Join us to celebrate two years of the IWFM Veterans in FM Network
An evening of conversation, community (and canapes!)
17:30 – 18:00 | Arrival & Welcome Reception
There’ll be canapes, a free welcome drink and a cash bar
-
Networking over refreshments
-
Reconnect with the community and meet new faces from across the FM industry
18:00 – 18:10 | IWFM Veterans in FM Network – Welcome & two-year progress update
Louisa Clarke, Chair, IWFM Veterans in FM Network
-
Key milestones and impact since launch
-
Opportunities to get involved and support the network
-
What’s next!
18:10 – 18:20 | Sponsor address – ISS
Martin Burholt, COO UK&I, sharing ISS's perspective on supporting the armed forces community and why this agenda matters to industry.
18:20 – 18:40 | JointForces@ISS: Lived experience & employer insight
-
A JointForces@ISS graduate sharing their transition journey into FM
-
A reservist from within the ISS business sharing their experience of balancing military service with a civilian career
18:40 – 18:50 | Comfort break
18:50 – 19:05 | Keynote speaker – Seumas Kerr CBE
From Fallback to First Choice: Raising the profile of facilities management as a career destination for the military community
-
FM has long been a sector that ex-military personnel fall into rather than actively choose - the ambition is to change that narrative
-
Positioning FM as a genuine career destination for the military community
-
The employer angle: how the FM sector can better support its people to engage with the Reserves and the Cadet Force as volunteers
19:05 – 19:20 | Keynote speaker – Simon Edwards CB FCIPD
Infrastructure, People and Performance: The role of facilities in military morale, retention and attraction
-
Facilities and infrastructure are not a back-office consideration but a direct contributor to the morale, retention and attraction of military personnel
-
Simon will address the live state, speak to what good looks like, and where the gaps remain
19:20 – 19:30 | Charity Partner – Scotty’s
An opportunity to introduce Scotty’s, the military bereavement charity - a charity partner aligned to the network's mission.
19:30 onwards | Informal networking & drinks
Continue the conversation, build connections, explore opportunities, and strengthen the growing Veterans in FM community.
-
Bar and venue open until 23:00
Speakers
Louisa Clarke
Louisa, a distinguished leader with a remarkable career spanning both military and civilian sectors, brings a decade of dedicated service in the Royal Air Force and over seventeen years as a Managing Director in Facilities Management (FM). She now serves as an Executive and Leadership Coach.
Her remarkable achievements include being honoured as the Ex-Forces Business Leader of the Year and recognised as one of the Top 50 Workplace Leaders. Notably, she was a finalist in the English Veteran Awards, Role Model of the Year category, further underlining her unwavering commitment to veterans' causes.
Louisa proudly serves as a valuable member of the prestigious Veterans Advisory Board to the Government, where she actively shapes policies and initiatives that support veterans. Her commitment to making a positive impact extends beyond her professional life, evident in her volunteer work as an Ambassador and Non-Executive Director (NED).
Simon Edwards, CB FCIPD
Seumas Kerr, CBE
A dynamic and experienced versatile senior director, recognised at Board level as a strategic thinker, who quickly gets to the heart of an issue and delivers results. A Facilities Management Specialist with proven ability in all aspects of Human Resources, Estate Management, Training, Project and Change Management, in a high pressure and results orientated environment.