ULI Spain and IE University Convene Leading Experts to Examine Key Shifts in Real Estate
With IE School of Architecture & Design as main contributor, the ULI Spain Annual Conference 2026 will explore geopolitics, urban regeneration, and the impact of AI.
Madrid, 16 April 2026 — More than 300 professionals will convene at this year Urban Land Institute Spain Annual Conference, organized in collaboration with IE University, to address key challenges facing the real estate sector in today’s macroeconomic context. Leading international experts will participate, including Vanessa Gelado (Hines), Lord Marvin Rees, Samir Amichi (Blackstone), Sabina Reeves (CBRE Investment Management), Andrew Teeling (Norges Bank Investment Management), and Carmina Ganyet (Colonial), among others. This year’s edition will explore the implications of current geopolitical dynamics, emerging strategies for urban regeneration, and the growing impact of AI on the real estate industry.
The fourth edition of the ULI Spain Annual Conference will take place on April 22 at IE Tower in Madrid, with IE School of Architecture & Design as main contributor. The forum will bring together global leaders to discuss key industry challenges, including the impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic trends on cities and investment strategies, the evolving role of the office, and the competitive advantage offered by AI in real estate. Madrid will also be examined as a case study in sustainable urban transformation.
Urban Land Institute (ULI) is a global nonprofit organization with more than 48,000 members across real estate and urban development. Under the leadership of Jorge Pérez de Leza, ULI Spain will bring together some of the most influential voices in the sector at IE University’s Madrid campus to address critical issues shaping the future of the built environment and fostering positive impact in communities worldwide.
"The ULI Spain Annual Conference 2026 has been conceived as a professional platform for dialogue on sustainable development, innovation, and city-making, bringing together leading stakeholders from the private, public, and academic sectors. We are proud of the strong response it has received and of a program that combines international and local perspectives, positioning the conference as a key hub for knowledge exchange in the industry," said Jorge Pérez de Leza, President of ULI Spain.
"The real estate sector has a direct responsibility in shaping cities that are more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient. This requires professionals with a broad perspective—able to integrate design, economics, and technology into decision-making. Our goal is to educate leaders who are committed to that approach and to generating positive impact in the built environment. The ULI Spain Annual Conference is a key platform for connecting education with professional practice and with those shaping the future of our cities," said David Goodman, Dean of IE School of Architecture & Design.
Key topics and program
The conference will bring together more than 300 professionals—including developers, investors, asset managers, urban planners, architects, and public sector leaders—for a full day of keynote presentations and expert panels featuring both global and local perspectives.
The opening session will feature remarks by Jorge Pérez de Leza, President of ULI Spain, and David Goodman, Dean of IE School of Architecture & Design, moderated by Courtney Fingar, Founder of Fingar Direct Investment.
The keynote session will be delivered by Sabina Reeves, Chief Economist and Head of Research & Intelligence at CBRE Investment Management, who will provide insights into the macroeconomic landscape in the context of current geopolitical complexity.
Cristina Mateo, Associate Dean of IE School of Architecture & Design, will engage in conversation with Lord Marvin Rees, OBE, on the role of cities in the 21st century. This will be followed by a session with Jorge Pérez de Leza and Myriam Peón, Director General of Madrid’s Urban Planning Office, focusing on Madrid as a model of sustainable urban transformation.
A panel on the evolving role of offices and the transformation of retail will feature Carmina Ganyet (Colonial), Vanessa Gelado (Hines), Emilio Colomina (Mutua Madrileña), Borja Cirera (Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield), and Susana Rodríguez (Savills Spain).
In the afternoon, the roundtable "New Investment Strategies for an Uncertain World" will bring together Samir Amichi (Blackstone), Andrew Teeling (Norges Bank Investment Management), Cristina García-Peri (Azora), and Adolfo Ramírez-Escudero (CBRE Spain and Latin America).
Artificial intelligence as a transformative force in real estate will be addressed in a dedicated session led by Emilio Portes, Global Head of Innovation at JLL.
The conference will close with remarks by Beatriz Toribio, Managing Director of ULI Spain, who will reflect on the sector’s future challenges.
The event will conclude with the Pedro de Churruca – ULI Awards, conferred by the ULI Spain Advisory Board, recognizing outstanding contributions to urban and real estate development in line with ULI’s mission to improve social outcomes in cities.
For more information and registration:
https://spain.uli.org/events/uli-spain-conference-2026/
On the cover: Cristina Mateo, Associate Dean of IE School of Architecture & Design, in conversation with Steve Adler at the ULI Spain Annual Conference 2025.