The BCO plays a key role in facilitating collaboration across the office sector. Vitally, they give a platform for occupier voices, ensuring that developers and designers have end-users front of mind when delivering great workplaces. With the property sector continuing to change at pace, having access to a network like the BCO is a great way to discuss and debate effective approaches to key challenges, including research and debate across office utilisation, sustainability, social purpose, workplace experience and strategies for providing best-in-class amenities.

The BCO’s regional committees provide an excellent way for the industry to gain a greater understanding of the changes taking place across different UK markets. A key highlight is the wide variety of events held by the regional committees for main and NextGen members across the year. These are always fun, memorable and thought provoking. The events I have attended in Scotland have been a wonderful way to debate best practices and explore the role of offices in not only giving occupiers the best possible spaces to work but also in driving the growth of regional cities such as Glasgow.

Being a member of the BCO’s NextGen community has been extremely valuable for my career. Through the BCO’s networks, I’ve made new connections in the industry that I wouldn’t have otherwise. The NextGen platform gives you new perspectives on the sector and enables you to develop your own voice as a leader in the industry. Whether you come to building tours, enter the Ideas Competition, or join a bike ride, there is something for everyone to engage with.  The NextGen Ideas Competition is the highlight of the year, giving members the chance to showcase their creativity and vision for the future outside a traditional project. Alongside the NextGen Awards, it helps to celebrate the best and brightest, as well as showcasing breakthrough talent in the industry.

From about 2012 to 2017 I was involved in the national judging process for the BCO Awards, and I found it really rewarding and stimulating. This experience also helped with my day job, giving me a chance to play an active part celebrating best-in-class offices and in broadening people’s horizons on what good looks like. There’s a real social side to the BCO too. The annual conference is a great place to network and learn from the experiences of over 800 people from across the industry all at once. The quality of the talks and the impressive range of speakers are a real testament to the work of all those involved in curating one of the key events in the industry calendar.