The Belfast Summit is now officially launched!
The January 2026 Summit brings together political, planning, infrastructure, policy and nighttime leaders from across the UK and Ireland together for the annual event where innovators, entrepreneurs, planners, policy-makers, community and cultural voices gather to imagine how we can make Belfast the best small city in Europe! Why attend?
Attending the Belfast Summit gives you a front-row seat to the most up-to-date ideas shaping urban life today. Whether you're in local government, business, culture, community, housing, or development, the Summit provides unique opportunities to learn, collaborate, and influence real change.
Delegates will gain new insights, hear practical examples from global leaders, and connect with partners who are driving regeneration on the island of Ireland and beyond. Join us to be part of the conversation - and part of Belfast’s next chapter.
DATE: THURSDAY 29TH JANUARY 2026
LOCATION: BELFAST HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS OFFICE
TIME: 9AM - 2:30PM
OUR 2026 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Introducing...
NICOLA STURGEON
FORMER FIRST MINISTER OF SCOTLAND
Scotland’s former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has faced some of the toughest challenges in government, navigating major policy challenges to deliver meaningful change on the ground. Having served as First Minister and SNP Leader for nine years, Nicola was named Scottish Politician of the Year four times, Spectator Politician of the Year in 2015, and featured on Forbes’ ‘World’s Most Powerful Women’ list in 2016.
At the Belfast Summit Nicola Sturgeon will outline how she overcame the challenge of delivery in government, both as Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing and First Minister for Scotland.
PROFESSOR SADIE MORGAN OBE
ARCHITECT & CO-FOUNDER, DRMM
Professor Sadie Morgan is an award-winning architect reshaping how cities are designed. Co-Founder of dRMM Architects, her work includes internationally recognised projects such as Maggie’s Oldham, Hastings Pier and Trafalgar Place - each demonstrating how thoughtful architecture can transform urban life.
She is Design Chair for High Speed 2 (HS2), member of the National Infrastructure Commission and was the youngest ever President of the Architectural Association in 2013.
In Belfast, Sadie Morgan will outline how design can transform every experience, from the morning commute to nighttime cultural life. She will share lessons from her own practice, as well as her work with HS2 and the National Infrastructure Commission.
WEI YANG OBE
URBAN PLANNER & FOUNDER OF WEI YANG & PARTNERS
Dr Wei Yang is an internationally renowned town planner and urban designers. As Founder and Chair of Wei Yang & Partners, and Co-Founder & CEO of Digital Task Force for Planning, Wei leads pioneering work in regeneration, planning and the whole-systems approach. She is a former President of the Royal Institute of Town Planning, Chair of the Construction Industry Council and trustee of the Landscape Institute.
In Belfast, Dr Yang will give a broad overview of planning and the future of our cities as smart, integrated and inclusive places where people will want to live, visit and work.
MICHAEL KILL
CEO, NIGHTTIME INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION
With decades of senior-level experience across venues, bars, festivals and live entertainment, Michael specialises in operations, licensing, marketing and advocacy for the nighttime economy. He has led industry-wide initiatives with government and law-enforcement stakeholders, promoting safety, sustainability and support for nightlife businesses, including during the pandemic.
Building on last year's Summit, where NYC's Night Czar joined us, this year Micheal will outline the night-time sectors strategic importance to hospitality, culture, tourism and city-centre regeneration.
At the Belfast Summit 2025, we welcomed some of the world’s leading experts across planning, housing, hospitality, retail, investment and more including Gavin White, Executive Member of Housing & Development at Manchester City Council, Catherine Gall, Executive Director at Chaire ETI, and Ariel Palitz, first and former Nighttime Mayor of New York. Listen to what our partners and speakers had to say.