In one day, hear from the key industry players on:  What went wrong? Is the worst over? What are the lessons learned? What's in store for 2009? With the volatility we've seen over the last month, can you afford not to attend?

The golden age of sustained growth and high returns came to an end last year for the UKs commercial property market as high oil prices, falling global equity, and the US sub-prime crisis began to take their toll. Long regarded as a resilient investment, commercial property has begun to look increasingly shaky, with UK prices falling 15-20 per cent from June 2007 to the end of January 2008, and investment appetite in office and retail shrinking. Meanwhile weaker employment growth in financial and business services do not bode well for rental income for commercial property in the immediate future.

Both investors and service providers have been busy shoring up their business and preparing themselves to weather a period of uncertainty. But what lessons have we really learned in the last 12 months and what strategy should investors and occupiers adopt going into 2009 and beyond? How long might the bad times last, or could the market correct itself quickly and push onwards? Is there enough liquidity? What factors, global and local, will decide the ultimate question: is now a good time to be investing in the UK? 

Confirmed Speakers

Martin Wolf CBE, Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator, Financial Times
Sir John Gieve, Deputy Governor, Financial Stability, Bank of England
Pierre Cailleteau, Managing Director, Global Sovereign and Supranational Chief International Economist
Michael Hume, Executive Director and Chief Economist, Europe, Lehman Brothers
Francis Salway, Chief Executive, Land Securities Group plc
Tim Wheeler, Chief Executive, Brixton
Patrick Burgess, Chairman, Liberty International plc
Liz Peace, CEO, British Property Federation
Mark Hanson, Chief Executive, Global Banking Corporation
Alessandro Bronda,  Head of Investment Strategy, Aberdeen Property Investors

Session 1: Bears vs Bulls: How Will the UK Economy Perform in 2009?

The period of sustained growth is over. High oil prices, poor global equity performance, and the US sub-prime crisis have shaken previously resilient commercial property markets, including the UK's. How will this affect price growth, interest rates and the cost of debt in 2009? Is this a short-term correction or a long-term shift in the global economy?

How do investors view the fundamentals of the UK commercial property market? Are there still good investments to be had in the UK, and if so, what vehicles will be yielding the best results through 2009?

Session 3: Occupiers in the Hot Seat -live interviews with FT Property Correspondent, Dan Thomas

Weak employment growth in financial and business services in London and the regions has damped demand for commercial. But how does our panel of occupiers and analysts view next 12 months?

How do the CEOs of the UK's leading property investment firms see the road ahead for 2009? Do they agree with the economic analysts? What smart innovative strategies will they be considering to shore up returns for 2009?