IoD City of London supports real estate and infrastructure event launched to aid government's Build Back Better agenda

Richard Nelson, Committee Member of the Institute of Directors City of London Branch and Chair of its Property Special Interest Group, as well as Founder and Managing Director of Abyss Global Ltd, has been appointed to the UKREiiF Advisory Group.

Business and political figures from across the UK announced in March the launch of The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), with the first UKREiiF networking event, exhibition, and conference to be held in Leeds on 17-19th May 2022.

UKREiiF will bring together the public and private sectors to support the ambition for the UK to Build Back Better following the pandemic and the UK’s exit from the EU – with an annual networking event, exhibition, and conference, the showpiece of the forum, which will connect investors from the UK and overseas to development opportunities within our shores. The forum will attract inward investment, generate economic growth, and drive a more sustainable and inclusive culture within the property and construction industries.

“It is an honour to be involved in this groundbreaking event and to be able to contribute to its development and success,” said Richard. “We have a real opportunity to showcase en masse what the UK has to offer as one of the safest, most innovative and transparent property and infrastructure markets in the world. We are world leaders in areas such as zero carbon design, the adoption of technology in construction and property, property law and property finance, and UKREiiF will provide a superb new platform for international investors to meet UK businesses, entrepreneurs and public sector bodies.”

Alongside Richard, a number of influential senior figures and businesses have already announced their commitment to UKREiiF including:

• Lord Bob Kerslake – Chair of the UKREiiF Advisory Group, Chair of Peabody, Chair of Be First and Chair of the Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation
• Kate Willard OBE – Thames Estuary Envoy and Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board
• Gagan Mohindra MP – Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Regeneration and Development and MP for South West Hertfordshire
• Joanne Roney OBE – Chief Executive of Manchester City Council
• Pete Gladwell – Head of Public Sector Partnerships, Legal & General Investment Management
• Ghislaine Halpenny – Director of Strategy and External Affairs, British Property Federation

And organisations including:

• Department for International Trade
• Allied London
• Old Oak & Park Royal Development Corporation
• Scarborough Group International
• Black Professionals in Construction
• MEPC
• Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• First Base
• Hull and The Humber Partnership
• Newcastle City Council
• Munroe K
• Avison Young
• Blackpool Council
• Lendlease

Other organisations include the Royal Town Planning Institute, Capital & Centric, Willmott Dixon, Constructing Rainbows, Pagabo, Rider Levett Bucknall and CB Collier.

Lord Bob Kerslake, Chair of UKREiiF Advisory Group and former Chief Executive of the Homes & Communities Agency, said: “I was really keen to join this initiative that will bring together the public and private sector along with companies large and small. It’s becoming increasingly odd for the UK’s property and regeneration industries to travel to the South of France annually to meet people you can do just as easily and effectively in the UK.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has given us an opportunity to pause and reflect, an opportunity to ask ourselves what the future should look like in terms of a conference that brings these industries together. Such a conference is needed – to connect and network, learn from each other and highlight new opportunities, and this new UK based forum will be really important. UKREiiF is a new future that we should embrace. A new UK property and investment event can and must have a much greater focus on sustainability, inclusion and a healthy environment.”

Kate Willard OBE, Thames Estuary Envoy and Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, said: “I’m already looking forward to The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) in Leeds in 2022. There is a huge amount of investment and development potential in the UK, including the Thames Estuary, the UK’s number one green growth opportunity. It makes sense to have an event of the highest calibre in this country.”

For further information regarding UKREiiF visit: www.ukreiif.com 

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