In the latest episode of Concilio’s Better Places Podcast, Account Director Siddo Dwyer is joined by Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director of Portland Design and one of the UK’s leading voices on human-centred placeshaping and future-ready retail. Together, they unpack the big ideas shaping how we design, experience, and connect with the spaces around us.

Ibrahim’s unique journey blends technical rigour and creative vision, with a background in mechanical and aeronautical engineering, industrial design, and innovation from institutions including Kingston Polytechnic, the Royal College of Art, and Imperial College London. Over the past three decades, he has led Portland’s transformation from a traditional retail design agency to a global consultancy delivering projects that range from community-led neighbourhoods in Elephant & Castle, to reimagined passenger experiences in airports worldwide.

In this episode, Ibrahim shares insights from his book Future-Ready Retail and his upcoming work on community-led placemaking, exploring why the most successful places are measured not just in footfall, but in connection, experience, and a sense of belonging. The discussion dives into how rapid change is rewriting the rules of placemaking, what it takes to create places people truly love, and the power of design to foster thriving communities.

For anyone interested in the future of retail, shaping places, and the intersection of design, business, and community, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.