We are delighted to welcome Gidon Freeman, Senior Vice-President and Managing Director of UDX Development Company Ltd, as our guest speaker at this Formal Dinner.
Universal's new UK Resort, taking shape at Kempston Hardwick near Bedford, is one of the largest single investments in our region's history. Backed by Comcast NBCUniversal, the project is expected to generate close to £50 billion in economic benefit nationally, create up to 20,000 jobs during construction, and create 8,000 direct permanent roles once operational — with around 80% of that workforce expected to come from Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.
For our local business community, that scale of investment means a once-in-a-generation opportunity: new supply chains, hospitality and retail demand, infrastructure upgrades along the A421 corridor, and a magnet for further investment across the wider region for decades to come.
Gidon leads the UK team, working closely with national and local government, councils across the region — including Milton Keynes City Council — and community stakeholders as the resort moves from planning to delivery. He will share first-hand insight into the scale of the project, its progress to date, and what it could mean for organisations like yours as it develops.
This is a rare chance to hear directly from someone at the heart of one of the most significant developments our region has seen — and to understand how MKBLP members can be part of its story.
