Looking ahead to UKREiiF 2026

This May, UKREiiF returns and Kriston Harvey, Howel Morris, Kully Toor, Matt Harrison, Stewart Friel and Mark Bellringer are all heading to Leeds to tap into the UK’s biggest industry event.

Every year, UKREiiF facilitates and supports industry connection, offering an invaluable platform for those in the built environment. Companies from a range of sectors, both private and public, come together to discuss the future of UK development and drive growth, collaboration and innovation.

While Kriston and Kully in particular are no strangers to UKREiiF, having attended the conference multiple times already, Stewart and Mark will be making their debuts this year. Ahead of the event, we asked the team to share their thoughts on UKREiiF, its potential benefits, and what they are most looking forward to.

Why do you think the event is important for the industry?

Kriston Harvey: I think the event brings lots of positives. For one, it’s good to see an event of this magnitude in the UK being held in the north – instead of London.

A key role that this event plays is to help unlock investment that supports regeneration opportunities, and it also provides a platform for collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Stewart Friel: UKREiiF has quickly become the key networking event in the UK for the construction sector. It allows us to foster existing relationships while also hopefully making new business connections.

Kully Toor: It gives us opportunities to connect with likeminded people within a similar industry, whether it’s architects, developers, project managers or contractors. The event gathers everyone together and allows us to meet new clients from all regions. It offers collaboration between sector and industry professionals, with the benefit of face-to-face communication.

Matthew Harrison: There’s no other UK event of this size and that has so many different, but interlinked, professionals all in one place, all wanting to meet to understand, grow and explore opportunities with each other.

Mark Bellringer: It’s an invaluable opportunity for the UK property market to have an onshore showcase.

Howel Morris: On the whole, I think it provides a really positive focal point in the year for property and construction to get together.

What are you most looking forward to?

Kriston Harvey: This year I will be attending the fringe events and hosting guests across several focused gatherings. I’m looking forward to strengthening existing relationships and forging new ones across the week.

Kully Toor: I will also be attending the fringe events where I can catch up with our existing clients, while also meeting potential new clients.

Stewart Friel: I’m looking forward to hearing about the challenges and opportunities faced by the sector, particularly those in the brownfield regeneration market.

Mark Bellringer: For me, the networking and catching up with a few contacts I haven’t seen in a while is always beneficial.

Matthew Harrison: It’s beneficial for making new contacts, so I’m looking forward to connecting with those who I might not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet in person.

Howel Morris: I’m looking forward to ShedQuarters. I would say it’s one of the standout industrial and logistics sector events happening that week and I’ve found it insightful in previous years at UKREiiF.

Do you have any key takeaways from a previous event that you’re taking into this year’s event?

Kriston Harvey: I’m going to be setting aside sufficient time for pre-event planning with the rest of the team to ensure we make best use of our time there and ensure we undertake a thorough debrief to capture our follow-up actions post-event. For an SME like us, it is important that we can reflect post-event on the positive outcomes and start the real work of converting the opportunities.

Kully Toor: After reflecting on our previous experiences, we’ve agreed to have more colleagues attending the fringe events to ensure we capture all the important events relevant to our business.

Matthew Harrison: My first year felt like an assault on the senses. There was so much to take in, so many meetings and events to attend, lots of walking, early mornings, late nights, loud rooms and erratic eating. Last year was more focused and measured, but crucially it wasn’t over planned as we all built some flexibility into our schedules to allow for some random impromptu conversations and meetings – some of which turned into fee earning jobs in the months that followed.  

Howel Morris: I would say that the quality conversations and connections facilitated by UKREiiF also need to be backed by further industry investment.

Do you have any advice for anyone attending for the first time?

Kriston Harvey: Wear comfortable shoes and make sure you have planned activities in the diary each day, but also leave room for ad-hoc conversations and meetings.

Kully Toor: Be organised. Things may not go to plan, but there will be plenty to do. The days can be long, with a lot of walking, so having comfortable shoes is a good idea.

Matthew Harrison: Get booked onto the fringe events as early as you can and try to focus on those that you think are most relevant to your business targets or existing client base. There’s so much going on within the UKREiiF venue itself, and across the whole of Leeds, so diarise as much as you can in advance so you have plenty of timely reminders. However, don’t feel pressured into filling every minute of every day and rigidly adhering to the diary – you still want to allow time for those random opportunities. On a more practical basis, make sure you have comfortable shoes, a phone battery pack or charger, keep well hydrated, and remember to eat!

Howel Morris: Don’t over plan your days as it can be chance encounters between diary engagements that are most important. You also need to be prepared to quickly describe what you can do to help the person you are talking to.

If it’s your first time attending, have you had any advice ahead of the event?

Stewart Friel: Not advice as such, but my colleagues have certainly been keen to help make sure I have things in the diary to make the most of the event.

Mark Bellringer: I’ve received advice from colleagues and clients alike, mostly about the benefits of attending the fringe events.