The PFF aims to run three main events a year, covering a range of topics, including the below.
These give our members a chance to take advantage of the networking opportunities with their peers, whilst also engaging in topics that are both educational and can help with their day to day roles.
Previous topics include:
– Market updates
– The use of leverage in real estate
– The future transition from LIBOR
– Motivational and political speakers
In addition to the three main events, our sponsors also commit to organising a number of smaller events. These are designed to be more of a roundtable style event, covering specific topics.
Events in 2022
PFF Panel discussion
Moderator: Joe Hime
(Head of UK at Langham Hall)
Panellists
Jackie Bowie, Managing Partner at Chatham Financial
Andrea Pittaluga, Capital Advisors, Debt & Structured Finance at CBRE
Chase French, Head of Financial Modelling & Portfolio Analytics at Tritax
Edward Clough, Head of Corporate Development at Octopus Real Estate
PFF webinar – 2022:
Tim Harford OBE
June 2022
Tim Harford OBE joined us to look at the economy given recent poignant events. Tim discussed food prices, inflation, UK economic performance, consumer spending and confidence, the food crisis and the UK unemployment.
Full video to the session can be found here:
PFF webinar – 2022:
The future of data centers
20th January 2022
This webinar was hosted by Paul Mortlock from CBRE and Mark Kidd from Iron Mountain.
Paul began our webinar by giving an introduction to data centres, and giving some background to the market. Mark followed Paul, who gave some further detail, touching on market and underlying trends, capital intensity, lease structures, and sustainability.
To view the recording: https://vimeo.com/668705972/bb60908a48
Events in 2021
PFF webinar – 2021:
Real Estate at the turning point: what next?
8th June 2021
Real estate sees big shocks every 15 years or so (1974, 1990, 2007) and smaller shocks every 3-4 years (dotcom boom/bust, SARS, Brexit, Greek debt etc). 2020 and 2021 was a big shock (the COVID lockdown), followed by various aftershocks (radical monetary policy, US election, trade wars), set in the context of the fourth industrial revolution and the climate emergency.
The real estate market has already changed (think retail, logistics), and much more is on the way. How should real estate professionals plan for this turning point?
A recording of the webinar can be found here: Webinar
Access Passcode: PFFwebinar1!
PFF Webinar – A year of revolution, not evolution
10th February 2021
The night is darkest just before dawn, and so the first quarter of 2021 promises to be a fitting epitaph to the trash-can fire of 2020. However, if we look at the year as a whole, by the end of 2021 we will have a landscape that bears little resemblance to that with which we ended 2019. Every aspect of society has been touched by Covid-19 and consumer behaviour has been transformed.
In the space of the first two weeks of the pandemic, we saw consumer behaviour accelerate five years. This led to a significant step-change in online spending; collective wellness (a greater focus on the community; increased loyalty to local, independent brands; a growing self-awareness on how our choices impact the environment, sustainability and each other); and a huge shift towards working from home.
All these changes are here to stay and will completely transform how we live our lives in 2021. Many of these developments should result in positive outcomes in the long-term too, with stronger communities, better work/life balance and an ethical ethos running through consumers and brands. But it’s not all rosy – for many the looming recession will threaten livelihoods and income, and for every affluent professional who is seeking collective wellness there are many more with a laser focus on value.
Over the course of the seminar we focused on how the new consumer reality is impacting property and what it means for our spaces, leases and investments. It may not seem likely now but by the end of the year we should be able to see the outlines of a new, more sustainable reality that sees innovation rewarded, spaces evolve to better reflect their uses, and communities revitalised.
The recording of the event can be found here:
Events in 2020
PFF Webinar – CBRE Global Investors Credit Conditions Webinar
14th October 2020.
David Inskip Head of UK Research and Emma Huepfl Managing Director of EMEA Credit Strategies from CBRE Global Investors presented their economic, real estate and credit conditions forecasts to the PFF on 14th October 2020.
The research team concluded that further capital value falls are expected, but with less severity than the GFC, although performance is highly sector divergent. Whilst it is too early to judge the shape of an economic recovery, attractive direct investment opportunities may arise in 2021.
On the credit side, despite a lack of visible stress, the market is bifurcating with senior loans recategorizing between ‘core’ and ‘senior plus’, and risk premia increasing substantially by various measures. There are signs that pressure may build around refinancing requirements in 2021 and 2022. Real estate credit will continue to draw pension and insurance capital to the sector due to the strong returns it currently generates on a risk adjusted basis, vs corporate and government bonds.
The slides will not be circulated, but please feel free to contact Emma Huepfl emma.huepfl@cbreglobalinvestors.com for individual information requests.
For those, who couldn’t attend, please find a recording of the webinar below.
The great shift ahead in geopolitics and global markets
1st July 2020
We were pleased to welcome David Murrin back to update us on the rapidly evolving geopolitical situation. David gave us his perspective on the effects of Covid 19 on old and new economies and of the UK post Brexit.
For those, who couldn’t attend, please find a recording of the webinar below.
Events in 2019
PFF Webinar – CBRE Global Investors Credit Conditions Webinar
14th October 2020.
David Inskip Head of UK Research and Emma Huepfl Managing Director of EMEA Credit Strategies from CBRE Global Investors presented their economic, real estate and credit conditions forecasts to the PFF on 14th October 2020.
The research team concluded that further capital value falls are expected, but with less severity than the GFC, although performance is highly sector divergent. Whilst it is too early to judge the shape of an economic recovery, attractive direct investment opportunities may arise in 2021.
On the credit side, despite a lack of visible stress, the market is bifurcating with senior loans recategorizing between ‘core’ and ‘senior plus’, and risk premia increasing substantially by various measures. There are signs that pressure may build around refinancing requirements in 2021 and 2022. Real estate credit will continue to draw pension and insurance capital to the sector due to the strong returns it currently generates on a risk adjusted basis, vs corporate and government bonds.
The slides will not be circulated, but please feel free to contact Emma Huepfl emma.huepfl@cbreglobalinvestors.com for individual information requests.
For those, who couldn’t attend, please find a recording of the webinar below.
David Murrin Event
23rd January – RICS building
The PFF was pleased to host the return of David Murrin, discussing the key forces shaping geopolitical risk & the implications for investment in the real estate market, part 2.
The main discussions around the different stages of the empire model, and how this can be applied to modern day business. Further information and slides are available on request.
CMS
Sponsor event
20th March – ESG ratings

Laxfield Barometer
Emma Huepfl of Laxfield Capital and Peter Cosmetatos of CREFC Europe gave a joint presentation overviewing the current landscape for UK real estate debt.
Emma gave insights into how capital supply and lending appetite interacts with current demand for finance, and her thoughts about successful partnership of equity and debt later in the cycle.
Peter gave a thematic presentation on wider structural considerations and gave an overview on how the trade body is working to create an industry which is sustainable for the long term and protects the interests of investors and borrowers alike by working towards market stability.
Events in 2018
Greenberg Traurig and Langham Hall
Sponsor event
5th December – CFO breakfast/roundtable

LIBOR Event
24th September – KPMG’s offices – 20 Grosvenor Street
This joint seminar with CREFC Europe, the property lenders’ trade association, provided an expert but user-friendly update on progress towards the transition from Libor to new reference rates that are less susceptible to manipulation. Speakers from the LMA and Chatham Financial highlighted how much remained unclear, and what smart market participants should be doing to prepare.
CREFC Europe’s Peter Cosmetatos moderated a discussion with panellists from Lloyds and Grosvenor.
Robert Peston
6th June – Mondrian London, Rumpus Room, 20 Upper Ground, Upper Bank, London, SE1 9PD
Hot off the press, the PFF was pleased to host an event with Robert Peston. Discussions took place on a range of topics, outlining the key risk drivers in the UK, EU and the US; forming conclusions on how to navigate the economic rapids in the coming years.
Further information and slides are available on request.
Events in 2017
REIT breakfast
24th November – CMS’ offices – CMS, Cannon Place, 78 Cannon St, London EC4N 6AF

Events in 2016
Zak Goldsmith
7th April – Nabarro’s offices – 125 London Wall
