Opportunity London will showcase where investment opportunities exist across the capital.

Travelling in a post-COVID world is utterly eye-opening. What makes a liveable city, with new working and lifestyle patterns, heightened priority of health and wellbeing, and an increased cost of living?  If the last twelve months spent in Australia and travelling across Asia-Pacific have taught me anything, it’s the sheer scale of possibility in the built environment to support a post-pandemic society.

The level of ambition and investment taking place across the pan pacific markets, in the living sector, green infrastructure, logistics, life sciences, education, cultural and entertainment assets, is driving a new wave of capital deployment that puts people and place first, absolute parallels here for London.

What excites me most about taking up the helm of Opportunity London is leading a united voice for our great Capital City with our growing cohort of Team London partners. We will create and showcase a pipeline of global investment opportunities that will contribute towards a low carbon, equitable and liveable city – shared ambitions for us all.

However, what is abundantly clear from the billions seeking to be deployed in London, is global capital has a choice and we mustn’t take our position for granted.

Our established industries such as financial and professional services along with growth sectors in technology and science make London a global leader for talent and innovation, and our universities are some of the best in the world.  We are already, according to a recent report from JLL, the greenest capital city in Europe. However, with a forward shared vision, we must not be complacent.

London’s fundamentals, together with high levels of liquidity and transparency, continuously make our metropolis one of the most sought-after destinations for global capital.  Last year (2022) the UK was the second most traded global real estate market with transaction volumes exceeding £67 billion, with more than £20 billion in cross-border investment into London alone. Our generous relative pricing and a track record of strong price and rental growth returns are only strengthened by today’s currency advantage on sterling versus the dollar.  Our priority at Opportunity London is directing this appetite to invest towards the areas of our city that need it most across real estate, regeneration, infrastructure, and energy.

Inward investment has transformed our city over the last two decades, from a new Elizabeth Line to the Olympic Park; King’s Cross to the City Cluster; Canary Wharf to Wembley Park; Battersea Power Station to Old Oak Common, and Barking Riverside. The list goes on, and so do the opportunities for further investment.

In energy, we need new green infrastructure, EV charging and a huge retrofitting agenda to bring buildings up to modern standards of environmental performance.  In real estate, there are opportunities across the mix, from housing to life sciences, logistics to film and media production.  And we must continue to develop the city’s transport infrastructure, digital communications, and waste management.

Opportunity London will set out to guide global capital in a unique partnership that brings civic and business leaders together to showcase where investment opportunities exist, right across London.

So, let us unite as ‘Team London’ to unashamedly beat the drum, fly our flag and demonstrate why London is THE best place in the world to invest, to imagine a new, evolved and low-carbon London that is truly a prosperous City for all, and for good.

 

Jace Tyrrell is the CEO of Opportunity London. As shared on The Standard.