September 25th 2020
The Changing Investment Agenda - North West
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Our event on: THE CHANGING INVESTMENT AGENDA - NORTH WEST, will explore the prospects for the region, the opportunities for investment and the challenges of getting projects off the ground. The big issue for investors over the last 12 months has been BALANCING COMMERCIALITY WITH SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & SUSTAINABILITY.
In a COVID-19 World, the goal posts have changed and investment is arguably harder to gain; and the value of socially responsibility, ethical or green investments is still there, but the very real need for commercial returns can be a matter of survival. There are a number of valid questions that need to be tackled. The impacts of COVID-19 on the investment market? How will the investment landscape change? Will the demands of retailers and commercial occupiers change the market? Will we see a rise in alternative investments? How well will the UK compete with the rest of Europe for investment? In short there is plenty of fascinating topics and questions to cover.
The panel will also look at how investment decisions are now being made. Has COVID changed companies thoughts on Environmental Social Governance (ESG) and Socially Responsible Investment (SRI)? Risk now requires more intricate data (the role of technology) and ROI can now be viewed in terms of both ethical / social and financial rewards.
The North West has been a strong market, is it still a good choice for investors, is Manchester still set for a period of growth? During 2019 in Manchester there were more cranes in the sky than ever recorded and with great leadership in place, the North West is capable of moving quickly in ‘building back better’ post COVID-19. Manchester still remains the largest office market of any City outside of London and provides great opportunity to the investor!
EVENT SPEAKERS
Edward Dixon
Head of Environmental, Social and Governance
Aviva Investors
Edward is Head of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) for Aviva Investors’ £46bn Real Assets platform, leading the firm’s ESG strategy across real estate and infrastructure investment, development and asset management. Ed has 17 years’ industry experience, and most recently held the role of Sustainability Insights Director at Landsec, where he led integration of the company’s sustainability strategy through a £3.6bn development pipeline as well as ESG strategy, research and governance functions. Ed is a recent graduate of the Sustainability Leadership course at Harvard. He holds an Executive MBA with Distinction from Cass, one of the UK’s highest-ranking business schools.
Jo Holden
Sustainability Director
Peel L&P
Jo is a chartered environmentalist and leads on all aspects of sustainability for Peel L&P which holds 20,000 acres of land and a £2.6 billion diverse property portfolio across the UK. In 2019 Jo published Peel L&P’s first Sustainability Five Year Plan, based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and recently helped the business to achieve net zero carbon status for 11 buildings.
Firmly believing in a collaborative approach to deliver sustainable outcomes, Jo works with the Doncaster Climate Change Commission and Local Nature Partnerships in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Liverpool, helping the latter to develop an ecosystem services-led natural capital baseline last year.
Before joining Peel in 2016, Jo worked for the Environment Agency and prior to that managed global sustainable procurement issues for a large DIY retailer.
Tom Royston
Associate Director
DTZ Investors UK
Tom has worked in the commercial property sector for nine years and joined DTZ Investors in 2014 undertaking a fund management role. Prior to DTZ Investors, he worked as an Investment Surveyor at SEGRO plc where he started his career in 2010.
Tom’s primary responsibilities include implementing the fund’s investment strategy and managing its trading activities through strategic portfolio asset management and the execution of real estate transaction. Tom has a range of experience including:
•Implementation of portfolio asset management strategies;
•Sourcing and analysing real estate investment opportunities;
•Processing real estate transactions including both acquisitions and disposals;
•Undertaking portfolio analysis and formalising fund performance reports.
One of Tom’s primary responsibilities includes the asset management of King Street in the heart of Manchester’s City Centre where DTZ Investors have recently implemented a placemaking strategy to regenerate one of Manchester’s primary shopping destinations.
Maria Connolly
Head of Real Estate
TLT
Maria Connolly heads TLTs 200 strong national real estate Group. She also leads TLT’s energy sector and both her and the team are nationally recognised for the work done in this sector. Maria is currently advising on some of the first electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure projects to be implemented in the UK and has extensive experience in battery storage and other clean energy technologies..
Maria acts for a wide range of major corporates in relation to both strategic and business as usual real estate transaction as well as for lenders, funds and investors.
Maria is independently recognised as an expert in the field of Energy & Natural Resources: Renewables & Alternative Energy (UK-wide) and Real Estate (Bristol & Surrounds) by Chambers UK, and a leading individual in the field of Energy by Legal 500. Maria is a mentor and founding member of the Regen Entrepreneurial Women in Renewable Energy programme and is a regular speaker at industry events.
Chairperson: Maria Connolly, Head of Real Estate, TLT
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