Scotland’s Towns Conference 2025: Investment and Innovation: Delivering for Scotland’s Economy

As Glasgow marks its 850th year, Scotland’s Towns Conference 2025 brings together leaders, practitioners, and communities to explore how investment and innovation can deliver sustainable economic growth for towns and cities across the country.

Join us to discuss, learn, and connect at STC25: "Investment and Innovation: Delivering for Scotland’s Economy." This year's conference, held on 27th November at the Technology and Innovation Centre (University of Strathclyde), will explore how towns and cities can build resilient, inclusive, and liveable places that power Scotland’s economy for the next generation.

The conference will feature:

• Exhibition and BIDs Pavilion showcasing solutions and opportunities for towns and city centres.

• The launch and live demonstration of the next Understanding Scottish Places (USP.scot), Scotland’s pioneering place-based data tool.

• Walking tours of Glasgow to see culture, heritage, and regeneration in action 

• Panel discussions and workshops on reimagining regeneration, creative collaboration, resilient neighbourhoods, sustainable finance models, and future-proofing places.

• Plenaries and international perspectives on placemaking, real investment in practice, and delivering for future generations.

STC25 Partners 

For more information about becoming a partner for Scotland’s Towns Conference - or to learn more about the exhibition, sponsorship and advertising opportunities available - please email rebecca@scotlandstowns.org.

Programme*

*subject to change

08:30 – 09:20 | Registration & Networking Breakfast

Morning Session – Setting the Scene

09:30 – 09:35 Conference Host, Rona Dougall, Broadcast journalist & television presenter

09:35 – 09:45 Welcome to Glasgow & Conference Opening
Cllr Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council - Framing the day through Investment & Innovation.

09:45 – 09:55 | Ministerial Address
Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Business and Employment - Delivering economic growth, regeneration and prosperity across Scotland’s towns and cities.

09:55 – 10:40 | Panel Discussion | Empowering Investment through Collaboration
Exploring new models for investment, partnerships and national-local frameworks to deliver inclusive economic growth.
Susan Campbell, Director – Market Creation (Place), Scottish National Investment Bank, Lisa Gledhill, Managing Director of National Partnerships, Muse, Jonathan Guthrie, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Robertson Group and Chair of Scottish Property Federation, Kevin Rush, Director of Regional Economic Growth, Glasgow City Region

10:40 – 11:00 | Audience Q&A + Framing the Workshops

11:00 – 11:30 | Refreshment Break

Midday Workshops (Round 1)

11:40 – 12:45

Delegates choose from four concurrent themed workshops. These are repeated at 14:10 - 15:15.

1. Town & City Centre Regeneration - Reimagined

• Chair: Mhairi Donaghy, STP Deputy Chair & Associate Director, Scottish Futures Trust (Place, Housing and Economic Investment)
• Ewan Curtis, Group Manager Neighbourhoods Planning & Building Control, Glasgow City Council – Glasgow city and neighbourhoods showcase featuring Shawlands, Govan, Barras, Merchant City
• Claire English, Senior Project Manager, Cultural Quarter, Moray Growth Deal - culture and park development - a collaborative venture with Page\Park
• Alasdair Morrison, Head of Economy and Development, Renfrewshire Council - Paisley

2. Creative Collaboration & Finance Models for Regeneration

• Chair: Alison Turnbull, STP Board Member & Director, External Relations & Partnerships, Historic Environment Scotland
• Susan O’Connor, Head of Grants, Historic Environment Scotland - funding collaborations and impact investment
• Carolyn Powell, Joint General Manager, Huntly Development Trust - Number 30 Huntly, a unique space made possible through creative funding and partnerships across national and local government, trusts, and community benefit
• Jan Pringle, Enterprising Communities Manager and Sharon Ogilvie, Enterprising Communities Manager, South of Scotland Enterprise - supporting the development and renewal of towns across the Borderlands region

3. Resilient & Liveable Neighbourhoods

Chair: Adrian Watson, STP Board Member & CEO, Aberdeen Inspired

• Ross Grant, Project Manager, Aberdeen Inspired - changing the narrative in housing-led regeneration 
• Hugh Mulgrew, Entrepreneur & Property Developer - Corespace Kilmarnock: Driving Innovation, Investment & Town Centre Renewal
• Transforming Communities Glasgow featuring, Owain Roberts, Head of Regeneration and Strategy, Wheatley Group, Robert McKinnon, Senior Land & Partnership Manager, Keepmoat, Jennifer Sheddan, Head of Housing, Glasgow City Council - regenerating Glasgow's Transformational Regeneration Areas (TRAs)

4. Future-Proofing Sustainable Places

Workshop supported by Miconex

• Co-Chair: Marcus Chidgey, STP Board Member & CEO, Loqiva
• Co-Chair: David O’Neil, Chief Customer Officer, Miconex
• Richard Jennings, SSEN - Net Zero and climate resilience - decarbonising homes, transport, and energy to build a sustainable future.
• Neil McInroy, Chair, EDAS and Global Lead for Community Wealth Building, The Democracy Collaborative, & Jane Beasley, Director of Circular Economy Delivery, Zero Waste Scotland - Community Wealth Building and the Circular Economy: futureproofing places through local investment, shared prosperity, and resource circulation.
• Fergus Murray, Head of Development & Economic Growth, Argyll & Bute Council - Placemaking and Community Wellbeing - The Helensburgh Story. Creating a vibrant 20-minute neighbourhood by supporting local business and cultural assets.

12:45 – 14:00 | Lunch, Exhibition & Interactive Sessions

Midday Workshops (Round 2)

14:10 – 15:15 Repeat of four workshop streams

Afternoon Plenary and Call to Action

15:30 – 16:00 | Fireside Chat with Rona Dougall - Placemaking for Future Generations: What Does Real Investment Look Like in Practice?
Martin McKay, Chief Executive, Clyde Gateway, Kate Musgrave, Head of Enterprising Communities, South of Scotland Enterprise, Alan Paul,Head of Property Services Fife Council and Jenny Urquhart, Vice Chair of Johnstons of Elgin and Chair, Elgin Town Board.

16:00 – 16:30 | International Keynote & Audience Discussion – Copenhagen: A Liveable and Sustainable Comeback City.

Monica Magnussen, Head of International Affairs – Department of Climate and Urban Development, City of Copenhagen

16:30 – 16:35 | Future thoughts for delivering for Scotland’s Economy

Closing remarks from Rona Dougall.

16:35 – 17:30 | Drinks Reception featuring jazz musicians from Glasgow’s Royal Conservative of Scotland

Privacy

To support networking and help you get the most out of our event, we will provide those coming with a list of the names and organisational affiliation of those attending.

Furthermore, we typically take photographs of proceedings in order to highlight or showcase STP’s activities.

Please let us know if you do not wish to provide consent for the use of your personal data in this way. To see how we use and take care of your information, please see our privacy notice.