Joe Reeves is the Executive Director of Finance and Growth for Midland Heart, a leading Midlands based housing association with over 33,000 homes in management. As Executive Director of Finance and Growth, Joe is responsible for overseeing the finances of the £200m turnover operation and delivering the organisation’s new build and acquisition programme which is projected to deliver in excess of 3,300 homes over the next five years. Joe joined Midland Heart following a period of 16 years at PwC in the Corporate Finance Infrastructure and Government team. As a Director at PwC, Joe acted as lead commercial advisor on major housing and other social infrastructure public private partnership projects across the UK with a combined capital value of £1.5bn.

Somik V. Lall is the World Bank’s global lead for territorial and spatial development and lead urban economist in the Global Practice for Urban, Disaster Risk, Resilience, and Land. Mr. Lall joined the World Bank in 1999 and today is a recognized expert on job creation and productivity in cities, development of lagging areas, and enhancing economic outcomes with transport connectivity and advises national and sub-national governments on key policy issues. Somik has led the World Bank’s global research program on urbanization and spatial development and previously founded the Urbanization Reviews program. He leads a Global Solutions Group that focuses on developing spatially coordinated multi-sector investments to support development of specific areas. The group is actively engaged in 42 countries worldwide.

Bek Seeley is the Managing Director for Development at Lendlease. In her current role Bek is responsible for leading the senior development team for the successful delivery of Lendlease’s European pipeline including the Euston Estate, Thamesmead North, Birmingham Smithfield, Elephant Park, Silvertown Quays, IQL Stratford, Deptford Landings, High Road West and both Milano Santa Guilia and MIND in Milan. Most recently she held the position of Chief Operating Officer for Development and was instrumental in winning a number of major projects for Lendlease, as well as overseeing operations and the overall growth of the business. Before joining Lendlease in 2015 Bek’s career spanned the public and private sectors, having held a range of operational and commercial roles including in economic development, infrastructure, built environment and public services. Bek regularly speaks at industry conferences and events, including at MIPIM and the West Midlands Forum for Growth.

Rob is the Managing Partner of Europa Capital with overall responsibility for the business. He is a member of the Global Steering Committee for MEC Global Partners and Europa’s Management Committee with strategic oversight of the business and whose members include individuals from the majority shareholder Mitsubishi Estate. Rob chairs the Executive Committee of Europa and is a member of the Investment Committees of both Europa’s Equity and Debt Funds. Rob has been an Equity Partner at Europa for over 10 years. He joined Europa Capital in March 2003 and during his time has been Head of Asset Management, and Head of Northern Europe with responsibility for acquisition and asset management in the region. He has been responsible for the investment of over €1 billion across all real estate sectors. Prior to Europa Rob worked at LaSalle Investment Management where he was responsible for acquisitions and asset management for a large UK Pension Fund with a portfolio of over £2 billion. This included forward funding, purchases and sales of major shopping centres, office buildings and industrial estates throughout the UK. Rob started his real estate career in 1988 at Jones Lang Wootton (now JLL) gaining experience in Fund Management, Investment and Valuation and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor. In 1993 he joined the European Business Team advising international clients on investment and valuation across Europe which included time living and working in Milan, Stockholm and Paris. Rob was born in Edinburgh and holds an MA in Economics and Geography from St Andrews University, a Diploma in Surveying from Henley Business School and is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS). He is a member of the Urban Land Institute, sits on the Residential Council, is a ULI mentor and an Urban Plan volunteer. In 2019 Rob initiated the Europa scholarship programme with the Department of the Natural and Built Environment at Sheffield Hallam University. He is a guest lecturer on their undergraduate Real Estate course. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS).

Mr Khoo Teng Chye is the Executive Director of the Centre for Liveable Cities, Ministry of National Development, Singapore. He was formerly the Chief Executive of PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mapletree Investments and Managing Director (Special Projects) of Temasek Holdings, Chief Executive Officer/Group President of PSA Corporation and Chief Executive Officer/Chief Planner at the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore. He sits on the Boards of Temasek Foundation Connects, National University Health System, and the Institute of Real Estate and Urban Studies; and Tropical Marine Science Institute of the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is Senior Fellow of the URA Academy, Former Chairman of Urban Land Institute (ULI), Singapore, and a ULI Global Governing Trustee. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Engineers, Singapore. He has a B Eng (Civil, First Class Hons) from Monash University, MSc (Engg) from National University of Singapore (NUS), MBA (NUS) and attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 2018, Public Administration (Gold) in 1996 and the Public Administration (Silver) in 1987 by the Singapore government.

Professor Philip McCann is Professor of Urban and Regional Economics at the University of Sheffield UK. He is one of the world’s most highly cited spatial economists and economic geographers and has won various academic awards for his research in different parts of the world. He was previously Special Adviser to the EU Regional Policy Commissioners Johannes Hahn (2010-2013) and Corina Creţu (2015-2016) and Chief Independent Economic Advisor on the Sixth Cohesion Report (2014).

Lina is responsible for the organization’s global governance, city engagement and knowledge management strategy. She also leads the network’s resilience practice in Europe and the Middle East. Before joining Resilient Cities Network, Lina was Deputy Mayor and Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Thessaloniki, Greece. Lina was trained as an architect and urban designer at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London.

Neil is Chief Executive of the West Midlands Growth Company. Supported by local authorities, universities and a wide range of regional businesses, the Growth Company was established in 2017 to create new jobs, expand existing businesses and attract new inward investment and visitors to the region. Its plans are aligned to the ambitions set out in the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Strategic Economic Plan. Previously, Neil held similar economic development roles in Liverpool and Newcastle upon Tyne. He is currently Chairman of the Midlands Engine Trade and Investment Group, a member of the British Tourism Industry Group and sits on the LandAid Midlands Board. He is also a non-executive director of Creative England.

Alexandra is part of the Property Development team working to transform TfL's real estate and deliver new housing for London. She is currently focused on bringing forward the masterplan development of 3 major sites in London to deliver new state-of-the art transport infrastructure along with c.1600 new homes. Prior to this, she worked for 11 years at JLL, initially in the Planning and Development Team, before moving to the City Investment and Living Capital Markets Teams. Alexandra is a Member of the RICS and the RTPI and a Fellow of the RSA. She is also Co-Chair of the ULI UK Annual Conference and a Non-Executive Director of the British think tank, Bright Blue. Alexandra earned a BA in Geography from the University of Oxford and holds degrees in Spatial Planning, Urban Design and Real Estate from Oxford Brookes and Reading Universities.

Mariya Tsvetkova is a Senior Associate at FORE Partnership, a purpose-driven real estate investment boutique. She is responsible for FORE’s new acquisitions, developments within the existing portfolio and overall firm’s sustainability strategy. Previously, she was an analyst at Hines in the Pan-European Core Fund in London and in JLL’s Strategy Consulting practice in New York. Mariya graduated with a professional Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell University. She is a Co-Chair of the ULI UK Young Leaders and one of the UKGBC Future Leaders.

Tom Murphy Senior Resident Fellow, ULI/Klingbeil Family Chair for Urban Development ULI – the Urban Land Institute Washington, DC Tom Murphy is a senior resident fellow, ULI/Klingbeil Family Chair for urban development. Murphy, former mayor of Pittsburgh, joins other ULI senior resident fellows who specialize in public policy, retail/urban entertainment, transportation/infrastructure, housing, real estate finance and environmental issues. His extensive experience in urban revitalization-what drives investment, what ensures long-lasting commitment-is a key addition to the senior resident fellows' areas of expertise. Prior to his appointment as senior resident fellow, 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 last fall. 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. Prior to his service as the ULI Gulf Coast liaison, 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 certified green 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. From 1979 through 1993, Murphy served eight terms in the Pennsylvania State General Assembly 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 pension fund to invest in venture capital. In addition, he authored legislation 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 right-of-ways 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 masters of science degree in urban studies from Hunter College, and a bachelor of science degree in biology and chemistry from John Carroll University. He is an honorary member of the American Society of Landscape Architects; a board member of the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities; and a board member of the National Rails to Trails Conservancy. He received the 2002 Outstanding Achievement of City Livability Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and was selected as the 2001 Pittsburgh Man of the Year Award by Vectors Pittsburgh. Updated March 2014

With a varied and international background spanning real estate, retail and investment, Tom is driven by a passion to change the world through design. Appointed CEO of Benoy in 2016, his vision is shaped by the desire to leave a positive, lasting legacy for people, places and the built environment, underpinned by economic prosperity, social wellbeing and environmental sustainability.   As CEO, Tom has created a global family of international businesses. Once a stand-alone firm, Benoy now operates alongside Pragma Consulting, Holmes Wood and Uncommon Land within the Handley House group of companies. Bringing together commercial advice and strategic research, technical knowledge and design expertise, the group delivers a holistic approach from data analysis, masterplanning and architecture, to urban and landscape design, interior design and wayfinding. Tom has also overseen the company’s shift into new service areas, including wider mixed-use and masterplanning schemes, and its expansion into new sectors, such as aviation. This strategic redirection has led to landmark project wins, such as Terminal 4 and Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore; ICONSIAM, Thailand and Royalmount, Canada.  Tom is hands-on and engaged in his role, working alongside clients to help them realise their ambitions. Drawing on his past experience, he understands and helps to bring together the core components of research, design and a deep understanding of human behaviour which are critical to people’s relationship with place. These aspects may also hold the key to re-establishing meaningful human connections as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. When he’s not working, Tom enjoys spending time with his family and indulging his passion for sport on the golf course and tennis court. He also coaches at a local rugby club and holds a board advisory role at his beloved Nottingham Forest FC.   

Dr Megan Walters is an International Director at JLL and head of research, leading a team of 170 researchers in Asia Pacific, part of a team of 300 researchers globally. The team is provides research thought leadership, data collection and analysis across the markets, including JLL’s Real Estate Intelligence Service, considered the industry’s leading market research service for real estate. Dr Walters, is a Fellow of RICS with a PhD from the University of Hong Kong in institutional economics of real estate. Megan has an interest in the issues of multiple ownership property (strata title) and property rights on urban environments and city development. Megan joined JLL in 2010 as Head of Research, Asia Pacific Capital Markets, a role responsible for advising investor clients and generating publications on office, retail and industrial real estate trends in capital markets. She is also a member of the JLL Global Research Executive with responsibility for the global office leasing group. Megan sits on the research committees of ANREV and APREA and is the ULI Women’s Leadership representative for Asia Pacific on the WLI Global Committee. Megan held an Adjunct Associate Professor position at National University of Singapore and served on the RICS International Governing Council for 2009 to 2015.

As chief executive of ULI Europe, Lisette van Doorn is responsible for the development of the Institute’s activities across the region, including its renowned pan-European conferences and over 250 local meetings and events across 14 countries. She is responsible for working with ULI’s staff both locally and globally to deliver more high profile content and reports; coordinating Advisory Services panels and Urban Plan; and expanding the Institute’s thought leadership across Europe. Van Doorn joined ULI in January 2015 from LIRE, her own consultancy business, which advises international institutional real estate investors and fund managers on strategy, organisational optimisation and portfolio structuring. Prior to this, van Doorn was country manager for CBRE Global Investors where she managed a €1.6bn portfolio of assets in Italy and fund manager of two shopping centre funds (€ 1.3 billion) with assets in Spain, Portugal and Italy. Before joining CBRE Global Investors, van Doorn was founding chief executive for INREV, the European association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles for four and a half years. Van Doorn started her career at ING Investment Management, where she held account manager and assistant controller positions before being made managing director of research & strategy for ING Real Estate Investment Management Europe.