Victoria Bajela, associate director – central London office research, Savills

Bajela joined Savills’ commercial research team, specialising in the central London investment and occupational markets, as an associate director in January 2018. She has over a decade’s experience in real estate research, having previously headed up EG’s central London office research team and as a member of GVA’s research team. Prior to this she pursued a career in law. Bajela frequently speaks and writes on the key trends and issues affecting London and its commercial sub-markets, and its performance relative to other global cities.

Katrina Kostic Samen, head of workplace strategy & design, KKS Savills

For those who know Kostic Samen, her commitment and passion in focusing on the best interests of the occupier, their business and solving problems will be familiar. Her experience over three decades of commercial development and workplace design enables her to provide expertise across all aspects of architecture and interior design projects. She challenges boundaries and perceptions, connects “inside-out” design philosophies, and combines strategy and design to maximise real estate potential for both occupiers and developers. Kostic Samen’s belief in pushing boundaries, striving for excellence, supporting diversity and our next generation in the commercial real estate industry is represented in her fundamental principle: be creative, add value, have fun.

Will Seymour, principal associate, Shoosmiths

Seymour is a real estate lawyer in Shoosmiths’ London team. He has experience in all transactional real estate matters, including investment sales and acquisitions, developments, and landlord and tenant matters for institutional investors, overseas investors in the UK, property companies, and private clients. He also has experience advising commercial and corporate occupiers (including retailers, restaurants, healthcare providers and financial and professional services companies) on leasing commercial property and portfolio management.

Paul Alger, partner, Shoosmiths

Alger is a real estate partner in Shoosmiths’ London office. He advises on all types of real estate transactions, including investment, development, finance and landlord and tenant matters. He has a particular focus on advising institutional clients in connection with the acquisition, management and disposal of high value properties in London.

Mike Auger, board director and head of residential, Muse

Auger joined Muse Developments in 2004 and has been regional director, covering the South of the UK, since 2009. In 2019, he joined the national board of directors. During that time, Auger has worked to build a portfolio in excess of £1bn GDV, including major London schemes in Zones 2 to 4 that will deliver more than 4,000 new homes. Outside of London, Auger has oversight on a range of major residential-led mixed-use developments in cities including Bristol and Plymouth. Muse develops schemes in partnership with public and private sector landowners across the UK, with the build-to-rent sector becoming an important element of the company’s activities. Prior to joining Muse, Auger spent time at Chelsfield and St Modwen, gaining a wealth of experience delivering large-scale, mixed-use regeneration schemes.

Alex Marsh, head of Klarna UK

Marsh leads UK activity for Klarna, the leading global payments and shopping service and one of the world’s most highly valued private fintechs. He has extensive experience in banking, fintech, retail and finance, developing and executing strategies that deliver rapid and sustainable growth, as well as working with regulators. Before joining Klarna, Marsh spent 10 years at Close Brothers, where he held several leadership positions and became managing director at multi-award winning Close Brothers Retail Finance in 2016.

Chair: Samantha McClary, editor, EG

McClary is editor of EG. She has almost 20 years of experience in real estate and business journalism, covering a wide range of topics. Alongside making sure EG delivers the best, most helpful, most accurate and, of course, most interesting content to EG’s readership across all platforms – print, online and audio – McClary also plays a leading role in enabling and delivering a more diverse environment for the real estate community through EG’s REWIRE and tech initiatives. A keen chair and regular wearer of too bright trousers, she seeks to help keep panel discussions and events lively with audience participation and insightful questioning.

Series sponsor

In partnership with

In partnership with

In assocation with

Supported by