Workspace Design Show

26 – 27 February 2025 | Business Design Centre, London

Finishes & Interiors Sector Conference

Workspace Design Show partners with the FIS, the not for profit representative body for the £10 billion finishes and interiors sector in the UK. The organisation exists to support its members, improve safety, minimise risk, enhance productivity and drive innovation in the sector.

The FIS Conference offers a series of panel discussions, revealing the latest industry thinking from the finishes and interiors sector. Speakers include experts from organisations such as Foster + Partners, tp bennett, Houses of Parliament, Ambit, BW Interiors, Thirdway and GPE.

A series of discussions with industry experts

Located in the heart of the Workspace Design Show, the FIS Conference hosts a series of talks and panel discussions. Day 1 focuses on ‘Quality in fit-out: working better together’ while day 2 will explore ‘Working better together creating sustainable spaces’.

2025 FIS Talks Agenda

26 February

The Real Estate Reality 2025

10.30 – 11.30

Opening from the Chair

Iain McIlwee, FIS Chief Executive

The economic backdrop for 2025

Ed Griffiths, Head of Business and Client Analytics, Barbour ABI

Ian Fletcher, Director of Policy (Real Estate), British Property Federation

Panel discussion

FIS Innovation Awards Ceremony
Join us as we announce the winners of the 2025 FIS Innovation Award Winners!

12.00 – 13.30

Construction without conflict

13:50 – 14:40

Opening from the Chair

Iain McIlwee, FIS Chief Executive

The root causes of construction disputes, and how to improve your commercial management

Anthony Armitage, General Counsel, Thirdway

The clauses that are killing collaboration

Sue Barrett, Head of Contracts and Procurement, Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority

How procurement can and should support Conflict Avoidance and why we need to adopt the Conflict Avoidance Process and the RESPONSIBLE No

Len Bunton, Bunton Consulting Partnership

Panel discussion

Rethinking design co-ordination

15:00 – 16:00

Opening from the Chair

Iain McIlwee, FIS Chief Executive

The Role of The Principal Design and Designer – Duties and Responsibilities

TBC

What do we mean by Design Development

Alessia Scola, Safety by Design Specialist, Associate Partner, Foster + Partners and member of ATLG Board

What is the future for novation and Design and Build

Kevin P’ng, Managing Director, BW

What are the problems

Matt Taylor, Taylor Design Consultancy

Panel discussion – also joining the panel will be a representative from session sponsor Forza Doors

Managing a systemised approach to construction

16:20 – 17:00

Opening from the Chair

Iain McIlwee, FIS Chief Executive

Why systems thinking is essential to compliance

Alexander Walker and Murray Bean, UCL

Testing, classification and real-world performance

Peter Long, Divisional Fire and Certification Director, Optima Products

The Information Management Mindset

Tony Millen, Managing Director, Fire DNA

Panel discussion

27 February

How the office market is evolving

10.15 – 11.15

Introduction

Flavie Lowres, FIS Sustainability Lead

The essentials of a modern office

May Fawzy, Interior Architecture Director, MF Design Studio

People centric design

TBC

Designing with sustainability in mind

TBC

How green leases can enable circular economy

Paul Gaughan, Founder, Lumybel

Panel discussion

Measuring our impact

11:45 – 12:45

Introduction

Flavie Lowres, FIS Sustainability Lead

What is the real impact of Cat A fit-outs

Matt Robinson, Head of Sustainability, Ambit

What we have learned from the Green Building Standard about the embodied impact of fit-out

Frank Blande, Senior Sustainability Lead, Great Portland Estates (GPE)

How we can design to minimise waste

TBC

Minimising waste in fit out

Katherine Adams, Reusefully

Panel discussion – also joining the panel will be a representative from session sponsor Forza Doors

Urban Mining the next Fit-out Revolution

14:00 – 15:00

Introduction

Flavie Lowres, FIS Sustainability Lead

Buildings as an asset store

TBC

Planning for re-use

Tessa Devreese, Strategic Advisor Built Environment, ReLondon

Designing with reuse in mind

Dilush Selva, Sustainability Designer, tp Bennett

What we have learned so far from Project Re-use

Hattie Emerson, Reuse Project Manager

Panel discussion

Creating sustainable projects – Ska’s revised good practice measures

15:30 – 16:30

Elina Grigorio, Grigoriou Interiors

Giuseppa Fiorenza, Head of Environment and Sustainability, Denton

Dave Wakelin, Director of Sustainability, Gleeds

Panel discussion

2025 Speakers

Alessia-Scola

Alessia Scola,
Foster + Partners and ATLG Board Member

Sue Barrett,
Head of Contracts and Procurement, Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority

Dilush Selva,
Sustainability Designer, tp Bennett

Peter Long,
Divisional Fire and Certification Director, Optima Products

Kevin P’ng,
Joint Managing Director, BW Interiors

Anthony Armitage,
General Counsel, Thirdway

Ed Griffiths,
Head of Business & Client Analytics, Barbour ABI

May Fawzy,
Interior Architecture Director, MF Design Studio

Matt Robinson,
Head of Sustainability, Ambit

Len Bunton,
Bunton Consulting Partnership

Paul Gaughan,
Founder, Lumybel

Tessa Devreese,
Strategic Advisor Built Environment, ReLondon

Ian Fletcher,
Director of Policy (Real Estate), British Property Federation

Alexander Walker,
University College London

Katherine Adams,
Reusefully

Iain McIlwee,
Chief Executive, The FIS

Hattie Emerson,
Reuse Project Manager

Flavie Lowres,
Sustainability Lead, The FIS

Frank Blande,
Senior Sustainability Lead, Great Portland Estates (GPE)

Matt Taylor,
Taylor Design Consultancy

Murray Bean,
University College London

Tony Millen,
Managing Director, Fire DNA

Flavie Lowres,
FIS Sustainability Lead

Elina Grigorio,
Grigoriou Interiors

Giuseppa Fiorenza,
Head of Environment and Sustainability, Denton

Dave Wakelin,
Director of Sustainability, Gleeds

Attend Workspace Design Show

Workspace Design Show is a must-addition to London’s design calendar, attended by the region’s top architects, designers, occupiers, developers, consultants, coworking companies, and fit-out companies. Register now to attend Workspace Design Show for free from 26 – 27 February 2025 at the Business Design Centre, London.