David Atkins

Chief Executive
Hammerson

David Atkins has been Chief Executive of Hammerson since 2009. A Chartered Surveyor, he joined the Company in 1998 from international property adviser DTZ (now Cushman & Wakefield). He became an Executive Director of Hammerson in January 2007. He is a Non-Executive Director of Whitbread Group Plc, a past President of Revo (formerly BCSC), a Director and Trustee of the Reading Real Estate Foundation, a member of the British Property Federation Policy Committee and former Chairman of the European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA).

Hammerson create vibrant, continually evolving spaces, in and around thriving European cities, with a focus on flagship retail destinations and premium outlets.  As of 31^st  December 2018, our portfolio of high-quality venues had a value of £9.9 billion and includes 21 flagship destinations, 13 convenient retail parks and investments in 20 premium outlet villages, through our partnership with Value Retail and the VIA Outlets joint venture. Key retail venues include, Bullring & Grand Central, Birmingham; Bicester Village, Oxfordshire; Freeport Lisboa Fashion Outlet, Lisbon; Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin; and Les Terrasses du Port, Marseille. We manage over 2,000 brand relationships and during trading hours, over 80,000 people visit our shopping centres hourly across our flagship destinations in the UK, France & Ireland.

Richard Blakeway

Deputy Mayor for Housing, Land & Property
Greater London Authority

Rob Perrins

Chief Executive
The Berkeley Group

Rob joined Berkeley in 1994 and has been Chief Executive since 2009. Under his management the company has increased its focus on transforming challenging brownfield sites into welcoming places which support a great quality of life.

Rob oversees an industry leading sustainability strategy, including innovative climate action, nature recovery and social value programmes. He has prioritised investment in digital skills and technologies and modern methods of construction; including the development of Berkeley Modular’s precision manufactured housing system.

Rob has been Chari of Trustees of the Berkeley Foundation since its launch in 2011. This independent charity works in partnership with the Berkeley Group to maximise its positive social impacts and help disadvantaged young people achieve their potential.

Rob contributes to the Bank of England’s Real Estate Forum, is a Trustee of national homelessness charity Crisis and is a member of the governing bodies of Aston University and Marlborough College.

Professor Tony Travers

Director of LSE London
Visiting Professor in the Department of Government

Professor Tony Travers is Director of LSE London, a research centre at The London School of Economics and Political Science. He is also a Visiting Professor in LSE’s Department of Government. His key research interests include local and regional government and public service reform.

Professor Travers is currently an advisor to the House of Commons Children, Schools and Families Select Committee and the Communities and Local Government Select Committee.

He has published a number of books on cities and government, including Failure in British Government: The Politics of the Poll Tax (with David Butler and Andrew Adonis), Paying for Health, Education and Housing: How does the Centre Pull the Purse Strings (with Howard Glennerster and John Hills) and The Politics of London: Governing the Ungovernable City.