The Bridging & Development Lenders Association (BDLA) has confirmed that its 2025 Annual Conference will be held on Wednesday 12 November at Glaziers Hall in London, following what it described as a record-breaking year for the sector.
Loan books across the BDLA’s lender base surpassed £10bn in 2024, with completions reaching an all-time high, underscoring the strength of the bridging and development finance market. Against this backdrop, the association said it is preparing for its most significant conference to date.
Three keynote speakers have already been announced. Dr Savvas Savouri, managing partner at QuantMetriks Advisory, will explore the political and economic factors currently influencing the market. A well-known voice in financial and academic circles, Dr Savouri has held senior roles at Bank of America, Lazard and Toscafund, and has lectured at the LSE, Oxford and Moscow State University.
Joining him on the programme will be Rob Elder, agent officer at the Prudential Regulation Authority at the Bank of England. Elder is expected to offer a macroeconomic outlook with a particular focus on monetary policy and its implications for specialist lenders and borrowers.
Dan Hill, associate research analyst at Savills, will round out the speaker line-up with a presentation on the latest trends in the UK property market and the factors likely to shape the landscape through 2026 and beyond.
The conference will once again feature a panel debate following the popularity of last year’s session, with full details of the topic and participants to be announced in due course.
The event is open exclusively to BDLA lender and associate members, as well as invited guests. Each member is entitled to two complimentary tickets, with additional tickets available at £175 each.
Vic Jannels (pictured), chief executive of the BDLA, said: “The BDLA Annual Conference is a cornerstone event in the calendar for the bridging and development lending, and we’re proud to be hosting this year’s event at Glaziers Hall – an iconic venue that reflects the strength and stature of our growing sector.
“We’re especially excited to welcome Savvas Savouri, Dan Hill and Rob Elder – three speakers who bring exceptional perspective on the political, property and economic trends that will shape our market. We’re expecting high demand for this year’s conference, so I encourage all members to block out 12 November in their calendars and look out for communications that will announce when registration opens for the event.”
