Following another record-breaking UKREiiF, the team has been reflecting on what made 2026 such a success and how the event continues to evolve year after year.

While attendees experienced packed pavilions, world-class content, and countless opportunities to connect, there was a dedicated team working behind the scenes long before the event opened its doors. From securing partnerships and sponsorships to helping organisations maximise their presence at UKREiiF, the Opportunities Team plays a vital role in shaping the event and ensuring partners achieve meaningful outcomes.

Meet the Team Behind the Opportunities

The Opportunities Team works with organisations from across the real estate, infrastructure and investment sectors, helping them identify the best ways to engage with UKREiiF’s audience.

From exhibition stands and branding opportunities to thought leadership platforms and pavilion partnerships, the team spends months working closely with sponsors to ensure they get maximum value from their involvement.

To find out more about the people behind these partnerships, we spoke to Jason Moore, Business Development Manager, and James Parker, Sales Director, and asked them three simple questions:

  • What worked well this year?
  • What was your personal highlight?
  • What does UKREiiF need more of next year?

Here’s what they had to say…

What Worked Well?

One of the most significant successes of UKREiiF 2026 was the level of engagement from partners well in advance of the event. With demand for sponsorship opportunities reaching new heights, early planning proved critical in helping partners maximise their presence and achieve their objectives.

Reflecting on the year, Jason highlighted the benefits of organisations committing early and giving teams more time to collaborate:

“Early engagement. This allowed for the planning stage to start early. Exhibition stands sold out six months prior to UKREiiF 2026, and the same was true for branding and thought leadership opportunities too. Getting in early allows our content team to get hands-on quickly, helping to shape content and then promote it. This drives the best outcomes for sponsors.”

The appetite for UKREiiF continues to grow, with organisations recognising the value of securing opportunities early to ensure their messages, content and event presence are as impactful as possible.

James pointed to the strength of new partnerships and specialist content streams as one of the standout achievements of the year.

“New key partners running content that we hadn’t previously covered as in-depth as they were able to. Partners like J2 with their dedicated Marketing Day, Housed and the Shared Living Summit, and HDN running the Affordable Housing Summit were all great new acquisitions for the 2026 event.”

These additions helped broaden the scope of conversations taking place across UKREiiF, ensuring delegates could engage with an even wider range of topics, perspectives and emerging sectors.

Together, these successes highlight the importance of collaboration, early planning and continued innovation in creating an event that delivers value for partners and attendees alike.

Personal Highlights

For those working behind the scenes, UKREiiF’s biggest triumphs are often found in the interactions, conversations and connections that happen throughout the three days.

For Jason, the highlight was seeing the event fulfil its core purpose, bringing people together and creating opportunities that have a lasting impact beyond Leeds.

“Seeing the conversations and engagement across the site. Whether it was the Chancellor, Rory Sutherland or delegates chatting to other delegates, it’s fantastic to see us facilitate genuine growth in the UK by bringing so many senior stakeholders together again.”

One of the defining characteristics of UKREiiF is its ability to bring together leaders from across government, business, investment and the wider built environment. For Jason, witnessing those meaningful conversations unfold was a powerful reminder of the role the event plays in shaping the future of places, projects and communities across the UK.

For James, a particular partnership stood out as an example of how UKREiiF continues to attract organisations that may not traditionally be associated with property and regeneration events.

“UKREiiF has a vast number of investors, developers and local authorities, in essence our core market, but my personal highlight was bringing on board McDonald’s as a pavilion partner.”

He explained that the partnership reflected many of the values that sit at the heart of UKREiiF.

“As a major global employer that creates opportunities for people from a wide range of backgrounds, its focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, responsible sourcing, community investment and charitable partnerships aligns perfectly with our own corporate values. Oh, and the free McFlurries.”

While the ice cream may have been popular, the partnership also demonstrated how UKREiiF’s reach continues to expand, attracting organisations that share a commitment to creating economic opportunity and lasting social value.

What UKREiiF Needs More of in 2027

As planning begins for UKREiiF 2027, the Opportunities Team is focused on ensuring conversations become even more meaningful and that the event continues to attract new audiences and investment opportunities.

For Jason, the future lies in creating even more outcome-driven discussions and ensuring the right voices are represented.

“Outcome-based conversations. We’re working hard to develop some core streams and drive even more end-users to the event. We’re hoping this continues to develop content above and beyond what we’ve delivered in years past.”

The ambition is not simply to host conversations, but to create discussions that lead to tangible action, helping partners, investors, occupiers and public sector leaders address shared challenges and unlock new opportunities.

For James, one of the biggest opportunities for growth lies beyond the UK.

“More global capital. We have great coverage across UK investors, but the area we’re looking to build out with a dedicated Investor Relations team for the 2027 event is the global capital markets, allowing increased opportunities for foreign capital to be deployed within UK real estate.”

As international interest in UK real estate and regeneration continues to grow, attracting a broader range of global investors could create even greater opportunities for partnerships, development and investment across the country.

Looking ahead, the focus for UKREiiF remains clear: strengthen partnerships, create more impactful conversations, and continue attracting the people and organisations capable of driving meaningful change. With the Opportunities Team helping to connect the right people with the right opportunities, UKREiiF 2027 is already shaping up to be bigger and more influential than ever.

The conversations may begin at UKREiiF, but the opportunities they create continue long after the event ends.