Jessica has worked in real estate investment for over 20 years – starting out her career at BNP Paribas, before joining Deutsche Bank’s real estate funds business in 2004. She enjoyed a successful, varied career with Deutsche Bank and DWS; first leading transaction teams culminating in €12bn of transactions, and subsequently running European fund management for international investors.Jessica was a pioneer and trusted portfolio manager for the wave of inward capital flows from Asian institutional clients from 2011. She built a multi-billion assets under management (AuM) business for Deutsche Bank, utilising her skills in business building, leadership and investment solutions. In 2023, she became the CEO of DWS UK, overseeing 500 staff and over €200bn AuM across Global Alternatives and Passive public market strategies.As CEO and Co-Founder of Aboria Capital, her ambition is to create an innovative, leading vertically integrated partner for investors in the European Living sector market.In July 2024, Jessica became the President of the British Property Federation (BPF) and joined the board of INREV.

Jo Cowen is CEO of Jo Cowen Architects and responsible for the management and strategic delivery of all of the practice’s BTR led regeneration and residential projects, working closely with investors, Local Authorities, Community and steering groups to provide key stakeholder management in pursuit of quality development that enhances the built environment. Jo Cowen has personally led the practice’s build-to-rent division, providing thought leadership on the future of managed rental accommodation for the next generation. Through the Build-to-Rent Family Housing Platform, Jo has invested the practice’s energy in delivering the highest quality housing and streetscapes, focussing the practice’s commitment to social inclusion and placemaking. Jo possesses an unusual combination of skills for an architect; design, commercial viability and maximising site density in a sustainable, cohesive way. Jo currently works with a number of industry bodies dedicated to improving the procurement and design delivery within a broadening supply chain. With her concurrent knowledge of investment management, she can respond to the current trends within the residential market and real estate investment, best known for her ability to analyse and creatively visualise a site’s potential, as well as advise on planning risk. This extends to originating development opportunities through the architectural practice, parcelling sites and drawing up proposals that are rational and investable. ‘As an architect and master planner, I take most pride in the value that good design can add to people’s enjoyment of the places they live and work within and around. Good design aids cohesive social sustainability, pride and connection to place, promoting wellness and living sustainably. I have worked tirelessly to understand the nuances of commercial viability, to ensure that what we design is deliverable and provides key returns to investors whilst mutually allowing for the highest quality urban and rural environments. We as architects and master planners need to develop visions that can be stewarded, co-aligned with that of the investor, developer, operator and homeowner/renter. Whilst overseeing all major master planning projects in the practice, I tend to focus on the strategic realisation of the larger regeneration and placemaking projects. We need to feel proud of the places we create for the future generations.

Kari Pitkin is the Head of Business Development for Europe of Allianz Real Estate. Based in London,

she joined the company in 2019 and has over 20 years of EMEA Investment Banking experience. Kari is

responsible for driving origination and partner management for more complex cross-border equity deals

on a Pan European basis. Prior to joining Allianz, she worked for Bank of America Merrill Lynch where

she held the position of Head of EMEA Real Estate & Lodging, having joined the firm in 2005. Kari holds

a bachelor ́s degree in Economics and Sociology and an MBA from the Darden School of Business in

Charlottesville.

Main responsibilities

Melanie is responsible for the European Asset Management

team - a sector-specific team of around 30 investment

professionals.

Experience and qualifications

Prior to joining Aviva Investors, Melanie Collett was Head of Asset

Management at Round Hill Capital – responsible for the

establishing and on-going management of a Pan-Euro

management platform backed by a number of American Private

Equity Partners.

Prior to Round Hill, Melanie was Head of European Underwriting

for GE Capital Real Estate, where she was for 13 years.

Melanie joined GE Real Estate in 2003 as an Associate Director

within the Investment team, primarily responsible for growing the

equity investment business and in 2006, she was promoted to

Director level with the BD team, focussing on debt and equity

transactions.

Melanie was promoted to Head of Debt Restructuring in 2009,

focussing on the workout of a $2BN loan book in 5 jurisdictions in

Europe. In 2013 she was promoted to Head of European Debt

Asset Management, managing a $5BN loan book in Europe

including the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. She

has over 20 years of valuable experience in Real Estate debt and

equity and is a qualified Chartered Surveyor with experience in

banking, private practice and direct acquisitions.

Patricia Brown is Director of Central, a niche consultancy largely centred on the dynamics of cities and the process of achieving change. Central advises business and civic leaders on partnerships, developments and projects to create thriving places, economies and business.

Patricia was a Commissioner on Centre for London’s Commission on the Future of London’s Roads and Streets. A significant element of her current and past work is building a shared vision and ambition to create a better outcome for all, building alliances between the public and private sectors.

As the former CEO of Central London Partnership she championed the need to improve urban quality as a tool for achieving London’s continued economic success, paving the way to some of the capital’s most significant urban changes. She led the development of the first BIDs, and Legible London, as well as lobbying for the pedestrianisation of Trafalgar Square.

She is currently Chair of London Festival of Architecture, Vice Chair of the British Property Federation’s Development Committee and until May, was Deputy Chair of the Mayor’s Design Advisory Group, helping to lead its “Good Growth Agenda”. Patricia works across the UK, as well as New York where she is an adviser to Times Square Alliance and a consultant to Columbia University’s Centre for Urban Real Estate.

Sophie Ross joined Hammerson in 2013 as Group Head of Multichannel, with a remit to drive transformational digital and physical product-based initiatives across the company’s retail portfolio.

Sophie knows retail well. After completing her MBA in the States, she joined Home Depot’s leadership programme, where she was involved in the opening of the company’s Manhattan stores. On her return to the UK, she joined Home Retail Group, where she worked in various strategy, trading and multichannel roles.

Sylvana is Chief Design Officer at Get Living. Sylvana's area of expertise in Build to Rent is generating asset value through creating places where people want to live, work and visit. Sylvana works collaboratively with the whole design team to ensure that the Get Living experience, knowledge and brand values are immersed into all elements of the projects, from façade to landscape, from structure to IT.

Sylvana has more than 20 years of residential property management experience. This includes resident journey, design for management, mobilisation, property management & service delivery. Prior to her role at Get Living, Sylvana was a founder of Young Group, providing strategic consulting advice to institutional investors and housing associations on their Private Rented Sector activity as well as being a Director of Young London, the multi award winning letting agency. Sylvana read Real Estate Management at Oxford Brookes University.

Tania Adir is the founder of London luxury co-working spaces, Uncommon. Following a career in property development, she moved into the world of interior design and is now the lead designer for all of Uncommon’s spaces (Fulham, Borough, Highbury & Islington and Liverpool Street, and, soon to be opening in 2021, Holborn).

Uncommon co-working spaces are designed to increase levels of productivity in a considered and thoughtful environment to boost creativity, making them the perfect place for freelancers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and anyone who wants to experience a fresh, natural and encouraging approach to day to day work life.

Tania worked in finance and law for five years before she decided to pursue something beyond corporate life. “Developing my first property was the turning point,” says Tania. “I realised that I can’t sit in a corporate office environment, I need somewhere that inspires me, that feeds my creativity and increases productivity… enter Uncommon”.

Tania and her husband set up the development firm, G&T London in 2010, aged 23 and 24, and began renovating single high-value flats in central locations. In 2014, their astounding refurbishment of a Georgian building, 58 Myddelton Square, sold in excess of £5m; at the time the most expensive single house ever sold in Islington.

Tania was never daunted by being a young developer in a competitive market, though will admit she does have battle scars, “People see your age and wonder what you know about life”. Property isn’t a traditionally young field in the way technology is, and she has also had to tackle the issue of being female in a male-dominated industry.

Alexandra Lanni is the Head of Investments EMEA of the Credit Strategies business, the CBRE Global Investors debt business in Europe. In this capacity she oversees the investment policy, transactions and strategy for the investments team, as well as capital deployment, and investor relations. She is also involved in strategic management of the Fund portfolio and managing the fund teams.

Miss. Lanni joined CBRE Global Investors at the end of 2019 when Laxfield Capital was acquired by CBRE Group and was merged with the Investment Management business, CBRE Global Investors, in Europe.

At Laxfield Capital she was Director and Member of the Board with oversight of all transaction activity, successfully executing over GBP 3.5 billion of transactions and the underwriting standards within the business. During her time at Laxfield Asset Management she also established - together with other Board Members, the debt advisory business in 2015 which has been retained to advise on more than GBP 2 billion of transactions.

Earlier in her career, Miss. Lanni work from 2008 until 2011 with Lloyds Bank Real Estate Division as part of the restructuring team, where she was in the lead for loan sales and strategic projects. A special project she was involved in was the integration of systems and processes in the CRE division following Lloyds acquisition of Halifax Bank of Scotland.

Miss. Lanni started her career with PWC in their Audit & Advisory Group, with the responsibility for institutional clients.

Miss. Lanni earned a MA in Economics from the Glasgow University and is qualified as a Chartered Accountant.

Bridget's passion lies in using digital technology to enhance diversity and inclusivity across communities and ensure everyone can be involved in using their voice to shape their cities. During her time as Director of Community Engagement at Built-ID, Bridget was responsible for scaling the award winning proptech platform Give My View which supported the delivery of more than 30,000 across the UK.

She has more than 12 years of international real estate experience and is an expert in the global PropTech sector through her previous role on the CBRE UK Innovation Board and as a founding member of the Urban Land Institute UK Tech Forum.

Bridget is a proud advocate for developing the next generation of real estate professionals across London through her role as Co-founder of Peer20 social impact network, Steering Committee Member of the City Property Association Next Gen Committee and Startup Mentor on the REACH UK Tech Programme. As an industry champion for the adoption of proptech and innovation to support urban cities, Bridget was recognised as Global Finalist for the Tech Futureproof Woman Awards (2021) and Global Woman in Proptech Awards (2019).

Emma was appointed Chief Operating Officer of British Land in January 2025. Prior to this, she jointly led the company's 53-acre Canada Water development project in central London. She joined British Land in 2014 and became a member of the Executive Committee in 2019.

Emma is Chair of TEDI-London, a higher education provider for future engineers founded by Arizona State University, King’s College London & UNSW Sydney. Also a Non-Executive Director of Assura plc.

Before joining British Land Emma spent 7 years at Landsec where she delivered a number of central London developments and oversaw their strategic land portfolio. She previously held development and land management roles at Barratt and Crest Nicholson.

As Managing Director, Emma holds full P&L responsibility and oversees all sales and operations across the northern portfolio, encompassing locations across the North West, Yorkshire, North East and Scotland. She is passionate about people and maintaining BizSpace’s values, unique culture and quality across each and every site.

Emma has over 20 years’ experience working for large multi-site organisations including Bruntwood, Dunlop Heywood and DHL. She joined BizSpace in 2003, becoming Operations Director in 2006 and Commercial Director in 2016, before taking on the role of Managing Director in 2020. She is an Aspire Foundation Mentor and Chartered Institute of Personal Development Fellow.

“I love the entrepreneurial spirit of the people and the passion within the business to help small businesses grow.”

Fiona D’Silva joined Kennedy Wilson as Managing Director in 2012. Formerly she worked with Deutsche Bank where she was responsible for the distribution of real estate debt products. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Fiona worked at Goldman Sachs from 2000 until 2011 in the Structured Finance and Real Estate Finance divisions. The range of experience involved using various structured finance principles to finance acquisitions of assets ranging from infrastructure to real estate. Her last role in the financing team involved the work-out and asset management of the real estate loan book and its subsequent sell down. She also led the structuring and marketing effort for a new trading platform set up to manage Goldman Sachs’ secured and collateralised funding programme. Fiona holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Operational Research from Strathclyde University in Glasgow and a Bachelors of Science degree in Statistics from University of Mumbai.

Hannah joined The Crown Estate in January 2011. In June 2015 she was promoted from Regional Portfolio Manager to Head of Regional, a portfolio principally invested in prime dominant retail and leisure outside London.

Hannah is focused on delivering revenue and capital performance through active asset management of the portfolio. Previously with Knight Frank and BNP Paribas, she has over 20 year's transactional experience in the investment markets and also takes responsibility for investment transaction executions on the portfolio with the principal aim of re-orientating the portfolio towards our core sectors.

She is a chartered surveyor with a MA from Cambridge University in Modern Languages.

Cressida Hogg joined the Board of Land Securities Group PLC (Landsec) in January 2014 and was

appointed as Chairman in July 2018. Landsec is a listed property company and a constituent of the

FTSE100. It owns over 23 million square feet of commercial floor space and has approximately

1,000,000 visitors to its buildings every day.

After starting her career at JP Morgan, Cressida worked for 3i Group Plc, first in private equity and then

co-founding its infrastructure business. From 2009 to 2014, as Managing Partner, she was responsible

for managing 3i Infrastructure plc, a FTSE250 investment company. From 2014 to April 2018, she was

Global Head of Infrastructure at the $350bn Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, managing a

portfolio of investments worth c.£16bn.

Cressida was previously a member of the advisory board for Infrastructure UK, the HM Treasury unit that

works on the UK’s long-term infrastructure priorities, and a Non-executive Director of Anglian Water

Group and Associated British Ports.

Cressida received a CBE in 2014 for services to infrastructure investment and policy. She is a Non-

executive Director of London Stock Exchange Group plc and a Non-executive Director of Troy Asset

Management.

Kaela Fenn-Smith joins gender diversity organisation

Real Estate Balance, the non-profit membership organisation supported by the men and

women leaders in property and working to address the gender imbalance within the sector,

is announcing the appointment of Kaela Fenn-Smith as managing director. Working in

collaboration with the management committee to lead Real Estate Balance, Kaela will be

responsible for building the organisation’s capacity to support the UK real estate sector in its

journey towards gender diversity.

In the newly created post, Kaela’s priorities include:

 Engaging with Real Estate Balance members and supporting their own commitments

for change

 Building the strength of Real Estate Balance’s membership, including identifying and

reaching out to new groups of potential members

 Working with Real Estate Balance members to monitor, measure and evaluate the

progress organisations are making towards their gender balance commitments

 Delivering the Real Estate Balance business strategy, including developing a

dynamic content programme and implementing initiatives focused on achieving

practical change

Vivienne King, Chair of Real Estate Balance, said:

“Kaela’s appointment represents an important new chapter for Real Estate Balance. Until

now, the organisation’s success has been down to its hard-working volunteers. With Kaela in

post as managing director, we have an experienced senior resource to support our

objectives for our future as a leading change agent for gender balance. Kaela is a property

insider – well-known, widely-respected and hugely popular – and she brings to Real Estate

Balance a track record of leading transformational change. Kaela will be an exceptional

ambassador for Real Estate Balance and an advocate for the wider property world and we

look forward to working together to ensure a better-balanced industry for all.”

Kaela Fenn-Smith, Managing Director of Real Estate Balance, said:

“I’m hugely excited to be joining Real Estate Balance and to be working alongside the

women and men on the management committee who share a vision for a more inclusive

property sector. Real Estate Balance is a unique organisation on an incredible mission,

working to bring about a change in the corporate culture of our industry. I have spent 25

years in property and I’ve been passionate about diversity throughout my career. I look

forward to supporting women in real estate by engaging with the men and women leaders to

deliver real practical change, so aspiration and ambition are not only accepted but

achievable.”

Prior to joining Real Estate Balance, Kaela was at Landsec for seven years as Head of

Commercial and a member of the executive team in London. Before joining Landsec,

Kaela’s previous positions have included director roles with JLL and CBRE.

Juliette is a real estate industry leader with 20 years’ experience working internationally. She has managed portfolios of millions of sq ft in development and asset management and latterly focussed her career on ESG strategies in the built environment. She led pathways to net zero and offset for a UK based REIT, British Land and is now a leader in Gensler's Global Climate action and Sustainability Practice Area working with clients all over the globe to reduce their carbon impact, and increase their human and biodiversity outcomes.

Geeta is Chief Executive of Metropolitan Thames Valley. Across a career of nearly 30 years, she has held a variety of leadership roles in the housing sector. Most recently she was Chief Executive of Thames Valley Housing for nine years, and then Chief Executive of Metropolitan from October 2017, before the two organisations formed a partnership. Geeta established the highly successful market rent subsidiary, Fizzy Living in 2012. Geeta is a Non-Executive Director of McCarthy & Stone, a FTSE 250 retirement housebuilder, and has served on the boards of a number of other housing organisations. Geeta is a Board member of the National Housing Federation, and a Commissioner on the Affordable Housing Commission as well as an Ambassador for the charity World Child Cancer. In 2013, Geeta was awarded an OBE for achievements in social housing.

Madeleine Cosgrave is Regional Head, Europe for GIC Real Estate. Based in London she is

responsible for GIC’s investment strategy and real estate portfolio across Europe and a

voting member of GIC RE’s Global Investment Committee. GIC is Singapore’s Sovereign

Wealth fund, an early entrant among institutional investors in real estate. Investments

include traditional private real estate, public and private equities (such as real estate

operating companies), real estate investment trusts and real estate credit. The real estate

assets span multiple sectors, including office, retail, residential, student accommodation,

industrial and hospitality. GIC works with best in class real estate partners and actively

manages the assets to generate income and enhance value.

Prior to joining GIC Real Estate in 1999, she spent 10 years at JLL, joining the graduate

scheme and rotating through valuation, fund management and capital markets. During her

time there she worked both in London and in Sydney.

Madeleine studied Land Economy at Cambridge University. She is a member of the Royal

Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a former chair of the INREV Investor Platform and

founding member of the ICSC Diversity Steering Committee. She sits on the boards of P3

Sarl, Rönesans Gayrimenkul Yatırım A.S., Broadgate REIT Limited, Cegereal SA, Gmp Property

SOCIMI, S. A. and is a Non-Executive Director of Land Securities Group PLC

Jo Owen is Co-chair of DLA Piper’s Global Real Estate Sector, which comprises over 1000 lawyers advising on real estate transactions in over 40 countries. She has extensive experience within the real estate market both nationally and internationally, advising on complex multi-jurisdictional real estate transactions and guiding new entrants to the UK and European markets on all aspects of their investments.

Jo advises a range of institutional investors and regularly acts for European, US and Asian private equity sponsors and asset managers working across the sector through direct and indirect investments. She has particular experience leading multi-practice teams on cross-border transactions in asset classes including hotels and leisure, student housing, co-living, residential PRS, logistics, data centres and office schemes.

Michela leads the development business in the UK. She focuses on overseeing execution of current projects including financing, amenity and unit planning, design, entitlements, construction and lease up efforts on multifamily and student developments. In addition, Michela is helping to secure a pipeline of 10,000 units in the next 3-4 years. She is currently Vice Chairman of the Urban Land Institute’s UK Residential Council, a member of the British Property Federation (BPF) Build to Rent Committee and a board member, treasurer and chair of the events and marketing committee of the United Kingdom Apartment Association (UKAA).

Gemma Kataky joined Blackstone in 2015 and is a managing director in its European real estate asset management team, based in London. She oversees the day-to-day operations of more than €7B of complex portfolios in the mixed-use, flexible office and affordable housing spaces, most notably The Office Group, Sage Housing and Obligo. Over the last three years she has also transacted on €4B of asset and portfolio sales in the Nordics, Germany and UK.

Kataky started her career at Bank of America in the general European mergers and acquisitions team. She then went on to spend seven years at Carlyle focusing on UK real estate acquisitions.

Sophie is Head of Revenue at Knotel in the UK. She currently leads the sales team and demand strategy for London. Post getting her Land Management degree at Reading University she went on to spend her career focusing on commercial real estate with her passion being Occupier Advisory.

She has led, and built, Tenant Representation teams at Hatton Real Estate and consequently at Colliers International following the acquisition of Hatton RE by Colliers in 2015. Her specialisation in advising fast growing companies in the fintech and creative sectors lead her to understand the many benefits of flexible workspace; hence her move to Knotel in July 2019.

Previously Head of Group Retail Strategy at Chelsfield, Director at CBRE and co-chairs the ULI Europe’s Retail and Entertainment Council. Co-hosts the podcast “Retail is Dead”. 15+ years in real estate.

Ginny is Professor Emerita in Corporate Real Estate having retired from the

University of Reading after a 30-year career as an academic. During this period, she

held numerous leadership roles including seven years as Deputy Dean at Henley

Business School and led the Henley Women in Leadership Forum. Her research

focused on understanding how organisations align their real estate with their

corporate strategy to ensure that it adds optimum value. Ginny is now a non-

executive director for several organisations including the ABE and Portsmouth Naval

Base Property Trust as well as a member of the CREW UK Board helping to continue

to advance women in the commercial real estate sector.

Danni Drummond-Brassington is a partner and the Head of the Real Estate Disputes team at CMS. Danni loves property - as the daughter of an architect she was brought up to appreciate buildings and brings that passion to work with her. Bringing a dynamic and energetic outlook to her work and her team, Danni continually encourages and demonstrates a healthy work-life balance. Not only successful in her career, Danni is a proud mum of 2 boys under the age of 6 and ensures her week accommodates getting home to read bedtime stories to them at night. Danni is keen to ‘break the mould’ on the typical lawyer stereotype being the pioneer at CMS in setting up and running the firm’s only podcast series titled, ‘The Real Deal’. Danni’s numerous accolades include; Rising Star of Litigation (Legal Week), being one of the Lawyer’s Hot 100 lawyers and ranked as a Leading Individual in Legal 500 and Chambers.

Anna is currently the Managing Director for Datscha UK, a leading provider of web-based services for information and analysis of commercial real estate. She is an accomplished business development leader with an excellent track record for growing sales within the technology sector. Anna started her career at Meltwater, a global leading media intelligence platform, where she held sales and leadership roles, before moving to Datscha in 2013. Anna is passionate about innovation, getting stuff done, and developing high performing teams. She has been named one of the Top Female Leaders of the Future by Ledarna, Sweden’s leading provider of counsel, support, and development training for Managers.