Tony Travers, Director, The Greater London Group, London School of Economics

Tony Travers is director of the Greater London Group, a research centre at the London School of Economics. His key research interests include local and regional government and public service reform.

He has published a number of books on cities and government, including Failure in British Government: The Politics of the Poll Tax (with David Butler and Andrew Adonis) and The Politics of London: Governing the Ungovernable City (published in 2004). He also broadcasts and writes for the national press.

Peter Wynne Rees, The City Planning Officer, Department of Planning & Transportation, City of London

The City Planning Officer for the City of London since 1985, Peter directs the Department of Planning & Transportation of the City of London Corporation. Reared in South Wales, he studied architecture at university in London and Cardiff. His career started in building conservation for the Greater London Council and urban design consultancy with Gordon Cullen. Working for the UK Government, from 1975, he advised local authorities on design and planning in historic areas. From 1979 to 1985 he was Assistant Chief Planning Officer to the London Borough of Lambeth - responsible for urban design and regeneration. Peter lectures at universities and conferences throughout the world on urban planning and design. A founder member and director of the British Council for Offices since 1990, he received their President's Award in 2003 for presiding over one of the most extensive periods of redevelopment in the City's long history. The Faculty of Building awarded him their annual Barbara Miller Award for outstanding work in the field of construction in 2004.

Leisure activities include music, swimming, Nordic skiing and tidying.

Julian Barwick, Joint Managing Director, Development Securities

Julian Barwick is Joint Managing Director of Development Securities plc, having joined the Board in May 1998. The company's development programme amounts to some 4m sq ft. With an estimated completed investment value exceeding £1.5 billion, it comprises mixed use developments, including offices, business parks, residential and retail property in Central and Outer London, and more recently in major provincial cities across the UK. 1.3m sq ft are presently planned or under construction.

Julian sits on the Board of the British Council for Offices, representing the BCO on the ODPM Property Consultative Group.

Julian is a non-executive director for London & Continental Railways, the company selected by the Government to build and operate the Channel Tunnel Rail Link and to own and operate Eurostar in the UK.

Julian chaired the Paddington Regeneration Partnership from 2001 until 2003 and was property advisor to the Bedford Estates from 1997 - 2003. Julian spent the earlier part of his career in private practice at Daniel Smith and then at MEPC plc in London and Australia.

Jack Pringle, Partner, Pringle Brandon Architects & Designers and past RIBA President

Jack Pringle studied at Bristol University before qualifying as an architect. He worked for Sir Phillip Powell at Powell and Moya for eight years, working on social housing and other public sector projects. In the early 80s Jack started his own practice and in 1986 this became Pringle Brandon when Chris Brandon and Melvin Starling joined him.

Jack has become involved in changing the world of work through research, collaboration and practice. He is particularly interested in how new technologies drive new work practices and how smart premises design can support business objectives. Jack led Pringle Brandon's ground breaking research, 20/20 Vision, in the mid 90s, which led to the world's first major flat screen technology dealing room for Barclays Capital and predicted a universal move to higher occupational densities and simpler desks in the workplace.

Since September 2005, Jack has been President of the RIBA. In the past, Jack has travelled extensively for the RIBA advising governments, universities and schools of architecture on architectural education. He has maintained a particular interest in education and has been a longstanding member of both the UK and the international visiting boards.

Cecily Davis, Partner, DLA Piper

Cecily is a partner in the Engineering and Construction Group in the London office of DLA Piper. She specialises in non-contentious construction and infrastructure procurement. She has acted for the public sector, developers, employers, end users, funders and contractors. Cecily is acknowledged as a leader in her field by Legal 500. She is a frequent speaker on construction law and practice and is regularly asked by the media to comment on issues relevant to this sector.

Cecily is currently advising the Olympic delivery authority on the procurement of the Velopark for 2012. She is also acting for the developers of the London Bridge Tower (the Shard of Glass) and New London Bridge House, which together comprise the London Bridge Quarter.

Cecily is an non executive director for London & Quadrant Housing association and serves on the audit and risk committee.

John Connaughton, Partner, Davis Langdon

Dr John Connaughton is a partner in Davis Langdon and has over 27 years experience in the construction industry, 22 of which have been spent in management and related consultancy. John leads Davis Langdon’s Management Consulting services, and is currently Head of Sustainability at Davis Langdon. His other interests include innovation in construction and in improving the procurement process. He has undertaken consultancy for a wide range of clients including: the European Commission, the UK Department of Trade and Industry, HM Treasury, the Ministry of Defence, The Carbon Trust, WRAP and others.

John has authored a range of reports and guidance for both clients and consultants. He writes and lectures widely in the areas of sustainability, construction management and procurement, client demand, and international construction. He was a founder member of the UK Board of the Movement for Innovation (M4I), and was an independent Board member of Genesis Housing Group from 1999 to 2004.

Oliver J Jones, Chief Executive of The Asset Factor

Oliver originally qualified as a chartered surveyor but has specialised in the fast growing management areas of property and business services outsourcing. He has worked with many international blue-chip organisations and governments as an advisor and service partner.

Today, Oliver’s principal focus is on combining capital investment in property with corporate finance and outsourcing models focused on improving property performance for investors and occupiers. His previous business ventures in the sector were each grown rapidly and sold to acquisitive competitors: Symonds sold to Vivendi in 1993; and Citex sold to Carillion in 2002.

He is a keen Winter sports enthusiast combining a role as Chairman of the British Ski Federation with active racing on the Cresta Run in Switzerland as often as travel allows!

Jim Ward, Director and Joint Head Residential Research, Savills

Jim Ward is a joint head of Savills’ Residential research department, specialising in market consultancy projects for developers, investors, lenders and government organisations. He is responsible for monitoring residential development markets across the country, including regular Savills surveys on city markets in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham and Portsmouth/ Poole.

Much of Jim’s research work relates to developments in central and emerging markets of London, including recent reports on regeneration schemes in Stratford, Wembley and Southall.

He has been advising Land Securities on their development of 10,000 new homes at Ebbsfleet Valley in Kent Thameside, focussing on how high a value place can be created with the demand advantages of the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link station, set against the substantial rates of sale required.

He has advised Forth Ports plc on market potential for up to 18,000 new homes at Leith Docks, Edinburgh, as well as advising English Partnerships on the capacity of the Milton Keynes market to absorb twice the volumes of new housing development as has been delivered in the recent past. He has been advising the Housing Corporation on national residential land capacity to meet the Government’s house building targets and the capacity within that pipeline to deliver more affordable housing.

Jim joined Savills’ research department in 1990 after qualifying as a chartered surveyor and degrees at the Universities of Cambridge and Reading. He has been a research director since 1997.

He is a member of the Society of Property Researchers, the Cambridge University Land Society and the RICS.