Who's Who Live in Leeds: The Living Sector Comes Together at UKREiiF

Who's Who Live in Leeds: The Living Sector Comes Together at UKREiiF

Today marks a special milestone for LOFT. Twenty-three years ago this month, we started this journey, and what better way to celebrate than bringing together the brightest minds shaping the UK's Living Sector at the country's biggest real estate event.

With UKREiiF 2026 taking over Leeds this week, Wednesday 20th May becomes the moment when the Living Sector stakes its claim. While thousands descend on Leeds for UKREiiF, we're hosting "Who's Who Live in Leeds" at Cha Lounge Leeds – a dedicated day for the conversations our sector needs to be having, bringing together the people who are building, operating, and shaping the future of how we live.

The Conversations That Matter

This isn't just another networking event. We've curated five critical discussions that tackle the real challenges and opportunities facing our industry right now:

Co-living's Secret Sauce - What Really Makes It Work?

George Sell from Urban Living News leads a powerhouse panel featuring Rocco Archidiacono (VervLife), Reza Merchant (&Soul), Ronak Rawal (GAA Living), and Lee Layton (Block RE). They're diving into the fundamental question: what truly makes co-living successful? Beyond the amenities and the architecture, what's the secret ingredient that turns a building into a thriving community?

The Importance of Community in PBSA

Community isn't just a buzzword in Purpose Built Student Accommodation – it's the foundation. Kirstie Looms (Investor in Students, CampusLife) and Laura Kurt (Fusion) explore how operators are building genuine communities in student accommodation. The session includes something we don't do enough of in our sector: a live student resident panel. Because who better to tell us what works than the people actually living there?

What's Next for BTR?

The numbers paint a challenging picture: multifamily delivery is set to fall off a cliff against a rapidly shrinking Private Rented Sector. So what can developers and investors actually do about it? Toni Waites (ASK4) moderates a frank discussion with Bex Hetherington (Native Communities), Michael Quinn (Hamptons), Alex Masters (Allsop Letting and Management), and Tom Starkey (Hill Group UK) about practical paths forward.

Future-Proof Your Career: The AI Question

AI is coming for jobs across real estate, finance, and operations. Is it a threat or an advantage? Time to decide. David C. (Homes for Students) hosts a forward-looking conversation with DCTR, Chris Hughes (NSP Security), and Natalie Gray (LOFT) about how professionals can not just survive but thrive as technology reshapes our industry.

You Built It - But Would You Live In It?

Here's an uncomfortable truth: Living Sector professionals have endless conversations amongst themselves about the buildings they create, but apart from front-of-house staff, how many of us actually engage with the end user? Alex Gooch and Olivia Sutcliffe (Savills) are flipping the script with a live BTR resident panel, alongside representatives from Young Professionals in Social Value. It's time we listened more to the people who live in what we build.

More Than Panels: Real Connection

After a day of these crucial conversations, we're doing what we do best – celebrating. From 17:00, we're marking LOFT's 23rd birthday with a proper party. It's the perfect way to close out a day at UKREiiF, and the best insights often come not from the stage, but from the conversations that happen when the sector comes together informally.

Whether you're at UKREiiF for the main conference or specifically joining us for the Living Sector focus, this is where the community comes alive.

Why UKREiiF, Why Leeds, Why Now

UKREiiF brings the entire UK real estate sector to Leeds every year, and 2026 is no exception. But while the main event covers the breadth of real estate, we saw an opportunity – and a need – to create a focused space for the Living Sector voices.

Leeds has always been at the heart of the UK's Living Sector evolution. It's where innovation meets tradition, where student accommodation pioneered community-first approaches, and where BTR is finding its identity beyond London. With UKREiiF already bringing the industry to town, it's the perfect setting for the Living Sector to come together, share insights, and tackle the hard questions.

This event represents everything we believe in at LOFT: leveraging the energy and momentum of UKREiiF to bring people together, creating space for the conversations that matter, listening to residents, and building a sector that works for everyone – developers, operators, investors, and most importantly, the people who call these places home.

The Living Sector is at an inflection point. The challenges are real, but so are the opportunities. And when this industry comes together to share knowledge, challenge assumptions, and learn from each other, that's when the magic happens.

See you in Leeds.