Katherine Russell

Director of Build to Rent
John Lewis Partnership

Katherine graduated from Reading University with a degree in Land Management and spent her initial years at Fuller Peiser, Atisreal & BNP Paribas.

She then moved into the world of retail property, at John Lewis as Property Manager followed by Asset Management and moving into the Head of John Lewis Property in 2016.

In July 2017, she became Group Head of Real Estate, Planning, Policy and Commercial for the John Lewis Partnership, responsible for the strategic delivery of all Real Estate activity in both John Lewis and Waitrose across all asset classes (Retail, Distribution, Office, Residential and Leisure). In addition her role also ensures the commercial delivery of all capital projects, compliance with statutory policy and driving a sustainability strategy for the Property & Development function. Katherine has also been a Trustee and Director of a non profit organisation, setting the strategic direction and overseeing operational delivery.

Brian Bickell FCA

Chief Executive
Shaftesbury plc

Brian qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1976. He joined Shaftesbury when it was formed in 1986, and was Finance Director from the date of its float on the London Stock Exchange in 1987. He became Chief Executive in 2011.

Starting with £10 million of private capital in 1986, Shaftesbury now has a market capitalisation of c. £2.9 billion. It has assembled a portfolio of 15 acres of freeholds in the West End, comprising c.600 buildings, valued at £3.9 billion. Its ownership includes 590 shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs across 1.1 million sq. ft. in Carnaby and West Soho, Chinatown, Seven Dials and Fitzrovia.

Deirdra Armsby

Director of Place Shaping & Town Planning
Westminster City Council

Director of Placeshaping and West End Partnership at Westminster City Council, providing strategic leadership on the form and function of the City as a City for All. Deirdra will embed Placeshaping principles throughout an eclectic range of projects including Church Street regeneration, West End Partnership programmes and leading on the emerging Oxford Street District Strategy, neighbourhood revitalisation and Strategic transport. Deirdra also sits on the Board of the Dolphin Foundation.

Previously, Deirdra was Director of Regeneration and Planning at Newham, and worked at Hackney & RBKC gaining experience in strategic and local mixed use development, Conservation, neighbourhood advocacy, transport, public health and strategy.

Lucy Musgrave

Founding Director
Publica

Lucy Musgrave is the founding director of Publica, a London-based practice that specialises in strategies and design for public space, urban design and masterplanning. Over a 25-year career, Lucy has played a key advisory role in policy recommendations, strategic planning and the advocacy of design quality. She is currently a Mayor’s Design Advocate and sits on the Mayor’s Night Time Commission and the Sounding Board for the Mayor’s Public London Charter. Lucy is a member of the Barbican Centre Board and the National Infrastructure Commission's Shadow Design Group and Expert Advisory Group.

Debbie Jackson

Director - Built Environment
Greater London Authority

Debbie is Director of Built Environment at the Greater London Authority. In this role Debbie is responsible for the full range of the Mayor’s statutory Planning responsibilities alongside being the CEO-equivalent for LEAP – London’s Local Enterprise Partnership. Debbie has worked for London Government for over ten years, playing a leading role in delivering positive outcomes for Londoners in partnership with the public, private and third sector. Debbie’s achievements include the development and delivery of programmes such as the Good Growth Fund, Crowdfund London, the Skills for Londoners Capital Fund and Good Growth by Design. Previously, Debbie had roles in regeneration and street environment at Westminster and Lambeth local authorities and has a total of 22 years’ experience of working in London’s public sector.