Stellar speakers deliver stimulating industry debates at Facilities Management 2017 

A top line-up of leading international speakers and businesses debated, inspired and shared knowledge with over 400 delegates on how FM can move from a cost centre to a business enabler at Facilities Management 2017.

Under the theme FM: the Business Enabler, two theatres showcased CPD accredited content over three days to challenge the way visitors think, change the way they operate, and collaborate with partners to innovate.

Helping FMs to understand the psychology behind overcoming challenges, renowned polar explorer and award-winning documentary maker, Mark Wood, shared his experiences gained across 30 major expeditions including leading the BBC Top gear team to the Magnetic North Pole.

A number of established industry speakers, including Anne Lennox-Martin, managing director FMP360, Preston Gan, head of quality and performance for facilities and estates NHS Grampian and Ian Ellison of 3edges gave informative keynote talks.

Liz Kentish of Kentish and Co, Bertie Van Wyk, workplace specialist at Herman Miller, Deane Somerville, Energy Institute and Advent IM’s Mike Gillespie also educated delegates with their keynote talks. The topics for discussion ranged from social ergonomics in workplace design, to behavioural change and the impact on FM, and how collaboration brings value by aligning FM services to an organisation’s strategic goals.

Industry experts took to seminar panels and debated a variety of topics including, whether FM should be sector rather than service line based; the blueprint of future FM business models; who are FM’s natural business partners in an organisation?; what are FM’s values?; what makes a good FM and how should we train the next generation of facilities professionals?

Clive Booth, head of operations, University of Birmingham said: “I have come away from Anne Lennox-Martin’s talk highly inspired and keen to implement some changes to how we approach tasks as a team. I will be keeping a lookout for the show’s 2018 programme and hopefully attending.”

Tim Else, event director commented: “The content at this year’s show delivered what it set out to – deepen visitors’ understanding on strategic, operational and economic need to support the wider business objectives. The feedback we’ve had from delegates has been overwhelming and we can’t wait to deliver even more next April at Facilities Management 2018.”

Facilities Management 2017, the annual exhibition taking place at the NEC, is the must attend event for all facilities professionals. The show hosts more than 200 exhibitors and 5,000 visitors, including senior decision makers and purchase influencers from across the UK’s industrial, commercial and public sectors.

The event also facilitates 15 hours of free educational content delivered by over 35 leading industry experts. The two theatres offer a compelling range of keynote presentations and panel debates that provide delegates with the chance to exceed their CPD requirements.

Western Business Exhibitions has a proven track record for delivering events which consistently meet and exceed the needs of influential visitors. The team responsible for Facilities Management 2017 will also be organising the co-located shows The Health & Safety Event, The Fire Safety Event, and Maintec.

Facilities Scotland 2017, the annual exhibition takes place at the SECC, Glasgow, between 3-4 May and expects 4500 visitors across the two days.