Conference Programme

Monday 21st September

5pm – Welcome Networking Drinks will take place in Nine Elms, London, for those in London the day before the main conference agenda.

7.30pm – Speaker, Sponsors & VIP Dinner at Battersea Power Station, London (by invitation only)

Tuesday 22nd September

8.30am – Breakfast, Networking and Registration at the Oval Cricket Ground, London

9.30am – Start of the main conference programme

1.00pm – Networking Lunch Session for speakers & attendees

2.00pm – Conference programme continues

4.20pm – Conference programme close

4.30pm – Living UK Networking Drinks Reception on pitch side terraces at the Oval.

7pm – Event closes at the Oval to allow delegates to organise their own dinner plans & fringe events

Agenda Content

Investment & Funding into the Living Sectors
How does the UK opportunity stack up against Continental Europe, sector by sector?
If you had to rank them today, which sector wins – PBSA, SFH, BTR, Co-Living, Affordable or Senior – and does the ranking change across the Channel?
As interest rates fall, will cheaper debt pull core capital back into UK development?
What does global cross-border capital see in the UK that domestic investors are missing?
Where do the Living sectors fit on the priority list amongst other property sectors such as commercial and industrial?
Alicia Edgar, Senior Director, Living Investments, Europe, Invesco
Jasper Gilbey, Head of Housing and Alternatives, Europe, Nuveen
Alex Greaves, Global Head of Living, M&G
Antonio Marin-Bataller, Head of Living Investment Management, PATRIZIA
Dan Valenzano, Senior Partner, Greykite
Andrew Brentnall, Executive Director, Savills Operational Capital Markets (Chair)

A fireside chat with leading Living Sector Agents – what is happening on the ground and where next?
To what extent is the anticipated recovery in 2026 transaction activity materialising, and is liquidity broadening beyond a small number of large deals?
How are financing costs, yields and operational performance shaping pricing across the living sectors?
What are agents seeing in rental demand, affordability, occupancy and rental growth, and how are changes in traditional private rental supply affecting institutional operators?
Which barriers to new delivery—including viability, planning, building safety, construction costs and finance—are beginning to ease, and which remain the greatest constraints?
Which living sectors and locations offer the strongest long-term growth potential, and how are investors balancing UK opportunities with those in Continental Europe?
Simon Scott, Lead Director – Living Capital Markets, JLL
Andrew Brentnall, Executive Director, Savills Operational Capital Markets
James Dunne, Head of UK Living, Cushman & Wakefield
Helen Collins, Principal, Head of UK Living and Affordable Housing, Avison Young (UK)
Alanna Peach, Head of Living Capital Markets, Colliers
Alexandra Notay, Chief Executive, The Housing Forum (Chair)

New Legislation and Policy Across the Living Sectors
What could a change in Prime Minister and housing priorities mean for investment, development and partnership models across the living sectors?
What early operational and market effects are emerging from the Renters’ Rights Act, and where is further clarity still needed?
How is the building safety regime working in practice, particularly around Gateway 2 approvals, remediation and confidence in development timelines?
How are planning reform, infrastructure constraints and the Building Safety Levy affecting costs, scheme viability and the future development pipeline?
Which forthcoming changes to housing quality and energy-efficiency standards will have the greatest impact on investment and asset-management strategies?
Kate Butler, Assistant Director of Policy (Real Estate), Real Estate UK

National Housing Bank – Purpose, Priorities and Financing the Living Sectors
What is the overall purpose of the National Housing Bank, and how will it complement Homes England and private-sector finance?
What do the Bank’s first investments and partnerships in build-to-rent, housing and regeneration reveal about its approach and appetite?
Which living sectors, tenures, locations and delivery models will be the Bank’s main priorities?
What forms of debt, equity, guarantees and blended finance can the Bank provide, and what types of projects or funding challenges is it seeking to address?
How should organisations approach the Bank, what does the assessment and approval process involve, and how quickly can funding be deployed?
Simon Century, Chief Executive Officer, National Housing Bank

Student Housing Conference Stream
Market Dynamics, Investment, and Key Opportunity Areas
How are occupancy levels and demand patterns changing across the UK PBSA market?
What do current pricing and transaction trends indicate about investment entry points and acquisition opportunities?
Where is rental growth being achieved, and how are incentives affecting effective rents?
How do investment opportunities in the UK compare with those across Continental Europe?
How are PBSA and HMO leasing curves, development pipelines and construction costs shaping local supply and demand?
How are changing student preferences and the overlap between PBSA and build-to-rent influencing the market?
Richard Ward, Head of Research, StuRents

Student Housing Conference Stream
Emerging Opportunities, Operational Scale, Student needs, and Future Growth
How are the Immigration White Paper, the international student levy, university finances and changing recruitment cycles affecting the scale, timing and visibility of demand?
Which cities, institutions and student segments offer the strongest fundamentals, and what indicators should investors use when assessing future demand and supply?
Which product types, price points and core services best meet student priorities around affordability, safety, wellbeing, study and community?
How much competitive pressure is PBSA facing from build-to-rent and co-living, and are operators considering expansion into these sectors?
How are planning policy, the Building Safety Levy, Gateway 2 timelines and construction costs affecting pipeline viability and delivery across different locations?
Which operating models, partnerships and technologies can support portfolio growth while maintaining occupancy, service quality and the student experience?
Stewart Moore, CEO, Host Students
Matt Burton, Chief Partnerships Officer, UPP
Paul Watson, Managing Director, Now Students
Laura Kurt, Managing Director, Fusion Students
Ashling Fox, Managing Director, Student Roost
Philip Hillman, Consultant, PfP Students (Chair)

Single Family Housing Conference Stream
Presentation: The State and Outlook for UK Single-Family Rental
What is driving the growth of UK single-family rental investment, and how is the profile of participating capital evolving?
How is the sector performing across lease-up, occupancy, tenancy length, rental growth, operating costs and investment returns?
Which locations, site characteristics, house types and customer groups provide the strongest foundations for successful SFH investment?
How are forward funding, forward commitments, joint ventures, portfolio acquisitions and housebuilder partnerships shaping the sector’s next stage of growth?

Single Family Housing Conference Stream
Delivery, Operation, and Investment in Single Family Housing
What will define the investment case for single-family rental over the next five years, across both new development and stabilised portfolios?
Who is choosing professionally managed family rental housing, and how should product, specification, service and location respond to different household needs?
How can investors and housebuilders work together from land acquisition onwards to determine tenure mix, phasing, unit types and the most appropriate transaction structure?
What are operators learning about delivery phasing, leasing velocity, pricing, voids, tenancy duration, maintenance and customer retention as portfolios mature?
How are the Renters’ Rights Act and assured periodic tenancies influencing leasing processes, rent reviews, resident relationships and operational systems?
What capabilities, data and partnerships are required to aggregate portfolios, maintain consistent service standards and create a mature market for capital recycling and exit?
Ged McPartlin, Managing Director, Simple Life Management (Sigma Capital)
Anna Hwang, Chief Investment Officer, Placefirst
Natasha Virani, Director, Leaf Living
David Reid, Managing Director, Suburban BTR, Legal & General
Richard Berridge (Chair)

Build to Rent Conference Stream
The Investment Case for Build to Rent – Multifamily in 2026
Investment is rising even as construction slows – where are the opportunities?
With completions outpacing starts, who gains the ‘first restarter’ advantage?
Why are investors pivoting to stabilised, first-generation operational assets?
How are building safety and cost inflation still constraining delivery in London and other major cities? How and when will this ease?
Lizzie Breckner, Partner, Head of Resi Investment Research, Knight Frank

Build to Rent Conference Stream
The Evolution of Build to Rent – Investment, Delivery, Operations & Exit – what have we learnt from 15 years of UK Multifamily?
How has the urban build-to-rent model evolved across investment, delivery, operations and exit?
What is currently driving investment activity, portfolio trading, valuations and liquidity in the build-to-rent market?
How are operators defining the next generation of build-to-rent product in terms of unit mix, amenity, service, affordability and customer profile?
Where is there demand for lower-amenity or more affordable build-to-rent, and what operating model is needed to deliver it?
How are policy changes, planning reform, the Renters’ Rights Act and station-led development opportunities shaping delivery and operations?
How are lifestyle shifts, longer-term renting, hybrid work, mixed-use places and social value influencing the future of rental living?
Nisha Kerai, Head of Residential Operations, Legal & General
Richard Smith, Managing Director, Moda Life
Andrew Saunderson, Executive Director, CBRE Ltd
Debra Yudolph, Founder and CEO, SAY Property Consultants Ltd
Brian Welsh, Founder, OPRE Solutions (Chair)

Co Living Conference Stream
The Rise and Investment Landscape of UK Co-Living & Flex Living
With a vast untapped London target market, how big is the opportunity?
Which cities beyond London are emerging as the next co-living hubs?
What do recent debt deals tell us about growing lender confidence in the sector?
How do the draft London Plan and NPPF density agenda support co-living?
Is the UK ahead or behind established Continental & Global flex-living markets?
Emma Rosser, EMEA Living Research & Strategy Director, JLL

Co Living Conference Stream
Delivering and Operating Co-Living – Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities
Where does co-living fit between PBSA and BTR, and is it the next step for student operators?
As a lower-cost alternative to mainstream tenures, how is the amenity mix evolving?
How do all-inclusive rents and community programming shape resident retention?
What role does technology play in improving operations and margins at scale?
How are local authorities now viewing co-living as part of the housing solution?
Is Co Living a Global model and where do London & other UK cities fit in when compared to other leading Global cities for the Co Living demographic?
Jermaine Browne, Founding Partner, Re:shape Living
Jessica Hardman, CEO & Co-founder, Aboria
Anil Khera, Founder and CEO, Node
Lily Lin, Managing Director – UK Real Estate, BC Capital (BCCAP)
Justin Shee, Managing Director UK, Cohabs
Dominic Grace (Chair)

Affordable Housing Session
Investment into Affordable Housing Models
How will the new Social and Affordable Homes Programme reshape investment?
With most homes required at Social Rent, how does the viability model actually work?
As Registered Providers face costlier refinancing, how are for-profit JVs filling the gap?
What structures make ‘affordable’ rent levels investable for institutional capital?
Can the growth of BTR offer a genuine path to affordable rental stock?
Marie-Alix Prat, Investment Director at Big Society Capital
Shamez Alibhai, Managing Director, Head of Community Housing, Man Group
Rizwan Khan, Head of Investment & Partnerships, Sage Homes
Catherine Webster, CEO, Thriving Investments
Helen Collins, Principal, Affordable Housing, Avison Young (Chair)

Retirement Living Conference Stream
How could Retirement-for-Rent Broaden the Market?
Where does retirement-for-rent sit within the wider spectrum of retirement housing, integrated retirement communities, housing-with-care and care homes?
Which customers and circumstances are best suited to rental, for-sale and mixed-tenure options?
How do the rental and traditional retirement-housebuilder models compare in terms of affordability, customer commitment, absorption, income and capital requirements?
What role could retirement-for-rent play in widening consumer choice, complementing the for-sale market and attracting long-term investment into the sector?
Samantha Rowland, Director, HOLA

Retirement Living Conference Stream
Delivering Retirement-for-Rent—and Its Place in the Wider Senior-Living Market
What role should rental play alongside the established housing with care and retirement-housebuilder models, and where does mixed tenure offer the greatest advantages?
How do the economics of rental and for-sale schemes differ across development funding, lease-up or sales absorption, operating income, capital recycling and exit?
Which locations, customer groups, product types and price points are most appropriate for retirement-for-rent?
How can rental and mixed-tenure options help customers move before or without completing the sale of a family home?
How should design, services, staffing and care provision differ between rental, for-sale and mixed-tenure communities?
What partnerships between housebuilders, operators and institutional investors could help the market scale while providing clear, affordable and transparent choices for residents?
Samantha Rowland, Director, HOLA
Duncan Garrood, CEO, Riverstone Living
Shane Paull, Chief Operating Officer, McCarthy & Stone
Steve Bangs, CEO, Pegasus
Kevin Beirne, Director, Head of Retirement, Octopus Capital
Michael Voges, Chief Executive, ARCO (Chair)

Delivering the Living Sectors – Viability, Construction Costs and getting delivery happening
What projects are actually progressing into construction, and what is enabling delivery?
How are land values, construction costs, rental or sales income, operating assumptions and funding terms shaping viability across different locations and tenures?
What is required to convert planning permissions and committed investment into starts on site?
How is the Gateway 2 process operating in practice, and how are project teams preparing for procurement, construction and Gateway 3?
Which delivery approaches—including MMC, conversions, phased development, mixed tenure and public-sector partnerships—are proving viable and scalable?
How can developers, investors, lenders, contractors and public bodies work together earlier to create financeable projects and maintain momentum through to completion?
Ed Ellerington, Founder & CEO, Packaged Living Limited
Alex Pease, CEO, Watkin Jones
Thomasin Renshaw, Managing Director, UK Development, Greystar
Shivani Goolab, Real Estate, Investec
Nick Riley, Managing Executive Director, Whittam Cox Architects (Chair)

Tech, AI & Data in the Living Sectors
Which technologies are having the greatest practical impact on the planning, design, construction and delivery of living-sector developments?
Where is AI currently improving leasing, customer service, maintenance, energy management and other day-to-day operations?
What data is required to support more informed decisions on investment, development, pricing and asset performance and where does AI fit into this?
Which digital services and smart-home features do residents value, and what should developers and operators now provide as standard?
How should organisations manage data protection, cybersecurity, transparency and human oversight as their use of AI and connected technology increases?
How can businesses evaluate returns, integrate new systems and move successful technology from individual pilots to portfolio-wide adoption?
Richard Donnell, Executive Director, Zoopla
Dan Smith, Chief Business Officer, VerbFlow.AI
Ami Kotecha, Co Founder & President, Amro Partners
Justin Harley, Senior Director, Yardi
Another panellist will be added shortly.
Dominic Grace (chair)