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Sign upProgressing equity, diversity and inclusion in property in partnership with UKREiiF
News / 01.02.2024
We are very proud to once again have been selected as an equity, diversity and inclusion partner of UKREiiF - the major annual three-day real estate investment and infrastructure forum in Leeds.
This year's UKREiiF, from Tuesday 21st May until Thursday 23rd May, will see a vibrant festival feel across the whole of the city with inspirational talks, influential speakers, 30 stages not even to mention the 100+ fringe events and more than 10,000 people attending each day.
The purpose of the forum is to accelerate Build Back Better and Levelling Up through investment alongside active promotion of the sustainability, Net Zero, social value and EDI agendas.
And that is where Real Estate Balance comes in.
Our Managing Director, Sue Brown, and the Vice Chair of our Board, Suzanne Avery, will be in attendance alongside the movers and skakers in UK real estate.
Other Real Estate Balance non-executive Directors and members of our executive team, Policy and Campaigns Committee and NextGen Committee will also be there.
We will be discussing EDI challenges and solutions and promoting the case for diverse and inclusive workplaces and cultures in our industry - the causes that matter to our members.
Last year, as the above photo of our Board Director Kirsty Wilman and NextGenner Reah Huggins-Sutton shows, we presented at UKREiiF on themes pertinent to the up-and-coming generation of property professionals.
We are also working on our involvement for 2024, so remember to check in with this webpage and our social media channels to keep up-to-date with our plans for the event.
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Real Estate Balance at UKREiiF 2024
Breaking down barriers
Tuesday 21st May, 9:30am to 10:30am on the Government Pavilion
Sue will be joining Mark Bourgeois, Interim Chief Executive of the Government Property Agency, Lynda Rawsthorne, Government Head of Property Profession, Lara Newman, Chief Executive of LocatED and Amos Simbo, Chief Executive of BPIC Network, to discuss what the public sector is doing - and should be doing - to make the property workforce more diverse. The session will be chaired by BE News Editor in Chief Liz Hamson.
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Dare to be different? The roles of networks and new skills
Tuesday 21st May, 1pm to 2pm at the Regeneration Brainery Studio
Sue will then be joining Adina David, founder of Ladies in Real Estate, to discuss the the crucial role of networks in diversifying the real estate industry, shaping its future leaders and more in this Avison Young and Regeneration Brainery event. Kat Hanna, Avison Young's co-Managing Director, will chair the conversation.
The second half of the session will see Michele Steel, Sammy Pahal, Lella Violet Halloum and Abiola Ogunsami discuss how to foster EDI within real estate, challenging conventional career paths and underscoring the importance of mentorship and leadership development.
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Accent: the bias heard but not seen
Wednesday 22nd May, 8am to 9am on the Government Pavilion
We've worked with Shepherd and Wedderburn and the government to convene speakers to tackle this underexplored subject in an ideal setting. Emma Guthrie, Partner in Property and Infrastructure at Shepherd and Wedderburn, Rav Cheema, Senior Associate, LocatED, Alan Whitelaw, Property Director, Government Property Agency and Paula McLeay, Programme Director, Places for Growth, Cabinet Office, to explore the impacts having a regional accent can have on social mobility and professional development in UK real estate and associated sectors. The panel discussion will be moderated by Tim Burke, Deputy Editor at EG.
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D&I leaders breakfast
Wednesday 22nd May, 8am to 9:30am at the Regeneration Brainery Studio
At the same time, we will also be represented at this breakfast networking to enable vocal leaders and allies to connect – with a planned £1,800 of donations set to be made during the event.
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Fringe event - Real Estate Balance in Leeds
Wednesday 22nd May, 12:30am to 2.15pm at Addleshaw Goddard in Sovereign Square, Leeds
Only a short walk from the main UKREiiF site, we will be joining Real Estate Balance member Addleshaw Goddard in hosting this lunchtime event to discuss gender balance, ethnic minority representation and social mobility in the Leeds and wider regional property industry.
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Brickwork and friends in aid of LandAid
Wednesday 22nd May, time TBC at Headrow House, Leeds
Mark Bourgeois, the Interim CEO at the GPA, and his real estate band Brickwork will be hosting this evening event for a great cause we are more than happy to support. It will be an open mic session so guest singers, guitarists, drummers, keyboard players and tambouring shakers can perform during the set for a small donation. Tickets will be available nearer the time and please contact mark.bourgeois@gpa.gov.uk to find out more about getting involved.
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To view the full programme at UKREiiF and find out more about purchasing your pass to the event, please click here.