The Great South West Partnership has announced its full speaker line-up for the Great South West Pavilion at UKREiiF 2026, bringing together leading national and regional figures from government, industry, investment, and academia. The Pavilion programme will set out to national and international investors and developers why the region is the UK’s next investment frontier.
Taking place in Leeds from 19–21 May, UKREiiF is the largest investment conference in the UK and will be attracting over 16,000 delegates. Great South West’s Pavilion programme is packed with exciting events, expert panels, and investor insights featuring national and regional leaders across housing, clean energy, defence, maritime infrastructure, and innovation, showcasing the Great South West as an investment-ready region taking forward the UK’s growth priorities.
The programme opens with “Introducing the Great South West – The Next Investment Frontier”, featuring the Partnership’s Chair, Karl Tucker, alongside Cllr Millie Earl, Leader of BCP Council; Clive Higgins, CEO of Leonardo UK; and Dr Eulian Roberts, Chair of Exeter Science Park; setting out the region’s £100bn economic opportunity and its critical role in national security and growth.
On Day 1, housing leaders and policymakers will address one of the UK’s most pressing challenges. A session on unlocking affordable homes will feature Selina White, Chief Executive of Magna Housing and Co-Chair of Homes for the South West; Jonathan Cowie, Plymouth Community Homes; Gideon Amos OBE MP, Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesman; and Joe Wharton, Homes England; highlighting how housing associations are driving delivery at scale. This is followed by the launch of the Great South West Housing Prospectus, with contributions from Jayne Kirkham MP and Cllr Todd Olive, East Devon District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Place, Infrastructure and Strategic Planning alongside other local authority leaders, reinforcing the region’s innovative approach to housing and infrastructure investment including new towns, garden villages, and market-leading mixed-use schemes.
Cllr Olive commented: “We’ve learned a great deal from our experience of delivering a new town at Cranbrook, and we’re determined to apply those lessons at Marlcombe by taking a far more proactive approach from the outset – stronger masterplanning, clearer leadership over delivery, and long-term stewardship. I will be setting out that ambition at UKREiiF, to coincide with the launch of the Great South West Housing Prospectus, showcasing the region’s innovative approach to housing and infrastructure investment.”
Stuart Harris, CEO of Milligan, said: “Across the South West, Milligan is working in a number of locations to unlock the full potential of places by focusing on what truly matters, meaningful, place-led regeneration that delivers long-term value for communities and investors. Our approach is rooted in deep collaboration, sustainability, and a commitment to creating thriving destinations. We don’t start with the site, we start with the story, the people, and the opportunity to build lasting social and economic resilience.
“That’s why the Great South West is such an important partnership for us. As the region continues to attract national attention and investment, we’re bringing an agile, innovative mindset and a proven track record of curating successful, future-ready places. Our ambition is to help shape a new chapter of sustainable growth and confident, community-first development for the South West.”
On Day 2, industry leaders will take centre stage, demonstrating how the South West is supporting national resilience and industrial growth with a range of high-value commercial schemes. The UK’s strategic battery supply chain will feature Jeremy Wrathell, Executive Chairman of Cornish Lithium; Christian Marston, Chief Operating Officer at Altilium; and representatives from Agratas and the Department for Business & Trade, exploring how the region is securing critical minerals and advancing EV supply chains.
Maritime infrastructure will be another key focus, with speakers including Matt Hodson, newly appointed Chief Executive of Celtic Sea Power; Mike Spicer, Managing Director of A&P Group; David Gwynne, National Wealth Fund; and Professor Dame Judith Petts DBE examining how ports are nationally critical assets for clean energy, defence, and trade.
The programme will also spotlight a major £200 million innovation opportunity at Exeter and East Devon’s Enterprise Zone’s Exeter Science Park, with Dr Sally Basker, Chief Executive of Exeter Science Park, and Marc Drew, Chief Executive of NauteXe Global, presenting plans for a national centre for extreme environment simulation. This will be followed by a session featuring the range of investment opportunities across the South West being created through the defence sector, with expert insights from Babcock International, the Department for Business & Trade, Dorset Innovation Park, and Plymouth City Council.
Sally Basker, CEO of Exeter Science Park, said: “We will be attending UKREiiF alongside NautExe Global, as we support the development of the National Extreme Environment Centre at Exeter Science Park. This strategically significant facility will provide advanced capability to support the defence, energy, maritime and space sectors.
“It will establish world-leading infrastructure in Exeter, strengthening the region’s position as a centre for high-growth, knowledge-led industries. This aligns with our mission to drive high-value job creation, enhance productivity and deliver long-term economic growth across the South West.”
Marc Drew, Chief Executive at NauteXe Global, said: “The Great South West is a strategic focal point for innovation in defence, energy and advanced maritime technologies. Our support for the Pavilion reflects both the strength of the regional ecosystem and the opportunity to develop world-class infrastructure here. The NauteXe Extreme Environment Centre at Exeter Science Park will play a key role in accelerating innovation, testing and training across sectors that are critical to UK resilience and growth.”
Day 2 will conclude with the launch of the Great South West Investment Prospectus, bringing together regional leaders and civic partners to present a coordinated pipeline of investment opportunities across the region which are ready for investor engagement, including the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone, strategically located near a skilled workforce at Cranbrook and the future new community of Marlcombe.
The final day will focus on innovation and delivery, including a session on a new coastal innovation district with contributions from Ian Cheung, Chief Executive of Talbot Quarter; Cllr Millie Earl, Leader of BCP Council; Professor Alison Honor, Vice Chancellor of Bournemouth University; and Professor Rob Middleton.
Ian Cheung, CEO at Talbot Village Trust, said: “We are delighted to be returning to UKREiiF again this year. In 2025, we presented the consented scheme for Bournemouth’s Talbot Quarter, an innovation district with a projected £350m Gross Development Value.
“We’re looking forward to hosting an insightful session on how innovation is increasingly fostered in Bournemouth. 2025 saw the launch of our Innovation Cluster Steering Group, comprising CEO level representatives from BCP council, the three universities, Nuffield Health, Orthopaedic Research Institute, and University Hospitals Dorset who are committed to driving improvements through innovation and collaboration and leaving a lasting, impactful legacy in the south west.
“Over the past 12 months, we have taken significant strides towards delivering the largest consented infrastructure scheme for Bournemouth in the last 10 years. I’m looking forward to sharing our progress with our colleagues at UKREiiF.”
The morning concludes with a special thought leadership and interactive discussion panel jointly hosted with the Local Government Association on new spatial development strategies, and how these can be positioned to power up growth across the UK. The ‘must-attend’ session looks at how to bring forward new investment and development opportunities in an emerging planning landscape, and build durable public-private partnerships which can deliver growth.
Karl Tucker, Chair of the Great South West Partnership, said: “The strength of the Great South West is in its partnerships, and this programme brings together leaders from across business, government, and academia to demonstrate what the region can deliver.
“From housing and clean energy to defence, maritime infrastructure and innovation, these are the conversations that matter to the UK’s future. By convening this breadth of expertise at UKREiiF, we are showing that the Great South West is not just part of the national growth story – it is helping to lead it. This region is the UK’s next investment frontier, and we are ready to work with investors and partners to unlock its full potential.”
The Partnership extends its thanks to Event Partners: Homes for the South West, Exeter Science Park, NauteXe Global, Talbot Quarter, Milligan, East Devon District Council, Ward Williams, and Wessex Combined Authority.