005 - The business case for people-first placemaking - with Frances Heeney

In this episode of Talking Place, host Tanisha Raffiuddin sits down with Frances Heeney, Director of Product Development at Principal Asset Management, to explore how finance, sustainability, and placemaking intersect to shape the future of our communities.

With a global career spanning EMEA, the Americas, and APAC, Frances brings a wealth of experience in business development, client relations, and real estate assets. She shares her journey through the world of asset management and capital raising, offering perspective on how places can be treated not just as physical spaces, but as long-term investments in collective wellbeing.

Frances speaks candidly about aligning financial tools with community needs, the power of urban planning, and the potential for finance to drive meaningful, sustainable impact. While her views are her own and not on behalf of Principal Asset Management, her insights reflect the kind of forward-thinking leadership needed in today’s evolving financial and urban landscapes.

She also guides us through the shifting approach of investors in the realm of real estate, how data centres are the new lucrative ventures.

Whether you’re working in finance, policy, urban design, or are simply curious about how money moves through the places we live, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in building better futures through smarter, more inclusive investment strategies.

Join us as we ‘talk place’.