Overview
Let’s advance your professional journey!
Join us to explore the unique educational and professional pathways available in Ireland.
You’ll learn directly from seasoned facilities management leaders, who will share their experiences and career advice, helping you to navigate your professional journey with a new confidence.
You’ll meet peers and industry experts, building a network that can support your career growth, and you’ll leave with new ideas, new contacts and (we hope) a clearer sense of direction. So whether you're a junior facilities manager or part of the wider workplace and facilities management (WFM) network, this promises to be a great opportunity for WFM candidates, teams and employers alike.
The event is hosted by The IWFM Ireland Committee, with support from LinkedIn.
Teas, coffees and pastries will be provided
Speakers
Gerry Kelly
Gerry Kelly, Programme Lead at Portobello Institute and a visionary in Facilities Management. With over 40 years’ experience across public and private sectors, including roles as CEO of a Semi-State body and advisor to government ministers. Gerry brings a wealth of knowledge in strategic leadership, CSR, emotional intelligence, and education. He has worked with Yale and Northwestern Universities, the International Management Institute in Geneva and leading multinationals in the US, Europe and Ireland to design over 100 transformative programmes targeted at influencing and improving the work opportunities and lives of people living in the Inner Cities of Belfast and Dublin. Now mentoring the next generation of FM leaders, Gerry bridges global experience with future-focused insight.
Katerina Kopecna MRICS, MSCSI
Katerina brings over 19 years of experience managing commercial properties across office, retail, and mixed-use sectors. She has led clients to achieve GRESB, BREEAM, LEED, WELL, and ISO 14001 certifications, while also driving improvements in biodiversity, air quality, and resource management.
Katerina holds a Diploma in Surveying Practice from Reading University, a First Class Honours BSc in Property Studies from DIT Bolton Street, and an MSc in Sustainable Development from UCD.
Stephen Lynch
Stephen Lynch is the Director of Workplace Operations & Services at LinkedIn, where he has been a driving force behind the company's evolving workplace experience since April 2013. Over more than a decade, Stephen has progressed through a range of leadership roles, helping to scale LinkedIn’s Dublin operations and build environments that support collaboration, well-being, and business performance.
In his current position, he leads a broad portfolio of services—from hard and soft services to events—with a focus on operational rigor and alignment with both local business needs and the global Workplace vision. Stephen is known for his stakeholder-first approach, strategic mindset, and commitment to fostering safe, inclusive, and high-performing workspaces that reflect LinkedIn’s dynamic culture.
Alex Magee
Mr Alex Magee has been a lecturer at ATU Sligo since 2020 he specialises in Facilities Management, Building Services and Construction. Alex has 29 years industry experience starting as an Architectural Technologist then changing direction to a Building services engineer and as a Principal Electrical designer for an M&E Consultancy. With changes to the private sector in 2007, he moved the Facilities sectors to be an Asset Manager for a large Social housing association and just prior to taking up the role as a lecturer he was the Maintenance and Facilities Manager with the education sector.
Alex is currently the Programme chair for a newly developed BSc (Hons) in facilities and Building services management. With very positive industry feedback on bridging the knowledge gap in industry.
He is also a Chartered Architectural Technologist with CIAT and Chartered Building services engineer with CIBSE.