On 11-12 November, ULI Europe Chair Roger Orf (Apollo Global Management) and ULI Europe Advisory Board Chair Scott Malkin (S D Malkin Properties and Value Retail) hosted the 2015 Advisory Board Retreat in London. The event brought together Advisory Board members, Trustees, Foundation Trustees and Governors, and special guests to exchange ideas.

The retreat began with a site visit to Whiteleys, Meyer Bergman’s development project in Bayswater.  George Walsh-Waring, Principal at Meyer Bergman and Patrick Campbell of Foster+Partners discussed the project, touching on the historic value of the site and the role it plays in the overall revitalisation of the Bayswater area.

The group then moved to Electric House for a drinks reception and dinner, where they heard from Dace Mierture, head of member relations for the venue. Mierture gave an introduction to the emergence of Electric House and the Soho House group and their philosophy and future plans.  Michael Cohrs, former Co-Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at Deutsche Bank, followed with remarks on the financial crisis, digital money, and cybercrime.

The second day started with remarks by restaurateur Jeremy King, who gave an overview of the emergence and development of his company, the Corbin & King group. The group has established a number of well-known restaurants in London, as well as the Beaumont Hotel, and has changed the restaurant business in the city.

The day concluded with a roundtable discussion. Participants spoke openly about their current views and expectations on real estate and capital markets across Europe and how they act on various opportunities and threats with their respected companies.

The ULI Europe Advisory Board is a group made up of former trustees and industry leaders. Their role involves identifying potential partnerships for ULI, helping to set ULI’s long-term agenda, and assisting in engaging future ULI leaders.