MEFMA 2022 draws spotlight on growing FM sector

The MEFMA Awards were also launched to honor FM professionals & companies with exemplary performance

A Staff Reporter

Published: Mon 14 Mar 2022, 7:47 PM

Dawood Abdul Rahman Al Hajri, director general of the Dubai Municipality on Monday inaugurated the 10th edition of the Middle East Facilities Management Association (MEFMA) CONFEX, the largest facilities management (FM) event in the region.

Many high-level attendees took part in the inaugural session held in Dubai to discuss modern opportunities and challenges in the growing FM sector.

Al Hajri was joined by Jamal Lootah, president of MEFMA, and Ali AlSuwaidi, VP of MEFMA. Other renowned industry heads were also present to commemorate the opening of the conference’s first day, including Mahir Julfar, EVP of Dubai World Trade Centre and member of the Executive Committee of Dubai Association Centre; Mohammmed Almarshad, VP of Directors Riyadh Chambers and CM of National Real Estate Committee Federation of Saudi Members; and Anas Alzaid, CEO of Initial Saudi Group.

The first day witnessed many attendees participating in the featured workshops. The discussions focused on ways to optimise available opportunities and coming up with innovative solutions to prevailing industry issues. Day one workshops included ‘Digital Building Technology to enhance FM and Longer Asset Life Cycle’ and ‘Artificial Intelligence in Facilities Management.’ Many other government representatives were seen attending the event to collaborate, network and connect with industry stakeholders.

One of the prominent highlights of the event is the MEFMA Awards taking place in the evening. The awards were launched to showcase success stories, celebrate, and recognize outstanding contributions and establish a culture of excellence and quality through the implementation of the best practices in the region’s FM community.

Jamal Lootah, co-founder and president, MEFMA, said: “We are proud to have organized the CONFEX once more and to see all the FM industry stakeholders discuss, and engage on interesting factors that will help propel the regional FM industry. Likewise, we are overwhelmed by the number of participants during the event’s opening day. The MEFMA CONFEX is an opportunity for everyone in the industry to bring new ideas to the floor. The next few days are going to be more interactive as we will be having many panel discussions and workshops simultaneously.'

Ali AlSuwaidi, VP of MEFMA & Global FM vice chair, commented: “The first day of the conference enabled the guest speakers and presenters to highlight the latest in the industry and important trends to watch for in the coming years as new technologies emerge. We are confident that the discussions will only get more interesting in the coming days.”

“Our attendees can expect more FM and asset management specialists sharing their knowledge about diverse ways to establish a technology- and innovation-driven future for the sector. In addition, we are looking forward to honoring leading industry professionals and companies for displaying exemplary performance with industry-wide impact,” AlSuwaidi continued.

The conference will convene experts, leaders, decision-makers and other stakeholders during its four-day run at the Address Hotel in Dubai Marina. It will conclude on March 17, 2022. The last two days of the MEFMA CONFEX will feature field visits to the Expo.

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