Mrs. Ruth Duston

Ruth is one of the world's leading experts in urban regeneration. With a 30-year career that has included the development of many successful place-based organisations to drive growth. Ruth's work has leveraged over £80m of private sector funding, which has been the catalyst for generating more than £6bn of further investment. Ruth advises governments and developers internationally on the development of private sector-led partnerships, placemaking, local growth strategies, maximising socio-economic impact and successful neighbourhood improvements. Ruth has pioneered multiple high-profile BIDs and delivered numerous regeneration and placemaking projects for major landowners including Landsec, Argent Kings Cross, Cadogan, Peabody and various public and community sectors. In 2018 Ruth was awarded an OBE for Services to Business and in 2016, an OC, a Belgian honour, following her fundraising for the Flanders Field Memorial Garden to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.