On Thursday 25 September 2025, we welcomed 430 guests to Raffles London at the OWO for the AREF Annual Dinner and Awards. This very special evening not only marked 25 years since the first AREF Dinner, but also the last, as AREF prepares to merge with IPF and BPF to become Real Estate:UK in January 2026.
Proudly sponsored by JTC Group, the evening was a true celebration of the real estate funds industry and the community we’ve built together.
The Evening
Pre-Dinner Reception
Guests arrived to a champagne reception in The Lawrence Room, beautifully decorated by JTC to provide a stunning backdrop for the start of the evening.
Dinner and Speeches
After the starters, AREF Chair Anne Breen took to the stage to reflect on all that AREF has achieved since its inception and to thank our sponsor and the AREF team.
Anne was followed by AREF CEO Paul Richards, who looked ahead to the future and the creation of Real Estate:UK.
The evening then moved into the presentation of the AREF Annual Awards.
Awards
This year’s winners showcased the depth of expertise and dedication across AREF’s membership:
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Affiliate of the Year Award – CMS - Recognised for their invaluable and ongoing support, including their role in the FUNDamentals training series and their generosity in hosting AREF events.
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Outstanding Fund Achievement Award – Savills Investment Management – The Charities Property Fund - Awarded for their commitment to sustainability, industry engagement and long-term value for investors.
Highly commended: Columbia Threadneedle (The Threadneedle Property Unit Trust) and Aberdeen Investments (The Standard Life Pooled Property Pension Fund).
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Research Award – Legal & General - for their paper UK Living Sector investment: Slipstream into the mainstream, praised for its clarity, visuals and contribution to understanding emerging sub-markets.
Highly commended: LaSalle Investment Management and Patrizia.
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John Cartwright Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution – Sarah Walker, Travers Smith - Recognised for her leadership on the ESG Myth Busting podcast series, contributions to consultations, and active involvement in AREF’s DEI and ESG initiatives.
Congratulations to all our winners and nominees for their contributions to the real estate funds industry.
Charity Partner
During dinner, Michele Steel, CEO & Rose-Anna Hallam, Ambassador of Regeneration Brainery spoke about the important work they are doing to promote social mobility in the real estate industry and how people can get involved. Rose, a graduate of the programme, also shared a powerful personal story of how the charity has helped her.
Entertainment
Entertainment followed with magician Richard Jones, Britain’s Got Talent winner, who captivated the audience for 30 minutes with an incredible display of illusion and sleight of hand.
Afterwards, guests returned to The Lawrence Room where a live jazz band created the perfect atmosphere to end the evening, with conversation and music flowing late into the night.
Photos
View all the photos from the evening by clicking here or click the button below:
Thank You
The AREF Team would like to thank everyone who made the evening possible, and in particular our sponsor JTC for their generous support.
Sponsor:
JTC Group
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Charity Partner:
Looking Ahead
The Annual Dinner has always been a celebration of our community, achievements and collaboration. It was fitting that our final dinner brought together so many members to mark the occasion in style.
As AREF moves into its next chapter with the creation of Real Estate:UK in January 2026, we look forward to building on this legacy and continuing to serve our members with the same energy and commitment.
The AREF Team
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