Overview
Join us for an inspiring evening as we announce and celebrate the 2025 Deborah Rowland Scholarship Awards, in collaboration with the IWFM Foundation and IWFM Risings FMs.
This special event showcases real social mobility in action – supporting individuals who have overcome barriers to access IWFM qualifications and grow their careers in workplace and facilities management.
You’ll hear from industry leaders, meet this year’s scholarship winners, and enjoy an evening of networking, drinks, and canapés in a vibrant setting.
Evening highlights include:
- Welcome from Jean Renton, COO, Sodexo
- Reflections from Linda Hausmanis, IWFM CEO and Elliot Valentine, IWFM Rising FMs Network Chair
- Scholarship insights from Deborah Rowland, Director of Public Affairs, Sodexo
- Announcement of the 2025 scholarship winners presented by past winners TJ Robinson and Paige Watts
- Closing remarks from Lucy Jeynes, Chair of Judges, Larch Consulting
- Networking, press interviews, and a showcase of Sodexo’s food and workplace environment
Agenda
17:30 – Arrival and welcome drink (10 mins)
Guests arrive and enjoy a welcome drink while networking.
17:40 – Speeches and presentations (60 mins)
- Welcome address
Jean Renton, Chief Operating Officer, Sodexo (5 mins) - IWFM and Risings reflections
Linda Hausmanis, CEO, IWFM
Elliot Valentine, Chair, IWFM Rising FMs Network (10 mins) - Scholarship overview and acknowledgements
Deborah Rowland, Director of Public Affairs, Sodexo (10 mins)
Award segment
- Summary of 2025 awards and video presentation featuring TJ & Paige (2024 winners) (10 mins)
- IWFM scholarship winners announced
- Xenon scholarship winners announced
- Runners-Up announced
Closing remarks
Lucy Jeynes, Chair of Judges, Larch Consulting – How to support the scholarship going forward (10 mins)
18:40 – Networking reception (50 mins)
Drinks, canapés, press interviews, and a showcase of Sodexo’s food and workplace environment.
This is more than an awards night – it’s a celebration of potential, progress, and partnership.
Spaces are limited, and we expect high interest – please book early to secure your place.
Speakers
Linda Hausmanis
Becoming CEO in late 2016, Linda embarked on a programme to develop the Institute into a modern professional body and re-position workplace and facilities management as a value-creating profession. She joined the predecessor British Institute of Facilities Management in April 2007 where her education strategy enabled the Institute to become a regulated Awarding Organisation. Working with the sector, she subsequently led the Institute’s work to develop professional vocational qualifications in facilities management, which are now accredited and delivered internationally. She spearheaded the development of Professional Standards for facilities management which are now embedded by employers in the recruitment, development and management of professionals in the UK and beyond. IWFM provides value to a membership community of thousands and to the sector more widely. Its vision is to be the trusted voice of a distinct profession recognised, beyond the built environment, for its ability to enable people to transform organisations and their performance.
Lucy Jeynes
Lucy is one of the founding directors of Larch Consulting and is the Managing Director of the company. She has over 25 years’ experience in advising organisations on all aspects of FM strategy and delivery and is considered one of the UK’s experts in the field. She has led FM review and implementation programmes for a wide range of well-known organisations from sectors including retail, leisure, finance, science, universities, local authorities, government departments and charities. She was part of the team that developed the Workplace Management Framework.
Jean Renton
Deborah Rowland
Deborah is a strategic and operationally experienced property and FM professional with over 20 years practice in private and public sectors, as a client, consultant and supplier. An industry thought leader demonstrating best practice in workplace management, joining up property/FM/construction/HR/IT and raising the bar in FM professionalisation.
Elliot Valentine
Coming soon