The Build to Rent Forum, now in its twelfth year, is organised by Movers & Shakers, and is unrivalled as ‘the UK’s leading BTR Conference!’ This highly-successful, authoritative one day (content-driven) event, brings together Private and Public sector leaders and key stakeholders to debate and exchange ideas. Be part of the conversation! Since its inception in 2014, the Forum has established itself as a powerful platform for the advancement and development of BTR and the rented sector; and has been a sell-out event each year! Speakers Confirmed to date for October 1st 2026...
George Salisbury
Vice President, European Living & Hospitality
LaSalle Investment Management
Niamh Waldron
Social Impact & Sustainability Director
Sigma
Niamh is Social Impact & Sustainability Director with Sigma Capital Group, a leading provider of institutionally invested build-to-rent (BTR) housing across the UK, managed under their brand Simple Life Homes. She joined Sigma in 2020 after more than 30 years in education with experience in management and leadership roles. As Social Impact & Sustainability Director she prioritises people and the communities as the central focus for all engagement, partnerships, and activities. She is passionate about making a real and lasting impact and believes strongly that people are the key to achieving all Social Impact & Sustainability goals present and future.
Pooja Karia
Director Real Estate
Get Living
Pooja Karia is a Director in Real Estate team at Get Living, a leading developer and operator of large scale Build-to-Rent Neighbourhoods. She has a broad range of skills set and over 15 years of experience in market & customer insight, strategy planning, portfolio management and risk management with focus on Build-to-Rent, student housing and commercial real estate in the UK. She has strong track record of leading due diligence, underwriting and asset valuation process, developing asset business plans, setting strategies to maximise value of the portfolio, and investor/Board reporting. Prior to Get Living, she was at iQ Student Accommodation for five years where she initially lead the merger between Wellcome Trust and Goldman Sachs which was successfully completed in February 2016 and was then involved in iQ sale process which was acquired by Blackstone in May 2020. She has overseen the integration of iQ and Prodigy living brand when Wellcome Trust and Goldman Sachs merged and then supported the shareholders in exit strategy. As part of the asset management team, she lead acquisition/divestment opportunities and asset management of the operational portfolio. She is a qualified Pharmacist with Bachelors degree in Pharmacy from Mumbai University in India. She holds Bachelors in Business Administration (Top-Up degree) from University of East London and Masters in Finance from Bayes Business School. She started her career in Real Estate at Chenavari Investment Managers, a hedge fund where she was an analyst focusing on structured finance and real estate fund. She is currently the member of Get Living’s various committees including Operating Committee, Development Committee, Risk Committee and H&S/Governance Committee. She is also member of RE:UK Build-to-Rent Committee and ARL Multi-family Sector Committee.
Matt Day
Assistant Director, Origination
Homes England
Matt Day is a real estate investment professional with over 28 years’ experience across fund management, development, and equity investment. As Assistant Director, Equity and Partnerships Origination at Homes England, he originates and structures equity investments into residential development funds, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships that support housing delivery across England.
Matt has combined institutional investment management with hands-on development experience, including co-founding two residential development companies. He has also established indirect real estate fund management platforms for leading global institutions including Deutsche Asset Management (now DWS), ING Real Estate (now CBRE Investment Management), and Kames Capital (now Aegon Asset Management).
His expertise spans capital raising, investment strategy, fund structuring, partnership development, and residential investment delivery. Matt is an Associate Member of CFA UK and brings a blend of public sector, institutional, and development experience to complex investment opportunities.
Simon Atkinson
Chief Knowledge Officer
Ipsos
Simon Atkinson is Chief Knowledge Officer at Ipsos, based in London and Paris. He launched the Ipsos Knowledge Centre in 2015 which is responsible for bringing together Ipsos’ knowledge, experience and data from 90 countries around the world - and sharing this information with our teams and clients. His background is as a social researcher in Britain, specialising in local government and housing research. Prior to moving to his current role, he was Assistant Chief Executive at Ipsos in the UK for five years.
Simon has worked on Ipsos’ polling for every British general election campaign since 1992. He has been co-editor of the Political Communications election book series since 2001; the next edition (on the 2024 General Election) is due out at the end of the year. He serves as a Management Committee Member of the British Polling Council.
Rebecca Jason
Partner
Winckworth Sherwood
Rebecca is a highly experienced finance lawyer in social housing, public sector and real estate. Her practice includes all forms of lending arrangements involving clearing banks, institutional investors and public sector bodies on both a secured and an unsecured basis.
Rebecca has acted for clearing banks in connection with refinancings and new lending on both investment and development LMA-based facilities, as well as for various public sector funders (such as local authorities and government departments) on the refinancing of existing loans, and the provision of new bespoke development loan facilities to unlock sites for building residential properties and the regeneration of key city centres. She also acts as borrower-side counsel for real estate clients in respect of their funding arrangements for investment property portfolios.
Justine Edmonds
Managing Director
APO
With more than 20 years’ experience in residential property, Justine has held senior leadership roles in the Living sector, with a career spanning Multi & Single-Family Housing with a deep understanding of operational strategy, mobilisation, asset performance and investment optimisation.
Justine regularly works with investment committees, bringing an operational and commercial lens to underwriting assumptions and helping ensure investment cases are grounded in realities if delivery and long-term asset performance.
Justine is a member of the Build To Rent committee for Real Estate: UK (RE:UK).
Ruth Hynes
Global and EMEA Project and Development Services Research Lead
JLL
Ruth Hynes is Senior Director and Global Research Lead for Projects and Development Services at JLL. With deep expertise spanning design research, construction trends and the built environment. Ruth works with JLL's project management, development and design teams worldwide to shape and direct research that informs how buildings and environments are built and experienced, with a particular focus on workplace design, experience and wellbeing in buildings, construction costs and drivers, and development trends.
Lucas Cross
Development Manager
Greystar
Lucas Cross is a Development Manager at Greystar, leading the UK development acquisitions programme for the company's UK Garden-style rental housing strategy. He played a key role in the Waterbeach transaction, the first UK site acquired under the strategy, and is responsible for identifying and progressing development opportunities in high employment growth areas across the UK.
Prior to joining Greystar in 2022, Lucas worked at Urban&Civic, where he was involved in the Waterbeach Barracks mixed-use development and led the successful bid for the Baldock North Urban Extension. He began his career at Home Group.
Lucas is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) and holds a BSc in Real Estate from the University of Reading.
Millie Dodd
Account Director
Shared Voice
Millie is passionate about improving how communities, councils and the development industry engage around new housing. A regular public speaker at events and conferences and a contributor to the media, Millie challenges the way the planning process often amplifies opposition, while leaving supportive voices unheard. She strives to change the way the industry approaches engagement, pushing for more representative engagement and positivity in planning.
Craig Carson
Regional Managing Director
Barratt London
Craig Carson is Regional Managing Director at Barratt Redrow, leading the company's London business. His expertise in the property sector spans nearly 25 years, including previous roles at Joseph Homes and St George (Berkeley Group). He has extensive experience delivering residential-led, mixed-use developments, including major brownfield and regeneration sites such as the former Kodak factory Eastman Village, the 2,500-home Hendon Waterside project in partnership with Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, and Hayes Village, located on the site of the former Nestlé factory.
Craig has also played a key role in establishing strategic partnerships, including the West London Partnership with Places for London (TfL), which will deliver more than 4,000 new homes across west London over the next decade. This includes the Bollo Lane development in Acton, featuring 195 Build to Rent homes alongside a range of other tenures, as well as new homes at High Barnet, Wembley, Cockfosters and other key locations across the capital.
Jake Hughes
Founder & Chairman
Hunter
Jake is the Founding Partner and Chairman of Hunter, bringing over three decades of experience shaping brands and places that put people first. He has played a leading role in building some of the UK’s most recognisable brands, including The White Company, Hotel Chocolat, and Berkeley Group, and continues to guide Hunter's creative and strategic vision. Driven by a passion for understanding what makes people connect with brands, places, and each other, Jake champions a human-centred approach to design and strategy. His focus on empathy, clarity, and collaboration ensures that every project Hunter delivers is both meaningful and commercially effective.
John Holley
Investment Director
Bywater Group
John Holley is Investment Director at Bywater, where he is responsible for acquiring, growing and delivering the company's living portfolio. John joined Bywater in 2025, having previously worked at leading living sector developer Watkin Jones PLC, where he led landmark deals across the Build to Rent, Purpose-Built Student Accommodation and Co-Living sectors throughout the UK.
A member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), John holds a Bachelor's degree in Russian Studies and a Master's degree in Real Estate. He brings a rare combination of commercial rigour and cross-sector insight to every transaction he leads.
At Bywater, John channels his passion, tenacity and integrity into the company's purpose: creating sustainable homes for future generations and he is a strong advocate for innovation in the living sectors.
James Riddell
Chief Executive Officer
Quintain
In January 2026, James Riddell was appointed Chief Executive of Quintain Ltd, a leading real estate development and asset management company best known for transforming the 85-acre Wembley Park neighbourhood in London and creating a market-leading Build-to-Rent platform Quintain Living.
Riddell joined Quintain's Board in September 2015 following the firm's acquisition by private equity firm Lone Star Funds. Over his decade-plus tenure on the executive Board, he played a central role in guiding corporate strategy and the development of over 6,000 residential units. He was appointed Chairman of the Board in September 2021 before transitioning into the Chief Executive position in January 2026.
Prior to joining Quintain Riddell spent 16 years at Lone Star where he was Co-Head of the European real estate business. He brings extensive experience in institutional real estate, investment management and corporate leadership having served on the Board of McCarthy & Stone. In his early career he worked in the M&A division at Morgan Stanley and the Corporate division at Herbert Smith following his law degree from Cambridge.
Joanne Drew
Executive Director Housing & Regeneration, Enfield Council
Co-Chair, London Housing Directors’ Group, London Councils
Joanne is Executive Director of Housing and Regeneration at LB Enfield and co-chair of the London Housing Directors Network. She has worked in housing across the UK for central, regional, and local government, for housing associations and a national social justice charity driving transformation and the delivery of better outcomes for people, places, and the planet. At Enfield she leads a large-scale housing business and regeneration agenda. Enfield is also co-lead Borough for the London Council’s pan London Climate Change programme for warmer and greener homes through housing retrofit.
Anna Hwang
Chief Investment Officer
Placefirst
As Chief Investment Officer at Placefirst, Anna is part of the senior leadership team with over 20 years’ experience in the property sector. Anna has played an instrumental role in developing and executing Placefirst’s real estate strategy. Anna supports on increasing the size of Placefirst’s residential portfolio, developing and executing the investment strategy, and overseeing the management of the investment portfolio.
Grace Oyesoro
Director of Operations
Quintain Living
Grace Oyebunmi Oyesoro is the Director of Operations at Quintain Living, overseeing the operation of 3,390 homes across eight build-to-rent (BtR) developments at Wembley Park (which will be the largest BtR development in the UK upon completion). With over 15 years of experience in sales, operations, finance, and management; she leads a team dedicated to customer service, retention, and financial performance. Prior to joining Quintain Living, Grace held various leadership positions within the residential and commercial property management sectors.
She is especially committed to improving equality, diversity and inclusion within BtR serving as a member of the ARL's EDI committee. Additionally, she is an Enterprise Adviser for The Careers & Enterprise Company, supporting careers programs at local schools and colleges. Grace believes in empowering the next generation and creating opportunities for all. Her professional journey over the past decade reflects her dedication to operational excellence and social impact.
Niki Kyriacou
Sector Lead - BTR
NHBC
Niki is Sector Lead at NHBC focusing on client management of activity, with a focus on the BTR market.
Niki was previously at leading property trade publication Property Week, specialising in partnerships, campaign strategy and cross-platform solutions and has over 20 years’ experience. She has a strong focus on the residential property sector, having driven the development of prestigious, large-scale events like RESI and the RESI Awards.
Other career highlights during that time included launching and delivering high-profile initiatives like RESI Trailblazers - championing rising stars; and Joint Victories - celebrating the best of public-private partnerships.
Lindsay Garratt
Partner
Winckworth Sherwood
Lindsay Garratt is a planning partner at Winckworth Sherwood LLP - a specialist law firm in the built environment.
She leads the London planning team. She has over 20 years’ experience advising on large complex residential-led/mixed-use and regeneration projects incorporating all forms of living tenure including BTR, for sale, PBSA, co-living and affordable housing.
She advises across the lifecycle of a scheme, including early input into land contract negotiations on planning liability, strategic planning advice, highways, complex S106s, CIL, Building Safey Levy, appeals, call-ins (Mayoral and SoS) and JR.
Lindsay is trusted advisor to several PLC housing providers, and advises investors, master developers, RPs and public sector bodies. She is highly regarded for delivering clear, commercially focused and practical advice.
Damien Sharkey
Managing Director
HUB
As Managing Director, Damien leads HUB’s team and the development of its £3.3bn pipeline from acquisition and funding through design, consultation, planning, procurement, and delivery to completion. An architect by background, he remains passionate about design and ensures maximum value across HUB’s portfolio through bespoke and thoughtful design, creativity, technical accuracy and efficient delivery. Established in 2012, HUB has more than 9,300 BTR, co-living, PBSA and affordable homes completed or under development across the UK. Known for developing one of London’s first institutionally backed BTR schemes, HUB continues to deliver industry leading developments, from major BTR-led regeneration to pioneering adaptive reuse in city centres.
Freya Richard
Director - Leasing & Operations
Vertus
Freya joined Vertus in 2019 to launch Canary Wharf Groups first Build-to-Rent portfolio of 1137 units across 3 buildings on the Canary Wharf Estate. Following the success of its launch, she has overseen delivery of Canary Wharfs first ever Apart-Hotel, Vertus Edit and launched 50 & 60 Charter Street, Canary Wharfs latest 756 apartment Build-to-Rent scheme, which will be closely followed by 40 Charter Street in Q2 2027. Prior to Vertus Freya spent 7 years with Knight Frank working across Lettings & operational management for institutional landlords, offshore trust structures, and distressed portfolios.
Chris Fletcher
Director of Direct Development
Grainger plc
Chris joined Grainger in 2011 following 6 years at a major international architectural practice in central London. Having worked on schemes throughout the UK and in Australia, Chris specialises in complex, high value projects, with a specialism in Build-to-Rent development and partnerships. Since joining Grainger, and as Director of the Direct Development team, Chris has secured and delivered multiple schemes ranging from low density infill sites to purpose built, high-rise buildings and is a member of Grainger’s Development Board.
Stephanie Smith
Head of Residential
Muse
Sandra Jones
Managing Director
PriceHubble
Sandra is a Managing Director of PriceHubble following its acquisition of Dataloft in the UK. PriceHubble is an international data and analytics business, specialising in residential markets across 11 countries. PriceHubble holds a unique dataset of achieved rents and renter demographics in the UK used to underwrite rents and profile demand for rental homes. The business works with clients from across the Build to Rent and Single Family Housing sector as well as housebuilders, advisors and policymakers. Its rental Affordability Tracker is published monthly by the ONS and the business collaborates with RE:UK, BusinessLDN and ARL to produce the report: Who Lives in Build to Rent. Sandra is a member of the BTR Alliance, has written widely for national and trade press and was a Research Associate at think tanks, Centre for London and Future of London.
Emma Rosser
Senior Director, EMEA Living Research & Strategy
JLL
Emma leads JLL's pan-EMEA living research managing data, strategic advisory and insights. She has written and led a range of thought leadership pieces across the sectors, including global living, student and affordable housing. She is a former business analyst and journalist, with a decade specialising in the living sectors.
Alastair Mullens
Managing Director
Vertus
Alastair joined CWG in 2018 to establish the group’s Build-to-Rent platform, Vertus. He now oversees all the residential functions at Canary Wharf. This includes, Vertus’s day-to day activities, the groups residential leasehold management arm, Canary Wharf Residential Management Limited and the residential sales function.
Prior to this he spent nine years with Hamptons International & Countrywide Group based in London and Hong Kong, working across residential management, leasing, and development. In his final role at Countrywide as National Director of Corporate PRS & BTR, he oversaw the successful delivery of the group’s Liverpool and Pomona Wharf, Manchester.
James Blakey
Planning Director
Moda Living
James Blakey was employee number two at Moda Living in 2014 and is an exceptionally experienced Planning Director with 30+ years experience with roles at CBRE, Deloitte, United Utilities, West Property and Morgan Stanley. James has led the planning strategy for The Mercian, which is now under construction, and Great Charles Square in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter
Moda Living is the largest privately funded build-to-rent platform in the UK and has one of the most ambitious build-to-rent development pipelines in the UK. Moda already has £850m of projects under construction, with more expected to start on-site during 2020 – the first phase of its £2.5bn pipeline of over 7,500 rent-only homes.
Russell Pedley
Director & Co-Founder
Assael Architecture
With over 30 years’ experience as an architect and more than 15 years in urban design, Russell is passionate about creating a sense of place and leads the design across many of Assael’s projects, with a strong emphasis on placemaking, public realm and community. A leading figure in the UK Build to Rent (BTR) sector, he has played a key role in shaping professionally managed BTR communities, informed by extensive research into US models. Under his leadership, Assael has delivered a number of high-profile BTR schemes and produced influential UK design guidance. Most notably, he co-authored both editions of the Urban Land Institute’s Build to Rent: A Best Practice Guide, supported by the UK Government. Beyond practice, he is former Chair of ULI UK’s Residential Council, and member of ULI UK's and Europe's Living Concepts Councils, was advisor to MHCLG’s Build to Rent Joint Committee, a member of the Urban Design Group, and leads Assael’s international work, including projects from their studios in Bahrain.
Simon Scott
Lead Director, Living Capital Markets (UK)
JLL Europe
Simon has over 20 years’ experience in the field of residential investment and development, and was actively involved in the development of the student investment market in an advisory capacity, and led in a number of innovative funding structures working with both Housing Associations and Universities in making institutionally acceptable investment assets in the residential sector. Simon is now overseeing the residential investment team and will be focused on matching investor appetite for residential investment, whether off plan bespoke developments or existing portfolios of income producing or reversionary assets.
Jace Tyrrell
Chief Executive Officer
Opportunity London
Jace Tyrrell is an international investment leader with more than 25 years’ experience working with governments, business leaders and global investors on city competitiveness, capital attraction and strategic investment across the UK, Australia and Asia-Pacific.
He is Chief Executive of Opportunity London, the public-private partnership established to attract the next £100bn of capital into London. Working with sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, family offices, developers, governments and business leaders, he connects global capital with investment opportunities and partnerships that support London’s growth and international competitiveness.
Previously, Jace was Chief Executive of New West End Company, where he led one of the world’s largest city-centre business partnerships across London’s West End and Mayfair. During his career, he also led work to establish Australia’s first Business Improvement District across Sydney’s waterfront, including Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, and has advised cities and organisations internationally on investment, partnerships and city transformation.
An international speaker and commentator, Jace brings a commercial perspective to the future of cities – connecting global capital, government and business to unlock investment, shape major projects and drive growth.
He is an alumnus of London Business School.
James Pargeter
Senior Advisor
GAA
James is a recognised advocate for the purpose-built operational Rented Living sector (incl. Build to Rent (BTR) and Single-Family Rent (SFR)) within the wider residential sector, with over 25 years’ varied delivery experience as a Project Manager and Advisor. He aims to help address the UK’s housing crisis through policy and practice, recognising that a full tenure spectrum is key to resolving this challenge. Through successive roles at Deloitte, Greystar and GAA, alongside sector roles including at BPF, the ARL and UKSFA, he has a track record of making positive differences to project outcomes.
James is a tireless campaigner for a much-needed cultural change around renting, including better appreciation of the benefits of purpose-built rental housing, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), and intermediate affordable homes. He was included in EG's 'BTR's 50 Most Influential’ list.
Leigh Natasha Salter
Managing Director
Movers & Shakers
Leigh Natasha Salter is a leading convenor and connector within the UK Real Estate Industry, with more than 25 years’ experience bringing together the people, ideas and organisations shaping the built environment.
As Managing Director of Movers & Shakers and Founder of CIPS - Creative Industries Property Summit, Leigh has built an influential senior-level network spanning the private and public sectors, across all major Real Estate asset classes.
Known for her ability to bring the right people into the room, Leigh creates platforms for high-level conversation, connection and collaboration between investors, developers, operators, occupiers, policymakers, advisers, and industry leaders.
Under her leadership, Movers & Shakers has evolved beyond conventional property debate, deliberately pushing the boundaries of Real Estate to explore new sectors, emerging trends and alternative value drivers - from creativity and culture to sport, health, experience, technology, regeneration and the changing ways people live and work.
Leigh founded CIPS to champion the intersection of property, creativity, culture, and place, and is an accomplished moderator, interviewer, and public speaker, known for creating intelligent, engaging discussions and connecting perspectives that might not otherwise meet.
Seb Loyn
Planning & Development Director
YTL Developments
Having trained in both Architecture and Planning, Seb has built his career with some of the property industry’s most innovative developers. After starting out at Urban Splash, he went on to work for Skanska and Studio Hive before joining YTL Developments in 2017.
Seb now leads the team responsible for one of the most ambitious regeneration projects in the country: transforming the historic former Filton Airfield into Brabazon, a thriving new town for Bristol. His role spans both the long‑term planning vision and the commercial strategy for the emerging destination, including the delivery and pre‑letting of major commercial and institutional spaces.
Rebecca Taylor
Managing Director Multi-Family
Long Harbour
Rebecca is the Managing Director of Long Harbour’s BtR / Multifamily business. Since joining Long Harbour in 2015, Rebecca has deployed over £750mn of equity and leads on the LHMF JV which is a £1.5bn partnership with PSP and Cadillac Fairview.
Rebecca has over 15 years’ experience in development and investment having worked in projects in Australia, UK, Ireland and UAE. Prior to joining Long Harbour, Rebecca spent eight years at Laing O’Rourke working in their property and investment team. Here she worked on their offsite housing solution and a number of PFI/PPP deals.
She is the Vice-Chair of the BPF BTR Committee, is on the steering group for the UKAA Best Practice Guide and a member of the ULI UK Residential Council.
Jules Pipe CBE
Deputy Mayor for Planning and Regeneration
Greater London Authority
Jules Pipe works on key priorities for the Mayor, including: implementation of the London Plan, major and community-led regeneration projects across the capital, building a skills system that properly addresses the needs of Londoners and the economy, and ensuring London’s infrastructure supports good growth.
Jules has unrivalled knowledge of London government, becoming the first directly elected mayor of Hackney in 2002 and serving as Chair of London Councils from 2010 until he joined the Mayor’s team in 2016.
Tim Heatley
Co-Founder
Capital & Centric
Tim is co-founder of Capital&Centric. In just five years since it started they’ve completed over 750,000 sq ft of development, they spend £1m a week on regeneration activity and have won 15 awards for design and regeneration.
Some of their projects in Manchester include the £30m conversion of Crusader Mills in Piccadilly and the £200m Kampus Project and the recently completed Foundry a 50,000 sq ft creative workspace in Salford.
Having completed 5 developments last year alone the pipeline of projects Manchester stands at £330m. Projects in Liverpool include Littlewoods Film Studios, and the recently completed Bunker, Tempest and Hangar projects. The total development pipeline is in excess of £500m.
