November 27th 2015
The Big Question(s) - West Midlands
Macdonald Burlington Hotel
126 New Street
Birmingham
B2 4JQ
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Event speakers
Robin Dobson
UK Director of Development and Construction
Hammerson
Having trained as a Civil Engineer and then Chartered Surveyor, Robin leads the development team and is responsible for bringing forward future regeneration schemes together with retail/asset extensions. Completed projects include The Oracle, Reading; Bullring, Birmingham; Highcross, Leicester; Cabot Circus, Bristol; Union Square, Aberdeen; Victoria Gate, Leeds and Watermark, Southampton.
He also worked with Hammerson France to deliver Terrasses du Port, a €450m retail led redevelopment of the Marseille docks which opened in 2014.
Robin also has responsibility for bringing forward pipeline Joint Venture development projects in Croydon and Brent Cross in London.
Robin sits on the CR Board and Investment Committee at Hammerson and is a member of the BPF and FRICS.
Jennie Daly
UK Land & Planning Director
Taylor Wimpey Plc
Jennie’s professional background is in Planning with over 20 years’ experience in Development Management, planning assessment and development promotion, with particular expertise in managing complex schemes which include significant elements of housing.
As UK Land and Planning Director, Jennie’s role has a direct focus on Taylor Wimpey’s land and planning strategy, with responsibilities for, and oversight of, land acquisition and complex planning matters. Jennie leads Taylor Wimpey’s response to the evolving UK planning system and political engagement across the planning policy arena, oversees Sustainability, Technical and Design, and is responsible for the training and development of land and planning skills within the Group.
In April 2015, Jennie became a non-executive director of Peabody Trust a leading affordable housing provider in Greater London.
Waheed Nazir
Chairman
Arden Cross
Waheed has over 20 years of experience in planning, development and regeneration. He has held senior positions at Birmingham City Council, and more recently was appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of Arden Cross Limited. He also advises public and private sector clients on regeneration and development projects across the UK.
He is a visiting Professor at Birmingham City University and in 2017 was awarded an honorary Doctorate by Aston University. In October 2020, Waheed was awarded a Fellowship from the Academy of Social Sciences and in November 2020 was announced as the Property Personality of the Year for the Midlands.
In 2019, he wrote and edited a book titled Regenerating Cities, which explores how leadership, vision and partnership working has shaped the development of UK cities over the last 30 years. Through this book he brought together some of the UK’s leading figures in the development sector, each providing their own unique and personal insight into their journeys and roles in leading some of the country’s biggest projects, including London 2012, the development of King’s Cross, estate renewal in London, and the rise of Manchester and Birmingham.
He is passionate about helping young people grow and develop to unlock their potential. This has included establishing a number of programmes to provide mentoring, bursary initiatives, internships and graduate programmes in the built environment profession.
Alan Sarjant
Senior Vice President
Prologis UK Ltd
Richard Probert
Project Director - Snowhill
Ballymore Group
Richard is the Commercial Sales and Lettings Manager, Ballymore UK and Project Director, Snowhill, Birmingham. His role encompasses development management, sales, lettings and investment disposal work on various commercial projects / sites in London and UK wide; but mainly on site assembly, third party agreements, development delivery, and the leasing and funding of Snowhill in Birmingham. Richard has also led negotiations with US Government on US Embassy acquisition at Nine Elms. He is involved in transaction / deal management with Banks, International and UK Funds, Institutions, Propcos, investors and owner/occupiers to include CRI, Union, Hammerson, Hines, Waitrose, Radisson Blue, and responsibility for leasing deals with KPMG, Barclays, DWF, WLG &Co and HS2 at Snowhill. Previous roles include being National Director at Jones Lang LaSalle.