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Sign upREB at UKREiiF 2025
News / 22.05.2025
We were proud to once again be selected as a partner of UKREiiF this year - the three-day real estate investment and infrastructure forum and the largest of its kind in the UK.
The conference took place in Leeds from Tuesday 20th May until Thursday 22nd May 2025 and thousands of participants were in attendance at the main conference venue at the Royal Armouries Museum and New Dock and at the 100+ fringe events taking place across the city.
Our Chair Jo Davis, other REB Board Directors, our executive team and members of our committees and networks were among them.
We made the case for fairness, representation and inclusive workplace cultures in our sessions with members, below.
The end of EDI as we know it?
Regeneration Brainery Studio
REB, Landsec, Lloyds Bank and Regeneration Brainery joined forces to explore the role of EDI in a changing geopolitical landscape – why it still matters and the practical steps that decision-makers and place-makers can take to realise the benefits of a more equitable, diverse and inclusive industry. Attendees had their say via a live poll and the majority said EDI is at the same level of business priority as it was 18 months ago. The panellists were:
- Michele Steel - CEO, Regeneration Brainery
- Jo Davis - Principal, Managing Director Place, UK Executive Chair at Avison Young and Chair of REB
- Christopher Yau - Director, Housing, Lloyds
- Ben Anderson - Senior Sustainability Manager for Social Impact, Landsec
- Manuella Bushidi - Regeneration Brainery Ambassador and Landsec Futures participant
Advancing Social Mobility in Real Estate with Davitt Jones Bould
Merchants Hall, Cloth Hall Court
Davitt Jones Bould kindly hosted this evening event which was open to all who work for a REB member, regardless of role or level, just a short distance from the main conference venue. Keynote speaker Paddy Allen, Chair of Pathways to Property, shared his vision for how real estate can benefit from increasing the diversity of social backgrounds of industry participants.
Shaking Up Access to Real Estate with Shepherd and Wedderburn
Shepherd and Wedderburn Pavilion
Working with Shepherd and Wedderburn, we brought together the industry innovators committed to championing inclusivity in UK real estate and its associated sectors, below, to share their insights and experiences on widening access to the variety of careers on offer across our industry.
- Claire MacLean - Partner, Shepherd and Wedderburn
- Nadir Ahmed - Senior Advisor and Chief of Staff, Office of Government Property, Cabinet Office
- Ghislaine Halfpenny - Director of ESG and Corporate Affairs, Regal London
- Dave Davies - Head of Lending, Real Estate, Barclays UK Corporate Banking
- Jo Davis - Principal, Managing Director Place, UK Executive Chair at Avison Young and Chair of REB
Breaking Down Barriers: Creating a more diverse and representative workforce
UK Government Knowledge Hub
Jo then moderated this session examining initiatives aimed at building a more inclusive and representative workforce within the public sector’s property teams and the ongoing efforts within the property profession to diversify hiring, promote inclusivity and create a culture of representation. She was joined on stage by:
- Martin Keeler - HR Director, Government Property Agency
- Lynda Rawsthorne - Government Head of the Property Profession
- Jake Drummond - Deputy Head of the Property Profession
- Lara Newman - Chief Executive, LocatED
- Jo Davis - Principal, Managing Director Place, UK Executive Chair at Avison Young and Chair of REB
- Dominic Brankin - Director of Workplace Services - Government Property Agency
Sue Brown, our Managing Director, said:
"My team have reported back on the success of this year's UKREiiF and on the positive collaborations with our members across sessions in the conference and many other events.
"I am pleased that striving for a representative real estate industry remains so high on the conference agenda and that closing the sector's skills gap was a theme throughout so much of this year's programme.
"Everyone at REB is thankful to the organisers of UKREiiF for partnering with us again and allowing us to provide passes to people who otherwise would not have had the chance to attend.
"We are also thankful to all of our members who partnered with us to deliver our activities and included us in their roundtables, conversations, networking and more, with particular thanks to our friends at Avison Young, the Cabinet Office, DJB Law, Regeneration Brainery and Shepherd and Wedderburn for being our key partners this year."