Aileen Jones

Executive director, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

Jones joined the combined authority in 2018 as head of evidence, research and intelligence and became assistant director of policy and strategic commissioning in October 2019. Before that, she was deputy director of the Heseltine Institute at the University of Liverpool and previously head of UK public policy for HSBC in London, following 15 years working in public policy. She has spilt her career between the public and private sectors, including three years in parliament as a committee specialist, leading select committee inquiries on a wide range of issues, including security, criminal justice and community relations. Jones spent several years working on financial services and consumer affairs at the Financial Services Authority, where she worked on a major consultation on financial advice and consumer rights and then at HSBC post-financial crisis, where she reported to the UK chief executive on public policy and government affairs. She also spent time working on health policy at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and the General Medical Council where she was involved in a complex programme of reforms which changed the way doctors were regulated and patient rights were protected.  She has a PhD in public policy.

Theo Mitchell

Co-founder & COO, Bywater Properties

Mitchell has a background in regeneration and urban theory. He has an MA from the University of Cambridge and MSc and PhD in advanced architectural studies from the Bartlett, UCL. He spent five years at Jones Lang LaSalle in its strategic consulting and development and asset strategy teams, where he worked on large development and regeneration projects for public and private sector clients, including two years on secondment to English Partnerships, now Homes England. He founded Bywater with Richard Walker and leads on project delivery, overall creative direction and environmental and social impact. He participates in a number of industry-wide initiatives relating to the use of mass timber and social impact.

Nathan Rees

Partner and co-head, real estate investment group, Shoosmiths

Rees is a partner and co-head of Shoosmiths’ real estate investment group, advising some of the firm’s largest clients on major real estate projects. With extensive experience of working with private and listed property companies and investment funds on large-scale investment and financing transactions, as well as asset management transactions across portfolios, he is well-known for his forensic transaction management and working to challenging delivery timeframes. Shoosmiths’ real estate investment group advised on more than £1.2bn in deals during 2023, completing key transactions across various asset classes, including life sciences, offices, retail, industrials and data centres.

Nick Walkley

Principal and UK president, Avison Young

Walkley is principal and UK president at global real estate advisory firm Avison Young. Prior to joining Avison Young in 2021, he led Homes England, the UK government’s land, development and housing investment body, where he was responsible for the delivery of major development programmes, national affordable housing projects and government-backed investment initiatives. Walkley has served as chief executive of two London local authorities, with a focus on building high-performing teams during periods of adversity and austerity. As a seasoned leader, he is passionate about fostering strong organisational culture driven by clear values and targets. In all his roles, Walkley has championed the power of urban regeneration and public-private partnership to improve peoples’ everyday lives.  An advocate for the dynamism and vitality of cities, Walkley is a firm believer that the best way to get to know a city is through is through its restaurants, bars and live music venues.