The ULI Spain Annual Conference 2024, held last week, proved to be a pivotal moment in the real estate calendar. Drawing in over 370 attendees, including industry experts: investors, developers, fund managers, urban planners, and public figures from Spain and Europe. The event served as a nexus for strategic discourse, visionary insights, and actionable intelligence aimed at sculpting the future of our built environment.

An open dialogue space, keynote presentations, and thought-leadership workshops with real estate and urban development leaders from Spain and Europe.

Top Highlights

Special Recognition: ‘Pedro de Churruca’ Award

It is with great reverence that we announce the recipient of the esteemed ‘Pedro de Churruca’ award: the venerable architect, Alfonso Vegara Gómez. This prestigious accolade celebrates Mr. Vegara’s unparalleled ability to envisage the urban landscapes of tomorrow in a sustainable and disruptive manner, alongside his illustrious professional trajectory.

As an integral component of the ULI Spain Annual Conference 2024, the presentation of this award marks the event’s second iteration, honouring eminent figures within the realms of urban and real estate development whose contributions epitomize ULI’s ethos of social enhancement through built environment initiatives.

Our heartfelt gratitude extends to all those instrumental in facilitating this momentous recognition.

Inspiring Talks

The conference commenced with an array of illuminating keynote addresses, each delivered by titans of the industry. Javier Sánchez, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Commercial Officer of AEDAS Homes, elucidated on “Thriving with AI” on day one.

While Manuel Muñiz Provost of IE University and Dean of IE School of Politics, Economics & Global Affairs, opened our Conference on day 2, providing invaluable insights into navigating the labyrinth of geopolitical shifts. Additionally, Simon Durkin, Global Head of Real Estate Research and Strategy and Portfolio Analytics at BlackRock, delved into the challenges of the Macroeconomic Outlook.

The ‘Real Estate Capital Markets’ panel, also moderated by Simon, esteemed speakers including Vanessa Gelado (Senior Managing Director and Country Head of Hines operations in Spain), Javier Arús (Senior Partner of Azora), Miguel Pereda (Vice Chairman of Lar España and Executive Chairman of Grupo Lar España), and Javier Solís (Managing Director and Head of EMEA – Real Estate AM of Goldman Sachs).

They deliberated on the impact of the macroeconomic outlook and geopolitical recession on real estate investments in Europe and Spain and underscored the importance of adapting investment strategies to navigate the evolving economic landscape, highlighting Spain’s pivotal role in the global real estate market. “We have been surprised by the resilience of the economy”, Vanessa said.

The ULI Spain Annual Conference 2024 continued with Olivia O’Brien (Research Director ULI Europe and Longevity Partners), moderated the panel and provided valuable insights into the ULI Europe C Change Initiative. This ULI-led program aims to mobilize the European real estate industry towards decarbonization, emphasizing the importance of collective action in addressing climate challenges.

In this session titled “Decarbonization: Accelerating Change, Road to Zero,” the focus was on the imperative of decarbonization and expediting the journey towards ‘net zero’. The session discussed the importance of ESG credentials in shaping the future and their profound impact on the real estate asset value. Speakers included:

▪️ Daniel Chang (Head of ESG at Hines Europe)

▪️ Ana Cunha (Strategic Sustainability Advisory and CSR Director of Deerns Group)

▪️ Felipe Pérez Agustín (Managing Director of Primonial REIM Spain)

▪️ Paul Kennedy (Managing Director of J.P. Morgan Asset Management)

The ULI Spain Annual Conference 2024 continued its exploration of cutting-edge topics with the hashtag #AI and Digitalization session.

This session, moderated by Francisco Luis Machín Aragonés (Chief Data Officer, IE University), focused on the current situation where, in a landscape where AI and technology have ushered in a rapid pace of change for businesses and opportunities, recent crises have underscored the need for rapid adaptation. In this dynamic environment, maintaining a competitive edge remains a major challenge for companies.

The discussion focused on the development of technologies aimed at harnessing data and artificial intelligence to facilitate more informed investment decisions and improve processes. Innovation is driving the creation of new paradigms, paving the way for new business models and challenging organisations to stay ahead of the curve. Many thanks to the excellent speakers:

▪️ Carlos Olmos de Frutos (Founder of OX & uDA & Executive Committee ULI Spain)

▪️ Naqash Tahir (Executive Director of Research & Development and Investments at RealAssetX, PGIM Real Estate)

▪️ Miguel Nigorra Esteban (Partner and co-head of Europe team of Fifthwall)

▪️ Adam Burstow (Business Development Executive of Amazon Web Services (AWS))

The fourth session ‘City Transformation.’ was opened by  Myriam Inmaculada Peón, (General Director of the Office for the New General Urban Planning of Madrid. Urbanism, Environment, and Mobility Department, Madrid City Council), provided us with valuable insights about Madrid city. Myriam highlighted the need for the city to align itself with the European trend of disruptive change, with a focus on environmental considerations. Given the city’s established status, she also shared details about several promising initiatives currently underway, including Madrid Nuevo Norte.

The next panel panel opened a dialogue revolved around the dynamic evolution of cities, with speakers offering their expertise on urban regeneration initiatives in Spain and across Europe.

The session delved into the challenges and opportunities inherent in making cities more resilient and equitable from social, environmental, and economic perspective. Against the backdrop of the ongoing pandemic and the pressing need to address climate change, panelists shared valuable insights on urban regeneration efforts and transformative projects aimed at revitalizing the commercial cores of major cities.

▪️ Adolfo Ramírez-Escudero (CEO, CBRE Spain & Divisional President LATAM)

▪️ Sofie Verstraete (Chief Development Officer, Revive)

▪️ Javier de Pablo (co-CEO, DeepLabs)

▪️ Miguel Hernández (Director of Strategy and Corporate Development, Crea Madrid Nuevo Norte)

▪️Flavio Tejada Gorraiz (Director of the Masters in Real Estate Development, IE University, Director Arup)

Moderation by Cristina Mateo Rebollo, (Associate Dean, IE School of Architecture and Design)

Interactive Panels and Sessions

From deep-dives into macroeconomic indicators and real estate market dynamics to discussions on decarbonisation strategies, artificial intelligence integration, digital transformation imperatives, and urban revitalisation endeavours, our panels offered a rich tapestry of knowledge and actionable intelligence.

Networking Galore

Participants relished in ample networking opportunities, ranging from a sophisticated reception and cocktail soirée amidst the verdant oasis of the Museo Lázaro Galdiano to an exclusive VIP luncheon, fostering invaluable connections and synergistic collaborations.

Special Thanks

We extend our profound appreciation to the esteemed speakers and industry stalwarts for their invaluable contributions, igniting riveting dialogues and catalysing actionable insights throughout the day. Additionally, we express our heartfelt appreciation to our Event Sponsors for their generous patronage and steadfast collaboration in advancing our mission. Equally, we extend our sincere gratitude to the Corporate partners for their indispensable role in making this seminal event a resounding success:

Furthermore, we extend our sincerest gratitude to the ULI Spain Executive Committee, ULI Barcelona, the Senior Advisors, our esteemed President Alberto Valls, and our dedicated Executive Director Bárbara Recio Pelayo for their unwavering support and unwavering commitment.

**GOLD 🥇:**

• MERLIN Properties
• Mutua Madrileña
• DeepLabs
• IE School of Architecture and Design

**SILVER 🥈:**

• AEDAS Homes
• Crea Madrid Nuevo Norte
• The District Show

**BRONZE 🥉:**

• Metrovacesa
• Hines
• Azora
• DeA Capital Real Estate

**PEOPLE PARTNERS 👥:**

• CBRE España
• PwC
• Deloitte

The overwhelmingly positive feedback serves as a testament to the profound impact of this conference, and we eagerly anticipate the dawn of future iterations. Together, we propel the real estate industry forward, embracing innovation, sustainability, and prosperity.

Check out the photos for some of the best bits of the conference.