Chair’s Foreword

Welcome to the 121^st CPA Annual Lunch and my first as the newly-elected Chair of the Association.

Our annual gathering in the historic surroundings of the Guildhall is a much-anticipated highlight in the property calendar. It is an opportunity to celebrate the City of London, its built environment, its culture and its continued success.

We have all clearly been busy. Around 500,000 sqm of new office space is under construction, with a further 500,000 sqm consented. Demand for the very best workplaces in well-connected locations continues, with Prime and Grade A office space accounting for nearly 70% of all lettings. At the same time, the City’s economy continues to outperform, generating £109 billion in economic output every year and supporting one in every 48 UK jobs.

I hope you enjoy today’s event and the opportunity to mark another successful year with colleagues, peers and guests. Please find out more about our work and membership programme in our Annual Report and 2026/27 Business Priorities.

I hope you enjoy good company and conversations at our lunch, and thank you for your continued support of the CPA.

Nikki Dibley
CPA Chair