Anyi Hobson

Founder
SEAM Advisory

Anyi Hobson is a member of the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone Programme Board. 

She is the founder of SEAM Advisory, specialising in embedding and linking environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into the built environment. With over 30 years of experience spanning real estate, retail, fashion, finance, cultural placemaking and sustainability regulations across the UK, EU and the US, Anyi brings a wealth of insight into inclusive regeneration, sustainable development and long-term investment strategy.

Throughout her career, Anyi has delivered impactful work advising investors, developers and occupiers, and managing flagship portfolios for J. Safra Real Estate, The Grosvenor Estate and Commerz Real. She has pioneered diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices through her SEAMless Spaces Framework. 

Her extensive background in asset management, stakeholder engagement and governance provides oversight and strategic direction to the Programme Board and strengthens its focus on delivering socially responsible outcomes and fostering economic growth that is equitable, sustainable and resilient.

Fluent in five languages and a frequent speaker on ESG and DEI, Anyi provides a truly global and intersectional perspective.

Rokhsana Fiaz OBE

Mayor of Newham
London Borough of Newham

Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE was elected the Mayor of Newham in May 2018. Since her election, she has been leading a transformative and radical agenda in Newham, reflecting a series of manifesto commitments to address inequality and poverty, invest in young people to widen opportunities, embed Community Wealth Building as the economic approach being adopted by the Council, increase participatory democracy and respond to the Climate Emergency.

As part of an ambitious programme of scaling up Council housing delivery in the borough she is leading one the most ambitious genuinely affordable housing programmes in London through a number of significant regeneration schemes. Under her leadership, Newham also became the first council in the country to make the health, happiness and wellbeing of its residents the key indicator of economic success. 

As an advocate for racial justice and equalities, Rokhsana was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to Black and Minority Ethnic Communities in the UK.

Daniel Bridge

Programme Director
Royal Docks

Dan leads the team responsible for delivering the regeneration of the Royal Docks a joint initiative between the Mayor of London and the Mayor of Newham.  The project is the Mayor of London’s largest land-led regeneration project and a designated Enterprise Zone.  Dan is accountable for the delivery of a portfolio of major mixed-use development projects, estate and facilities management functions and a comprehensive programme of cultural placemaking, promotional and investment activity.

Prior to joining the GLA, Dan was Associate Director at AECOM Design and Planning. In this role he project managed and delivered masterplans, development frameworks and infrastructure delivery plans for the Olympic Legacy, Peterborough South Bank, Hackney Wick & Fish Island and Baniyas in Abu-Dhabi. 

Stevan Tennant

Managing Director Development
Ballymore

Steve oversees the strategic direction of Ballymore’s residential, retail, and commercial projects in London. As a Fellow of the RICS, with over 30 years’ experience in the property industry, Steve has led mixed-use projects with a combined GDV in excess of £6bn, both in the UK and internationally. Today, Steve is focussed on securing planning consent and delivery for over 14,000 homes in London.  

Steve led the delivery of London City Island and Goodluck Hope, close to Canning Town. He was also responsible for the design and delivery of the new home for English National Ballet, and several years on from completion continues to maintain close links with the organisation to ensure the community benefits and social impact are far-reaching. Steve is also leading the partnership between Ballymore and LLDC in Stratford, where they are jointly delivering 700 new homes adjacent to East Bank, and 650 homes at Bridgewater Triangle. Steve is developing close links with the East Bank partners aiming to replicate the lasting success of City Island and its cultural and arts partnerships. 

Jon Neale

Head of Research & Insight
Montagu Evans

Jon Neale is the Head of Research & Insight at Montagu Evans, providing market analysis, social and economic insight and strategic advice to support the full spectrum of the partnership’s clients.

With almost 20 years of experience in real estate research and strategy, Jon applies his skills to a variety of challenges across the full range of real estate sectors and geographies. This ranges from working on questions around specific sites, buildings or portfolios to analysing wider socio-economic trends and their impacts on specific sectors.

He has carried out projects for many key players in the UK industry, including British Land, Brookfield, Hammerson and Lend Lease, and is a regular commentator on real estate issues in the press and at conferences and other events. Jon sits on the firm’s Executive Committee.

Damian Norman

Director Immersive Entertainment & Events
Excel London

Damian Norman heads up Excel London’s Immersive Entertainment & Live Events division and is responsible for bringing some of the venue’s highest profile entertainment events including Formula E, Disney 100: The Exhibition and The Formula 1 Exhibition.

After earning a degree in International Business & Marketing, Damian began his career in the trade conference and exhibition market, before landing his first consumer position via DMG World Media in 2003, leading their skiing and snowboarding portfolio (despite not being able to do either!). 

During this time, he worked his way to become Group Show Director, earning a string of industry awards along the way. In 2008, Damian carried out an MBO independently and, together with private investors, brought the company, setting up VOS Media which he ran for five years launching events such as the London Bike Show and The Rouleur Classic.  

In 2013, he sold the business to The Telegraph Media Group (TMG), as part of this offering Damian became MD of Telegraph Events where he grew their events portfolio from five to 60 events in just four years. During this time, he was an integral part of the Senior Leadership Team of TMG helping oversee the overall £300m business. 

At the end 2017, he exited the Telegraph to take time out to help his wife raise their family, before setting up Live Mind Consultancy with several clients including the International Boat Show and Excel London. He moved to joined permanently 2019 after successfully leading the venue’s bid to host world renowned electric motor racing series Formula E. 

Before long, he began working on many other projects at the Royal Docks venue and now has pioneered a new waterside development at the venue to bring a host of global, immersive experiences to Excel as part of a wider strategic destination project.  In 2024 he launched Immerse LDN, creating London’s first Immersive Entertainment District, attracting over 1 million visitors since its inception.

Howard Dawber OBE

Deputy Mayor, Business & Growth
Greater London Authority

Howard Dawber is Managing Director, Strategy of Canary Wharf Group having previously been Strategic Advisor since August 2004. In addition to work on corporate strategic issues, he is responsible for public affairs, government and external relations, and corporate social responsibility. He represents Canary Wharf on the East London Business Alliance, Career Ready UK, the Public Affairs Committee of TheCityUK, and various committees for business group London First.

He is the Chair of the East End Community Foundation and is the Chair of the Business Advisory Board of the University of East London School of Business and Law. He is a Trustee of the THESIS Trust, which works to provide educational links between east London and Bangladesh.

He has also been a political advisor and Parliamentary Candidate.

Howard co-authored a paper titled “Financing for Growth” for think tank Respublica on using bonds and other innovative methods to fund infrastructure.

Zen Mumtaz

Socio-Economic Development Manager
Lendlease

Zen Mumtaz, Socio-Economic Development Manager at Lendlease, has over 10 years’ experience working within the built environment sector as a Social Value professional spanning across both Construction and Development leading ESG, Community Development, Social Value and Socio-economic strategies. Driven by a passion for sustainable urban regeneration and social mobility and committed to creating inclusive spaces that generate long-term socio-economic benefits. Currently engaged in two major urban regeneration projects in East London: Silvertown in the Royal Docks and Stratford Cross (formerly IQL) on the QEOP, Stratford. Zen is a trustee for Inspire Education Business Partnership, an employer advisory board member for Our Newham Learning and Skills, and also a member of the London Prosperity Board, an innovative cross-sector partnership established by the Institute of Global Prosperity (IGP) to rethink what prosperity means for London.

Paul Kitson

Corporate Director: Inclusive Economy, Housing & Culture
London Borough of Newham

Paul Kitson is currently the Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy and Housing at the London Borough of Newham, responsible for Housing Services, Housing Needs and the delivery of new homes, as well as Planning, Regeneration and Economy. Paul joined Newham from Birmingham City Council where he was Strategic Director of Place. Prior to Newham and Birmingham, he spent 10 years in Homes England where he honed his place-based skills and approach. Paul was Regional Director for the South East, led the Garden Towns and Villages programme, and was instrumental in leading Homes England's refreshed approach to regeneration.

Dean Curtis

Deputy Vice Chancellor
UEL

Dean Curtis joined University of East London as Chief Finance Officer in February 2018 before undertaking the role of the Deputy Vice Chancellor. His responsibilities include ensuring financial viability of the University as well as the management of the Finance, Estates, Information Technology and Human Resource Functions. Dean is a qualified chartered public finance accountant. He commenced his career in local government on a Youth Training Scheme before becoming a trainee accountant and qualifying in the National Health Service. During his time at the NHS he was the Director of Finance of three London NHS Trusts and worked for the NHS Executive appraising substantial investment cases for new hospital developments, most notably at Saint Bartholomew's and Royal London Hospitals. In 2000, he joined Queen Mary, University of London, as Director of Finance and Planning before becoming the Chief Administrative Officer in 2007. In 2012, he was appointed Chief Strategy Officer, concentrating on implementing transnational education projects in China and Malta and on a distance-learning platform. He also led on ensuring local planning policy on the redevelopment of Whitechapel supported the implementation of a life science strategy.