Diversity, Equality & Inclusion in Real Estate Investment - effecting long-term change

Eric Adler is the president and chief executive officer of PGIM Real Estate. PGIM Real Estate is one of the largest real estate investment managers in the world, offering a broad range of real estate equity and debt solutions across the risk-return spectrum. Based in London, Eric is a member of PGIM Real Estate’s Global Management Council, the Global Investment Committee and the Global Operating Council.

Eric is also responsible for the oversight of Montana Capital Partners (mcp), a $3 billion Swiss-based secondaries private equity manager focused on the small and mid-cap market in the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific. PGIM acquired mcp in August 2021 to provide investors with access to this fast-growing alternative investment opportunity.

Previously, Eric was global chief investment officer of PGIM Real Estate and earlier served as head of the European business. Before joining PGIM Real Estate in 2010, Eric co-directed Tishman Speyer’s European activities

and was a member of its Global Management and Investment Committees.  Earlier, Eric worked for Morgan Stanley Real Estate, where he led investment activities in Germany, France, Italy and Spain.  He also had overall operational responsibility for its Special Situations Fund II.  Earlier, he worked for Credit Lyonnais and Unibail in Paris.

Eric has a bachelor's degree in business administration, summa cum laude, from University of Arizona.  He also holds a graduate business degree from HEC Business School in France. 

Eric is a founding member of the European Advisory Board of the Zell/Lurie Real Estate Center at the Wharton School. He also serves on the Editorial Board of The Academy of Real Assets, a UK organization that aims to have a significant positive impact on diversity within the real assets industry through philanthropic and educational activities with underserved youth.

Kevin is the Head of Knight Frank Investment Mangement and has over 25 years’ experience in the UK real estate market.  Before joining the business, he spent 11 years at ING Real Estate Investment Management (ING REIM), culminating in his appointment as CEO of the UK business in October 2008.  During his time at ING he had extensive experience of the portfolio and fund management of both segregated accounts and collective investment schemes, acting on behalf of a variety of UK and overseas institutional clients.  As CEO he took responsibility for the re-structuring of the ING REIM UK business, creating an enhanced focus on client service and performance.

Kevin is a member of the Investment Property Forum.  In his spare time he is Chair to the Board of Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, the only contact sport for tetraplegic athletes, suffering both upper and lower limb disability.

Phil holds a series of Non-Executive roles across Education, Social Enterprise and the investment management Industry. He has established multiple institutional real estate investment businesses in the US, Europe and Asia in executive roles held over the previous 37 years most recently with the Dutch Insurance company, AEGON Asset Management, a top 5 global real estate business, where he was Global Head of Real Assets Equity responsible for listed, non-listed and direct investments across real estate, private equity and energy investments.

Phil is past Chair of the Investment Property Forum, current Chair of Pinnacle Investments, a Member of the UCL Governing Council, and is Chair the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Commercial Property Forum.

Phil is the founding Chair of the Real Assets Academy. The Academy connects school children approaching GCSE’s at the UK’s 2000 most economically challenged state schools, to provide knowledge of, and access to, careers across the entire spectrum of the real estate industry.

Sarah Hayford is the Founder & CEO of The Land Collective, a youth-focused organisation founded when she was a student; that encourages engagement in the built environment sector through providing career opportunities, supporting the development of commercial awareness, and providing educational resources and employability programmes. To date, The Land Collective has worked with numerous employers across the industry including DTZ Investors, CBRE, SitusAMC, Ellandi, Avison Young, ARUP and more.

Sarah began her journey into the sector in commercial surveying in 2018. In addition to this, Sarah is also part of the core team at Roots Inspire, a leadership development platform for corporate leaders from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Liz is Chair of Real Estate Balance, a campaigning organisation working to improve diversity and inclusion in the real estate industry.

Liz has had a somewhat unusual career which has spanned both the public and private sectors. She spent her early career in Government in the Ministry of Defence, eventually becoming a key player in the creation of QinetiQ plc in 2001. She then moved into the private sector, becoming Chief Executive of the British Property Federation where she played a significant role in the creation of the UK’s Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) structure. She was awarded a CBE in 2008 for services to the property industry.

Liz now has a non-executive portfolio career primarily focussed on real estate including NED roles at Howard de Walden Estates, RPS Group plc, and the Connected Places Catapult. She is Chairman of the GLA’s Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation, of the Sponsor Board for the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme and of the University of Cambridge Property Board. As well as Real Estate Balance, she also chairs two heritage charities, the Churches Coservation Trust and the Archirtectural Heritage Fund.