Tom Riordan

Chief Executive
Leeds City Council

Leeds city region.                                       

Tom has been influential in ensuring significant progress and investment in Leeds, which has £6 billion of pipeline developments planned including 70,000 new homes, city centre flood defences, an extension of the city centre onto the South Bank and an HS2 station. He also contributed to securing and delivering the 2014 Tour de France Grand Départ and is currently bidding to host the World Triathlon in 2016 and to become the European Capital of Culture in 2023. 

Tom has come full circle from a North Yorkshire state education, via Oxford University, a Civil Service fast stream career on international environmental policy to leading the Regional Development Agency Yorkshire Forward.

Ever forward-looking, Tom is a member of the UK government’s Smart Cities Forum and drove the Commission that set out in 2012 a new “civic enterprise blueprint” for the Future of Local Government. 

Joanna Embling

Member of PRS Taskforce
Department of Communities & Local Government

Andrew Pratt

Director, Residential Investment
PATRIZIA Immobilien AG

Guy Ackernley

Director, Residential
JLL

Simon Gawthorpe

Managing Director
Urban Splash

Simon originally from Harrogate, joined Urban Splash in October 2004 to deliver the regeneration of Lister Mills, Manningham, Bradford, and to develop the company in the Yorkshire region.

Lister Mills was the first Urban Splash scheme in Yorkshire/North East and the company considered it essential to create a formal presence in the area to ensure that the development is delivered to the same high standards Urban Splash has built its reputation on.

Before joining Urban Splash, Simon was a development director at Crown Dilmun, based in London, with projects in Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle and Manchester. He was responsible for a major mixed use scheme in central London, located opposite Harrods - apartments in the development sold for up to 10 million.

Simon has been responsible for the delivery of a number major Urban Splash projects including Lister Mills - Bradford, Saxton - Leeds and the Stirling Prize shortlisted Park Hill - Sheffield. He was responsible for the delivery of the recent Kickstart projects creating 700 new homes across the country. Simon led portfolio sale to Places for People and company restructure with fellow director Julian Curnuck and more recently has also been integral in the setting up of the joint venture partnership between Urban Splash and Places for People.