The UK’s largest event for the built environment, UK Construction Week (UKCW) Birmingham, made a welcome return to the NEC last week, with visitor numbers up 19% from last year. The show drew over 23,900 visitors from as far afield as Turkey, Brazil, Australia and Canada, and included a host
The hub for sustainable design and building materials EDGE has announced its 1st year anniversary, which will be celebrated with a short talks programme and cocktail reception in collaboration with Futurebuild. The evening will feature a number of practitioners providing insight into why they have put sustainability and regenerative thinking
An industrywide survey has revealed low carbon composition and greater sustainability were the key factors for customers when specifying building products. The poll, which garnered responses from nearly 400 representatives from across the construction sector, was created to coincide with the launch of Futurebuild 2023. The responses were
James Latham, distributor of timber, panels and decorative surfaces (stand D55), today unveils its Futurebuild (March 1-3, Excel) activity which will showcase a suite of timber-based, sustainable construction and interiors options. James Latham’s stand will be subject to a “take-over” from Kiss House, the innovative homes company, and Passivhaus offsite-manufacturer.
Following the last highly successful collaboration, sustainable built environment event Futurebuild has once again enlisted the support of offsite construction experts from Cogent Consulting and Explore Offsite. The companies will collaborate to ensure the most innovative and advanced offsite systems and solutions are on show at the 2022 event. Taking
Gira, global leader and supplier of intelligent system solutions for building management, is proud to be a headline sponsor and exhibitor at London Build 2021, as the sector prepares for a record-breaking 2022. London Build Expo, the largest and most prestigious built-environment design trade show for London and the South
London Build has been celebrating women within the construction industry since 2015, hosting an annual Women in Construction networking attended by over 1,200 women working across all sectors – making it the UK’s largest meeting of Women in Construction. This free-to-attend session gives professionals the opportunity to learn from a
This November will see London Build once again take over the Olympia London, bringing together over 25,000 construction professionals across two days for the largest built environment show for London. This incredible event will also host the largest ever meeting of women in construction in the UK; the launch of
A new publication focussing on collaboration in the design of innovative timber buildings is to be launched at Futurebuild this March. ‘Timber Design Pioneers’ is published by TRADA (Timber Research and Development Association) and supported by the timber industry’s campaign, Wood for Good. The launch will take place on Wood
Cloud Expo Europe and Data Centre World 2016, hosted at ExCel London 12-13 April, were back in full force yesterday to open Day One with over 15,000 visitors and huge support from a world-class speaker line-up and exhibitor community. Joining the co-located events for 2016, Cloud Security
The UK’s largest event for the built environment, UK Construction Week (UKCW) Birmingham, made a welcome return to the NEC last week, with visitor numbers up 19% from last year. The show drew over 23,900 visitors from as far afield as Turkey, Brazil, Australia and Canada, and included a host of high-profile names including West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, Channel 4 presenter George Clarke, and BBC journalist and presenter Simon Jack. UKCW Birmingham celebrated culture change in construction with three days of debate and discussion from top speakers across seven stages, with issues covered including Net Zero, sustainability, offsite manufacturing, mental health, and improving diversity and inclusion. Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street took time from his busy schedule to visit the show, where he was a keynote speaker on the Main Stage, facing a Question Time from an audience of industry professionals. Andy Howe, founder and managing director of CareersForce, was named UKCW Role Model 2022; CareersForce helps UK key workers such as those from the armed forces, police and NHS to forge a new career in a range of new sectors including construction. The winning exhibitors of this year’s Stand Awards included: Rolec (best 50m+ space stand), Harwoods (best space under 50m), Restec (best shell scheme), Tough CAD (best use of marketing), Zero Hub (most interactive) and Celsa (for innovation). Nathan Garnett, UKCW event director, commented after the show: “There is so much happening in the construction industry right now that has put UK Construction Week into a unique position, whereby it can inform and educate the sector as it moves forward. There is a real sense of momentum now as we plan the next one, especially on meeting our next zero targets and creating long lasting culture change. A record number of companies have signed up for 2023 so we look forward to really growing the UKs largest trade show for construction” Chloe Donovan, Chief Exec of Natural Building Systems, said: “We’ve had an amazing time – met everyone from potential suppliers, industrial partners, contractors and investors; I can’t recommend it highly enough.” Gary Scott, managing director at Hanson Plywood, commented: “We were at UKCW Birmingham because it’s the hub of the UK construction industry. We get a lot out of it; we don’t do many shows, but UKCW Birmingham does work.” With over 6,000 products on display from over 300 exciting exhibitors including Bosch, Schneider Electric, Google, Graco Distribution, Wavin, Hanson Plywood and many more, the multi award-winning show attracted an abundance of overseas exhibitors from as far afield as Australia, India, Norway, Turkey and the UAE. Dates for next year’s two shows have already been announced: UKCW London will take place from 2-4 May 2023 at ExCeL; UKCW Birmingham will run from 3-5 October 2023 at the NEC.
The hub for sustainable design and building materials EDGE has announced its 1st year anniversary, which will be celebrated with a short talks programme and cocktail reception in collaboration with Futurebuild. The evening will feature a number of practitioners providing insight into why they have put sustainability and regenerative thinking at the heart of their professional lives. The short talks programme, delivered in the PechaKucha storytelling format, will include presentations, such as A legacy Reborn: 242 Marylebone Road project by Phillip Turner; Biophilic Design: Inspiring Happier, Healthier and More Productive Places to Live and Work by Kenneth Freeman; and Getting it right from Business /ESG for the future workplace by Ana Rita Barrera Martins. “It has been a tremendous year for EDGE in which we have grown from a handful of initial partners to over 60 brands with a rapidly expanding network of specifiers, sustainability enthusiasts and industry partners. The staging of events allowing for networking, discussions, and solutions for turnkey project solutions has been instrumental to our success and we look forward to the many projects the brands have been specified for coming to fruition,” commented Robynne Hammer, COO at EDGE. “Following the recent announcement setting out economic growth through investment in green energy and technology projects, we anticipate that there will also be more green schemes available supporting further sustainable build and design – EDGE being the perfect place to find solutions.” EDGE, an acronym for Eco Design Green Environment, was created in response to the tremendous impact the construction industry has on the environment, both in the building of structures and in their lifelong footprint. Its mission is to create a space, both on the high street and online, to connect sustainably-conscious material suppliers and specifiers while welcoming the general public and anyone dedicated to building and designing with the environment in mind. EDGE brings together many innovative, sustainable brands such as paint, heat recovery, wall finishes, flooring, carbon-neutral furniture and much more, all into one place where people can be given a clear vision of what the future of living and working environments looks like. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
An industrywide survey has revealed low carbon composition and greater sustainability were the key factors for customers when specifying building products. The poll, which garnered responses from nearly 400 representatives from across the construction sector, was created to coincide with the launch of Futurebuild 2023. The responses were among discussion points at an exclusive industry event, ‘Role of Specification in Meeting Net Zero’, which was held at the EDGE Showroom in London to promote next year’s Futurebuild – the premier showcase for product innovation in the construction industry. Designed to gain insights into people’s appetite for innovation in the building sector, the survey showed most respondents (61.5%) believed ‘resistance to switch from traditional technologies,’ was the main barrier to developing smarter, cleaner working practices. Martin Hurn, Futurebuild’s Event Director and host of the launch event that included presentations from a panel of building industry experts, said: “From my point of view, the take away from this fantastic event was the need for the building supply chain to come together and take a stand for a better built environment. The time for road maps is over. We need to take action now to really drive the built environment towards the government’s net zero goal.” Speakers at the Futurebuild launch event included Dr Gavin Dunn, CABE CEO and chair for Future Homes Standards; Dr Oliver Jones, Research Director, Ryder Architecture; Chaline Church, Founding Partner for 540 World; and Duncan Baker-Brown, Director at Baker-Brown Studio. The expert panel fielded questions from a host of specially-invited attendees from across the building sector. The findings from Futurebuild’s innovation survey proved a key discussion point, along with issues such as the Future Homes Standard, building material reuse and the circular economy.Poll respondents included input from senior architects, local government employees, housebuilders, manufacturers and contractors. Other results revealed most respondents (60%) were actively sourcing new innovations in renewables such as solar PV panels, heat pumps and biomass heating systems, as a way of achieving greater sustainability. In terms of developing clean technologies, 67% of respondents felt that government support was necessary to the process. By way of a conclusion to the panel’s discussion, it was agreed that better engagement between manufacturers, architects and specifiers was key to innovating products that led to a more sustainable built environment. “We’re all on a journey to achieving the government’s net zero goal by 2050,” Martin Hurn continued. “I believe forums, such as the one we provided for industry delegates are a vital part of that journey. The solutions exist within the supply chain to create a better built environment. It’s now about giving those innovative brands the platform to really showcase their products, solutions and innovations. Futurebuild 2023 will be that platform.” To download Futurebuild’s ‘Barriers of Specifying Innovation’ survey and view the full results, click here
James Latham, distributor of timber, panels and decorative surfaces (stand D55), today unveils its Futurebuild (March 1-3, Excel) activity which will showcase a suite of timber-based, sustainable construction and interiors options. James Latham’s stand will be subject to a “take-over” from Kiss House, the innovative homes company, and Passivhaus offsite-manufacturer. Central to the experience will be two 3 x 3 x 3 m sections from the Kiss House residential construction system which visitors can explore in their own time, and that will double as a seminar space. Bespoke tours will be available of this innovative and sustainable building system which has the potential to improve the quality and performance of residential housing. Experts will be on hand to outline the latest sustainable developments in timber and surfacing. The panel of specialists will include manufacturers Accsys Technologies and WISA along with Kiss House designers. In addition, the James Latham team will be on hand to showcase its innovative carbon impact calculator. Both carbon footprint and biogenic carbon content are now shown on key James Latham documentation such as quotations, delivery notes and invoices, meaning users can fully understand the carbon impact of the products they choose. The distributor will also be celebrating some of the most exciting, sustainable surfacing and timber options on the market, including: Accoya – a FSC modified timber, developed by Accsys Technologies, with properties that match those of the best tropical hardwoods Finish Line Cladding Collection – a Latham’s exclusive with 12 unique colour options including the highly contemporary Slate Grey, Apricot and Charcoal finishes WISA Birch Premium Plywood – made from Finnish Birch this offers a beautiful light look with good strength properties, it’s a good base for lacquering, varnishing and staining Garnica Ultralight Poplar Plywood – an ultralight sandwich panel with XPS core, made from 100% European poplar from sustainable plantations. Its light-coloured faces and premium quality internal sheets make it ideal for painting and laminating/film coating. Garnica Duraply Poplar Plywood Panels – these offer exceptional durability due to an innovative ply-to-ply treatment which delivers fungi and insect resistance even under the most adverse weather conditions. The panel’s core and faces are made from sustainable European poplar. This is a Marine Plywood alternative with a great environmental story Valchromat MDF panels – engineered coloured wood, a wood fibre panel which is coloured throughout and offers high physical performance. The fibres are individually impregnated with organic dyes and chemically bonded by specifically developed resins. Commenting on James Latham’s Futurebuild experience, Stuart Devoil, Group Head of Marketing, says “The climate crisis is the biggest challenge facing us, and so we’re using Futurebuild to focus on three key things. Firstly, sustainable innovation, with Kiss House bringing to life just what is possible to achieve on the low carbon front using timber to create wonderful homes. Secondly, we’re celebrating the very real materials innovation that is afoot within timber and surfacing. Lastly, to build more sustainably, data is absolutely fundamental and so we’re using Futurebuild as a way to introduce our carbon calculator to visitors.” He added, “We wanted to collaborate with Kiss House as its broadly wood-based solution uses several grades of timber to produce high-quality, very-low embodied carbon homes. This perfectly illustrates how important timber will be in ensuring a sustainable built-environment, along with how this most traditional of materials is increasingly being used as a lynchpin element to very real innovation.” You can find James Latham at stand D55. The distributor is also part of the Futurebuild Innovation trail which consists of 14 specially selected, future-focused exhibitors.
Following the last highly successful collaboration, sustainable built environment event Futurebuild has once again enlisted the support of offsite construction experts from Cogent Consulting and Explore Offsite. The companies will collaborate to ensure the most innovative and advanced offsite systems and solutions are on show at the 2022 event. Taking place at ExCeL London from March 1 – 3, Futurebuild is the sustainable built environment event that will bring together those who are driving transformational change in the offsite arena by taking factory manufacture and prefabrication to the next level. As the construction industry looks to eliminate emissions, precision factory-controlled methods, products and systems are creating some of the most efficient and sustainable developments in the UK today. Offsite manufacturing removes much of the building process from the construction site, leading to efficiency, productivity and environmental benefits. As publishers of Offsite Magazine and Offsite Hub and organisers of Offsite Expo and Offsite Awards — the Explore Offsite team will partner with Futurebuild to give visitors a comprehensive and contemporary perspective of this rapidly evolving sector. The event will play host to the leading UK and international offsite manufacturers and component suppliers showcasing a broad spectrum of panelised, volumetric modular, pod and prefabricated MEP solutions. Futurebuild 2022’s accompanying world-class knowledge programme will also feature thought leaders from all aspects of the offsite arena. Leading partners including AIMCH, BRE, MPA British Precast, MPBA and LSFA will present sessions that will cover best practice and explore the use of offsite technology to effectively construct a better and more sustainable environment. “Futurebuild champions a sustainable built environment by cultivating cross sector collaboration and working with experts in their field, such as Cogent Consulting and Explore Offsite,” explained Martin Hurn event director at Futurebuild. “Offsite construction will be a key player in reducing emissions, delivering more sustainable structures and helping us to reach net zero goals. This partnership will enable us to accelerate change, giving visitors the opportunity to interact with these game-changing technologies and processes.” “Partnering with Futurebuild enables us to increase the built environment sector’s understanding of the benefits of offsite construction,” explained Darren Richards, managing director of Cogent Consulting. “Offsite manufacturing a build reduces time on site, waste, transportation and energy usage, making offsite the most sustainable way to build. We’re excited to showcase the latest developments in offsite technology at Futurebuild to accelerate our industry’s journey to net zero.” Taking place from March 1 – 3 2022, Futurebuild will connect specifiers, decision makers and disruptors with major brands and start-ups, attracting over 20,000 senior professionals from across the built environment. As the home of innovation, the event is the perfect opportunity for the industry to meet and collaborate, to achieve the transformational change needed if the built environment is going to reach net zero. To discover more about the offsite section in partnership with Cogent Consulting and Explore Offsite, visit www.futurebuild.co.uk/offsite/. Register for Futurebuild 2022 here.
Gira, global leader and supplier of intelligent system solutions for building management, is proud to be a headline sponsor and exhibitor at London Build 2021, as the sector prepares for a record-breaking 2022. London Build Expo, the largest and most prestigious built-environment design trade show for London and the South East, will extend a warm welcome to the construction industry on 17th to 18th November 2021 at the Olympia Exhibition Centre, London. The show will debut in the grand hall of London Olympia and for the third time, Gira will be the exclusive host of the VIP Lounge, on the same floor. The Gira Stand and VIP area are adjacent to each other, to ensure networking and product tours can work seamlessly hand in hand. The VIP area spans an impressive 67.5 m2, providing visitors with a dedicated lounge and seating areas to relax, network, enjoy a coffee from the coffee bar and even work remotely! Additionally, show-goers can head towards Stand H26, where Gira will be ready to serve your digital needs and reveal the many features and benefits of intelligent build design and management. Providing a compelling intersection where intelligent technology meets breath-taking design, Gira will share its innovative and market-leading products to all of the leading architects, luxury specifiers, property developers, suppliers, construction professionals and system integrators in attendance. The generous 24 m2 Stand will allow the company to demonstrate its latest brand innovations and company ethos by displaying a range of exclusive products and intelligent build solutions for the luxury specifier: Gira System 3000: an advanced blind and light control system, which is conveniently controlled through the Gira App or Display timer. More convenient and eco conscious, the Gira System 3000 will help to reduce utility bills by intuitively lowering the blinds to minimize potential heat loss and make the home appear occupied when it’s not! Gira Mobile Door Communications: Whether on the move or using a home’s WLAN, end users can screen visitors and protect privacy with iOS and Android smartphones via the DCS IP gateway. The communication is encrypted using Secure Data Access, which is also used in the Gira S1 and guarantees maximum security. The door opening function is additionally protected by means of a PIN. KNX System: easy to operate with intelligent building technology from Gira so wired-in intuitive solutions are embedded into developments from the get-go with the ability to be easily upgraded in the future by electricians and building managers at the touch of a button. All products on display will be supported by Gira UK experts ready to discuss and guide stand visitors on product suitability, user benefits, technical specification and potential supply/distribution.
London Build has been celebrating women within the construction industry since 2015, hosting an annual Women in Construction networking attended by over 1,200 women working across all sectors – making it the UK’s largest meeting of Women in Construction. This free-to-attend session gives professionals the opportunity to learn from a panel of established experts and rub elbows with some truly inspirational women who have made a significant impact on the industry. The event will look at issues of gender imbalance and inequality within the built environment, as well as highlighting the outstanding achievements of those who are driving change across the industry. Kicking off at 10.30am on day two of London Build (28th Nov), we’ll see the Women in Construction panel take over the main stage – an upgrade from 2018 in order to accommodate the ever-increasing audience. Moderated by Cristina Lanz Azcarate, London and South East Chair – NAWIC, the panel will feature five renowned speakers: Ruby El-Kanzi, Senior Design Manager I Construction London – Wates Pamela McInroy, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager – High Speed Two Sharon Duffy, Head of Transport Infrastructure Engineering – Transport for London Michelle Hands, Director – N J Engineering Michaela Wain, Managing Director – We Connect Construction After the panel, the event will move to the Built Environment Networking Hub – a chance to network with established experts including the event’s Women in Construction Ambassadors and discuss the untapped opportunities for both women and men working in construction, diversity and equality. Becoming a Women in Construction Ambassador Part of London Build’s commitment to amplifying the voices of Women in Construction is its active recruitment of professional and talented individuals driving change within the construction industry. We seek out ambassadors to represent the extraordinary skill sets and expertise the industry has to offer. Both women and men are welcome! London Build focusses on showcasing the advantages of being a woman in construction, and strives to have a strong female line-up in its content programme. This mission to ensure that businesses within the construction industry have every opportunity to thrive, by telling inspiring and motivating stories from exceptional women, is something that we encourage industry professionals to become a part of. You can get involved by joining industry-leading names such as Christina Riley, Angela Brady, Alison Coutinho and Angela Dapper in becoming a Women in Construction Ambassador. By promoting the Women in Construction Networking Event and London Build to your contacts, you’ll have a WIC Ambassadors’ badge, priority seating at the conference, first-hand introductions during the networking event to help you gain an active role in promoting the WIC initiative and keep striving to make incredible change in the UK’s construction industry. Anyone of any gender who is passionate about driving change in the UK’s built environment, from students to architects to CEO’s, is welcome to get involved. To find out more or to sign up, visit www.londonbuildexpo.com/wic. Women in Construction at the London Construction Awards The London Construction Awards are the leading construction awards for London, recognising achievements, developments and innovation in London’s booming construction industry. A recognised industry accolade, the London Construction Awards have niche award categories to suit each specialism – and continues the London Build theme of championing equality, diversity and inclusion with its tailored Women in Construction and Diversity and Inclusion awards. Both categories are free to enter, and entries close at 5pm on 27th August 2019 (an extension on the deadline). For further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at wic@londonbuildexpo.com or call 0203 058 2350.
This November will see London Build once again take over the Olympia London, bringing together over 25,000 construction professionals across two days for the largest built environment show for London. This incredible event will also host the largest ever meeting of women in construction in the UK; the launch of the world’s first-ever LinkedIn Networking Lounge; and an attempt to break the world record for the most Movember Moustaches at a single event! New for 2019 is the Humans of Construction photography exhibition. This brand-new gallery will display photography of up to 1,000 of the most influential and inspiring professionals working in the UK’s built environment. The Humans of Construction exhibition is an artistic and educational insight into the diversity and character of the UK’s construction industry. Each photograph will feature an individual from a wide array of fascinating backgrounds in the industry, from CEO’s to architects, pioneers to students and future leaders. Who will be featured? Elvin Box (Chair London Constructing Excellence & Movember Community Ambassador) is one of the inspirational professionals to be featured in the exhibition. Having been diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer in 2016, Elvin found himself becoming more involved in men’s health charities and well-being initiatives. “Recovering from prostate cancer led me to seek counselling to overcome the ‘Dog Days of Depression’,” Elvin explains. “All too often, the victims of this male-centric cancer endure life-changing side effects.” 35 years prior to his diagnosis, Elvin was a construction manager in Knightsbridge when he witnessed a young colleague fall six floors through a hoist tower, tragically passing away. The construction sector’s health and safety practice at the time was notably poor, and support and assistance were not offered to those impacted by incidents such as this one. Without that necessary support, Elvin found that the event had a severe effect on his mental health, and he experienced a deep depression. The effect that both of these experiences had on Elvin’s mental health led to his affiliation with men’s health charities, moving him to campaign for change within the sector “The construction sector’s performance in the realm of health, safety and well-being has improved beyond all recognition, from the battlefield that existed over 35 years ago. However, we are still one of the most dangerous and unhealthy industries to work in” Elvin told London Build. With his passion and dedication, he takes every opportunity to help the industry to be at the cutting edge of health, safety and well-being. Making connections Beneath Elvin’s photograph will sit his story, amongst 999 similarly inspirational stories, offering a glimpse into the lives of the humans that make up our industry. The Humans of Construction exhibition will include LinkedIn QR codes for many of the individuals featured, offering a chance for you to connect with them online. The photography exhibition will be displayed as part of the LinkedIn Networking Lounge at London Build. In the LinkedIn Networking Lounge, attendees will be able to network whilst using the LinkedIn app on their mobile to scan each others LinkedIn QR codes to connect. There will be a timetable of Speed Networking events as well as various other networking activities and entertainment. If you’re heading to London Build this November, be sure to visit what promises to be an inspiring and genuinely beautiful art piece – taking the seemingly ordinary and making it extraordinary. A wall adorned with the faces that make our industry what it is. You can nominate yourself, or any astonishing individuals within the industry, to be featured in the photography exhibition. Find out more: https://www.londonbuildexpo.com/humans-of-construction
A new publication focussing on collaboration in the design of innovative timber buildings is to be launched at Futurebuild this March. ‘Timber Design Pioneers’ is published by TRADA (Timber Research and Development Association) and supported by the timber industry’s campaign, Wood for Good. The launch will take place on Wood for Good’s stand at G50 on 6 March at 4.15pm and is a one-off opportunity to get a copy of the publication in print, while stocks last. Pulling together the most successful partnerships in timber design, the publication shares the lessons learned and obstacles overcome by multidisciplinary teams which produced buildings including the award-winning Cowan Court by 6a Architects, the BREEAM excellent-rated Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care and the award-winning Vortex at Bloomberg’s new headquarters. These particular projects will be the focus of three seminars at Futurebuild offering delegates the opportunity to hear each building’s journey from design to completion from the architects, structural engineers, project managers and technical directors. Each case study explores different approaches to problem-solving and how effective collaboration led to innovative designs for timber buildings. ‘Timber Design Pioneers’ covers key themes such as wellbeing, sustainability, interiors, process, and complex briefs. TRADA’s Membership and Marketing Manager, Rupert Scott, says: ‘TRADA is honoured to collaborate with Wood for Good in producing such an indispensable publication. We hope it inspires others to work together in partnership across disciplines, so that as an industry we can continue improving the quality of our timber buildings.’ Christiane Lellig, Wood for Good’s Campaign Director, shares: ‘This project is as much about inspiring new pioneers in timber design as it is about celebrating innovation and driving change in the way projects are approached and delivered; a kaleidoscope of solutions mirroring the different perspectives in multi-disciplinary teams.’ The timber design pioneers case studies will be available for free download following the launch at Futurebuild. For more information, visit trada.co.uk
Cloud Expo Europe and Data Centre World 2016, hosted at ExCel London 12-13 April, were back in full force yesterday to open Day One with over 15,000 visitors and huge support from a world-class speaker line-up and exhibitor community. Joining the co-located events for 2016, Cloud Security Expo and Smart IoT London both proved their place alongside the industry heavyweights, with bustling aisles, impressive conference streams and a cutting-edge showcase of products and services from across the burgeoning markets. Day One highlights included an opening keynote address from UK Minister for Culture and the Digital Economy, Ed Vaizey, who argued the need to push for a ‘Gigabit Britain,’ inspiring businesses to embrace technological innovation and encouraging investment into research and development projects nationwide. The Navisite Cloud Keynote Theatre was also host to the first edition of organiser CloserStill’s Women in Technology Initiative, which saw a lively and inspiring panel of female leaders discuss their personal successes and the challenges faced during their illustrious careers. Panelist Alejandra Leon Moreno, IT architect and digital business at Inter IKEA Systems, shared her own experience of climbing from a 3D startup prize winner to an internationally renowned expert on digital transformation and enterprise architecture. The Oracle IoT Futures Forum theatre also featured a dynamic presentation delivered by R ‘Ray’ Wang, principal analyst and founder of Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research, which opened the debate around IoT as a business model shift – “Businesses must move from gut to data driven decisions,” he said. Wang argued for a future built on insight, where businesses no longer compete against each other but battle for user experience and outcomes. Speaking at the end of Day One, CloserStill managing director of technology, Thomas Standley, commented: “Yet another roaring start to Cloud Expo Europe and Data Centre World, and what a welcome for Cloud Security Expo and Smart IoT London! The events have seen enormous growth over the years and yet again we’re hearing hugely positive feedback from our exhibitors across all industry vectors.” Even after the first day, Standley was overwhelmed by the visitor numbers and vendor enthusiasm for 2017: “We’re significantly up on delegates this year, and exhibitors are very happy. Our stand sales are already ahead of this point last year. We’ve sold over half of the floorplan for 2017 after the first day alone, with many more expected to book tomorrow.” Particularly happy with the first day of business, Colin Bridges, senior director, North Europe at Cloud Innovator Sponsor, Mellanox Technologies said: “We’ve been really busy. We’ve been coming here for two years, and it’s a good opportunity to bring our products to a new client base. It’s a good show for raising awareness and getting our brand out there. Three quarters of the people we’ve seen are end users so it’s been a really good first day for us.” Soojin Choi, marketing director at Penta Security and silver sponsors of Cloud Security Expo added: “We’re here from South Korea and this is our first UK event. It’s been the perfect opportunity to expose our brand. We’ve had lots of people visit the stand who want to learn about us – it’s been very successful.” Data Centre World visitor Hiren Joshi, director at Alternatum IT, added: “I would definitely recommend this event to all my team and clients too. I will be bringing them all along next year! I have attended in previous years, and have been very impressed with this year’s show. Data Centre World is really on their game this year!” Delegate Samuel Sigbehm, director at CompTTEC, said: “This is my third year of attending. It’s a really excellent event. I attend many talks and seminars, but this is the best. The speakers are very knowledgeable and interesting. I’ll definitely be coming back in 2017.” For real-time updates follow: @CloudExpoEurope #CEE16 @DataCentreWorld #DCW16 @CSE_London #CSE16 @Smart_IoT #SmartIoT16 Source link
