment team into OTPP in 2024. Hammarlund has over 25 years of experience in private equity globally, primarily focused on real estate. She previously held positions as managing director at H.I.G. Capital and director at KKR, where she was focused on sourcing and executing real estate investments across Europe. Hammarlund's résumé also includes stints as director at Värde Partners in London and as vice president at Lehman Brothers Real Estate Partners in New York, where she was focused on real estate investments in the U.S. She speaks four languages.

  Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan

  Senior Managing Director

  Jenny Hammarlund

  Senior Managing Director

  Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan

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  Jenny Wang

  After starting her career at Blackstone, Jenny Wang co-founded the logistics investor, developer and asset manager, Sunrise Real Estate, in 2021. Since then, she has helped take the business from a standing start into one that has quietly invested nearly €1bn of equity capital into over 20 million sq ft of high-quality logistics assets across the UK and Europe. As COO and head of asset management, Jenny is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of Sunrise and the asset management activities within the portfolio, as well as being a member of the investment committee. Jenny is passionate about the recruitment and retainment of female talent and leads the Sunrise Ladies initiative, which aims to provide an empowering and supportive environment for open dialogues amongst the female colleagues. By creating their own business, Jenny and the other founders of Sunrise have deliberately created a culture that embraces sustainable work-life balance, supporting the team’s wellbeing and personal growth while creating a more productive environment for professional excellence and ambitions. They hope they can set a new standard for the industry. While big-box logistics is Jenny’s forte now, Jenny’s path into real estate was via the hotel sector. She graduated magna cum laude from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, but the decision to take a module in real estate while there ignited a spark for the sector that changed the course of her career. Jenny is also on the Board of Directors for Cornell Real Estate Council and is in charge of regional chapter expansions, bringing together alumni in real estate across the world. Her hobbies include tennis, table tennis, skiing and travelling.

  Sunrise Real Estate

  COO

  Jenny Wang

  COO

  Sunrise Real Estate

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  Jess Tomlinson

  Jess has more than 20 years’ experience in real estate and housing, gained in banking, private equity and law firms. Jess joined Lloyds Bank in August 2024 as Managing Director, Head of Real Estate & Housing. The team is fundamental to Lloyds’s purpose of Helping Britain Prosper and covers a broad range of clients and segments, from leading housebuilders, hotels and many of the UK’s social housing associations through to regional property developers and listed real estate multinationals and investors. Prior to Lloyds Jess spent 10 years with Barclays in a range of real estate leadership roles and latterly as Head of Public Sector. Before Barclays Jess worked at Blackstone, RBS and Allen and Overy. Outside of work Jess is mum to two boys 13 and 10 so her life outside work is spent hanging out with them and doing as much exercise as she can squeeze in.

  Lloyds Banking

  Managing Director

  Jess Tomlinson

  Managing Director

  Lloyds Banking

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  Jessica Hardman

  Jessica Hardman is CEO and co-founder of Aboria Capital. She has worked in real estate investment for more than 20 years, starting her career at BNP Paribas, then joining Deutsche Bank’s real estate funds business in 2004 before joining DWS Group in 2017. Hardman has enjoyed a varied career, leading transaction teams culminating in €12B of transactions and later running European fund management for international investors. She was a pioneer and trusted portfolio manager for the wave of inward capital flows from Asian institutional clients and built billions in assets under management for Deutsche Bank. In 2023, Hardman became the CEO of DWS UK, overseeing 500 staff and more than €200B in assets under management across global alternatives and passive public market strategies. As the cycle resets, Hardman is making her next career pivot. As announced two months ago, Hardman is co-founding a new investment management business, Aboria Capital, with development and operational specialist Downing Students. The ambition: to become a leading, vertically integrated partner for investors in the European living sector. In July 2024, she became the president of the British Property Federation and joined the board of INREV, the European Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate. Hardman enjoys the hustle and bustle of family life, including eating and feeding, discovering new places and just chilling out together.

  Aboria Capital

  CEO and Co-founder

  Jessica Hardman

  CEO and Co-founder

  Aboria Capital

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  Helen Gordon

  Helen Gordon is Chief Executive of Grainger plc the UK’s largest listed residential landlord.   Helen was appointed Chief Executive of Grainger in January 2016 from RBS where she had been Global Head of Real Estate Asset Management since October 2011. Prior to that Helen was Director of Legal and General Property, responsible for the Main Life Fund and c.8 smaller Funds, and Group Property Director of Railtrack and Managing Director of John Laing Developments.   She has represented various business on London First since 1998. Helen is Senior Independent Director on the Board of Derwent London and is currently Vice Chair and a Board Director of the European Public Real Estate Association. Helen is Past President of the British Property Federation and was a member of the Government’s Urban Centre Recovery Taskforce for post Covid recovery. Helen has held a number of non-exec positions and Government appointments including the Board of Covent Garden Market Authority and Board of British Waterways.

  Grainger PLC

  CEO

  Helen Gordon

  CEO

  Grainger PLC

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  Kathryn Thomas

  Managing Director | International Head, RES

  Citigroup

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  Lorna Brown

  Lorna Brown is the Chief Executive Officer at Birchwood Real Estate Capital and a member of its investment committee. Lorna has over 25 years’ experience across real estate equity and debt. She established Birchwood Real Estate in 2022 following a diverse career across a range of financial institutions and investors spanning private equity and investment management including Blackstone and Legal & General Investment Management. During her career Lorna has executed in excess of £20bn of real estate transactions globally. Lorna was included in ‘Top 51 Most Influential Women in UK Real Estate’ and ‘Top 10 Property Bankers’ by Estates Gazette. Lorna graduated from the University of Strathclyde where she received a BA (Hons) in Planning and the University of Aberdeen with a Master’s degree in Land Economy. Lorna is a fellow of the RICS.

  Birchwood

  Chief Executive Officer

  Lorna Brown

  Chief Executive Officer

  Birchwood

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  Lynda Shillaw

  Lynda Shillaw became Chief Executive of Harworth Group on 1 November 2020. Lynda was previously Group Property Director and a Board Member at London Stock Exchange-listed Town Centre Securities plc where she led the management of its land and property and its development pipeline. Before that she was Divisional CEO, Property at the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), where she was responsible for MAG's investment portfolio and development land bank, including its "Airport City" joint venture. This followed a long career managing both investment and development real estate portfolios for BT and Co-operative Group before joining Lloyds Banking Group as Global Head of its Real Estate lending division. Lynda is also a Non-Executive Director of The Crown Estate and Vivid Housing Association.

  Harworth Group

  CEO

  Lynda Shillaw

  CEO

  Harworth Group

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  ​Melanie Leech

  Melanie joined the British Property Federation in 2015, following nine years as Director General of the Food and Drink Federation. Melanie began her working life as a Police Constable in the Metropolitan Police Service.  She joined HM Customs in 1988 and subsequently held a number of senior roles in the civil service. Her role is to champion a diverse, successful and sustainable real estate UK real estate sector recognised for the positive benefits it delivers to communities across the country. Melanie is also a Trustee of the property industry charity LandAid and a member of the Council of the University of Essex. She was awarded a CBE in 2015 for services to the food and drink industry.

  British Property Federation

  CEO

  ​Melanie Leech

  CEO

  British Property Federation

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  Nadine Buckland

  CEO

  Zenzic Capital

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  Sherin Aminossehe

  Sherin’s most recent role was Head of Commercial Office business at Lendlease, she was responsible for a range of regeneration projects, including the £2.4bn International Quarter London in Stratford, Silvertown and Euston, with a gross development value of over £5bn. She also led the company’s social impact strategy. In Whitehall, she held the dual role of CEO at the Government Property Unit and Head of Property Profession for the Civil Service. As part of her work for the largest owner of real estate in the UK, she led, devised and executed the property strategy for government, looking at how they could use their portfolios effectively to create growth as well as saving over £1bn in running costs and £3.6bn in capital receipts. Through the creation of the One Public Estate programme, she also been a strong part of the Government’s social change agenda with a particular focus on creating more homes and jobs. She is due to return to Government in late summer in a new senior leadership role. Sherin is also a trustee of the Design Council and has recently won the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in the inaugural Real Estate, Infrastructure and Construction Category. She has been in the Property Week Power 100, 40 under 40 and Bisnow’s 51 Most Influential Women in UK Real Estate.

  Ministry of Defence

  Director of Infrastructure

  Sherin Aminossehe

  Director of Infrastructure

  Ministry of Defence

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  Sophie van Oosterom

  Sophie van Oosterom is global head of real estate, overseeing the growth of Schroders’ direct and indirect real estate business. She most recently served as CEO and chief information officer of EMEA for CBRE Global Investors, where she was responsible for the oversight of all operations, investment strategy and performance, underwriting, and programme development in the region. Van Oosterom also served as a member of CBRE Global Investors' global executive committee and global investment committee, and as chair of the European executive committee and European investment committee. She began her real estate and finance career in 1996. Before joining CBRE Global Investors, she was a managing director and European head of asset management of the Lehman Brothers Real Estate Partners private equity funds (now Silverpeak Real Estate Partners), which held around $20B of assets under management at its peak.

  Schroders

  Global Head of Real Estate

  Sophie van Oosterom

  Global Head of Real Estate

  Schroders

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  Stephanie Hyde

  Stephanie Hyde is UK CEO and incoming CEO of markets advisory across Europe, the Middle East and Africa at JLL. Hyde joined the global real estate consultancy firm in 2021 following more than 25 years in professional services. Her responsibilities include driving strategy and results for JLL’s leasing advisory and property management businesses as well as delivering a connected approach for clients across the UK and EMEA regions. In 2022, Hyde was instrumental in implementing JLL’s Thrive programme in response to the realisation that career progression and retention was a challenge for ethnically underrepresented employees. The coaching programme focuses on engaging people approaching director or senior level, where representation tends to drop off. To date, 120 people have participated in Thrive, and 22% have moved roles internally. This programme was recognised by Bisnow as part of its Rise Initiative. JLL introduced a dedicated menopause policy in October 2022, recognising that an increasing number of people are working through and beyond perimenopause and menopause, and the company had a responsibility to provide practical and cultural support. Hyde helped champion the effort on World Menopause Day via a JLL-hosted webinar featuring a range of experts from across the industry. Since then, a monthly forum has arisen to discuss the topic and connect people to share experiences and provide support. Under Hyde’s leadership, JLL’s pay gaps in the UK have narrowed. The mean gender pay gap in 2022 was 18.9%, down from 20.5% in 2021 and 25.2% in 2017 when it first began reporting these figures in the UK. The mean ethnicity pay gap in 2022 was 14.3%, a reduction from 16.3% in 2021 and 2020 when JLL UK began reporting those numbers. She is also driving progress toward JLL UK gender and ethnicity targets set in 2021 to address opportunity imbalance. Outside of work, Hyde enjoys reading, swimming, spending time with her family and walking her two dogs.

  JLL

  UK CEO

  Stephanie Hyde

  UK CEO

  JLL

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  Susie McCabe

  Susie McCabe is the Co-CEO of the McArthurGlen Group, joining the company in September 2018 as Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining McArthurGlen, she spent four years at Under Armour Inc as Senior Vice President of Global Retail, responsible for creating and implementing all aspects of the group’s worldwide retail strategy. Before that, Susie spent 16 years with Ralph Lauren Corporation in a number of senior roles in both its full price and outlet businesses. She also chaired the company’s Retail Diversity Council for nine years.

  McArthurGlen

  Co-CEO

  Susie McCabe

  Co-CEO

  McArthurGlen

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  Vanessa Simms

  Chief Financial Officer

  Landsec

Remarks Throughout the Day

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  Caroline Griffiths

  Caroline Griffiths is the People & Culture Managing Director for Greystar across Europe and APAC, overseeing 1,100 team members across 10 markets. She has over 28 years of experience in HR, having started her career in the UK rail industry before going on to undertake European and Global senior HR roles at Cisco and Kantar. Caroline is a fully qualified Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has an MBA from the Open University.

  Greystar

  People & Culture Managing Director

  Caroline Griffiths

  People & Culture Managing Director

  Greystar