Jeddah summit to explore new trends in facilities management industries

JEDDAH: Leaders of the facilities management industry (FM) will meet at an international level summit in Jeddah on Sunday to discuss FM solutions and new trends in the cleaning, and waste management industries.
The Facilities Management Leaders’ Summit will take place at the Jeddah Center for Forum and Events in parallel with the FM Expo Saudi and Saudi Clean Expo from Jan. 15 to 17.
The FM service industry, which is concerned with the operation and maintenance of buildings and properties, is witnessing a fast growth in Saudi Arabia.
The event will address this evolvement by highlighting major infrastructure projects, higher rates of outsourcing as well as regulatory plans.
“This summit is an essential step in the progress and development of the FM industry in Saudi Arabia,” Mohammad Tassi, who will be giving a talk on Green FM, told Arab News.
“Conferences and educational summits are cornerstones as they provide vital knowledge, exposure to various specialties in the field, which is still evolving, and give the chance for people working in the industry to exchange ideas and expertise.”
The summit will discuss the business opportunities for the FM sector in Saudi Arabia. It aims to outline the potential impact on the facilities management and asset management sectors in line with the 2030 Vision, and will also focus on raising the awareness on green environment friendly FM.
“There is a huge potential in Saudi Arabia,” added Tassi, who is the director of facilities, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) based in Riyadh.
“The FM industry is still evolving and the green FM is in its early stages. I can already see many green FM projects running in places like King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Saudi Aramco. But at the same time you find other places where you feel that green FM implementation is missing. The industry is still growing.”
He said that training and education in this area is crucial as well as the change of human behavior.
“We need to think about FM in a comprehensive manner and as a science rather than just a maintenance practice. Once we change the perception about FM, we can start moving forward in the knowledge, expertise and the implementation,” he told Arab News.
The opening remarks will be chaired by Lionel Prodgers, managing director of Agents4RM.
Other speakers include Richard Naylor, CEO of DTZ, Alistair Stranack, partner at Credo Business Consulting, Saleh Al-Rajhi, general manager of Advance Facilities Management, and Barry Clarke, general manager of Qatar and Saudi Arabia Mace Marco.