SFG20 Virtual Summit 2026

Mark Whittaker is General Manager at Thomson FM Consultancy and a strategic consultant with over 20 years’ experience delivering facilities management solutions across both client and supply-side environments. He has held senior leadership roles across the sector and brings a strong focus on improving standards, performance and long-term asset management outcomes.

A former Chair of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM), Mark has played a key role in shaping the strategic direction of the profession and advancing industry standards. As a founding Director of the Association of Professional Standards for Asset Surveying (APSAS), he brings a clear perspective on the importance of accurate, structured asset data as the foundation for effective decision-making and compliance.

Jason Whittall is a Director at ONE Creative Environments, a multidisciplinary design practice and award-winning BIM consultancy. He leads the BIM and Smart Assets team and heads up ONE’s Digital Twin consultancy service, helping organisations structure and unlock asset data to improve building performance, energy management and long-term asset strategy.

Jason is an active contributor to the industry, supporting initiatives through Constructing Excellence (HAWCE) and regularly providing guest lectures at universities such as BCU, Huddersfield and Baghdad. He is particularly focused on the role of high-quality, structured data as the foundation for effective asset management, bringing a practical perspective on the risks of poor data and the value of getting it right from the start.

Ian Giles is a Chartered Engineer and Senior Consultant at SFG20 with over 40 years’ experience across the construction, engineering and facilities management sectors. Working from both client and consultancy perspectives throughout his career, he has delivered major projects and asset management programmes across the public and private sectors in the UK and internationally.

An active Fellow of CIBSE and long-standing technical consultant to BESA, Ian has played a significant role in the development of the SFG20 standard, including leading the major rewrite of SFG20 in 2011 and helping standardise maintenance requirements across the healthcare sector. He brings extensive expertise in asset verification, statutory compliance and maintenance standards, supporting organisations across transport, healthcare, government, education and critical infrastructure.

Andrew Appiah is Head of Estates Engineering Services at Swansea Bay University Health Board, bringing over 22 years’ experience across the built environment, social housing and healthcare sectors. For the past eight years, he has specialised in NHS estates and engineering management, leading operational estates functions and engineering compliance within complex healthcare environments.

Andrew has extensive experience in statutory compliance, infrastructure risk management and service transformation, supporting the delivery of safe, resilient and high-performing healthcare estates. He has a particular interest in the role of digital technologies and information management in improving asset intelligence, strengthening infrastructure resilience and supporting informed investment decisions across the NHS.

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David Hemming is a consultant at SFG20, working with public and third sector organisations on major programmes and asset management challenges. A Chartered Civil Engineer with over 30 years’ experience, he has worked extensively across the public sector, including defence, healthcare, higher education and central government, delivering complex programmes in highly regulated environments.  He is currently working in the Social Housing sector delivering sustainable infrastructure solutions

A former Royal Engineers officer, David has held senior estates and facilities leadership roles and brings deep expertise in managing risk, compliance and long-term asset performance. A Fellow of both the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management, he is actively involved in industry committees and advisory groups, helping to shape best practice across the built environment.

Mark Sutcliffe is CEO of Lorne Stewart Facilities Services, with extensive experience across the facilities management industry spanning operational, business development and client-side roles. Prior to moving into FM, Mark served as a Warfare Officer in the Royal Navy for nine years, bringing a strong operational perspective to his subsequent career in the built environment.

Mark is also Chair of the Services and Facilities Group (SFG) within the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), where he is focused on strengthening the voice of engineering maintenance and hard FM across the UK built environment. He brings a practical industry perspective on the challenges of maintaining complex estates and delivering effective engineering and maintenance services.

Will Horne has over 25 years’ experience in maintenance and engineering, with a strong background in asset management and lifecycle planning. Following the completion of an engineering apprenticeship, an HND in Mechanical Engineering and an IAM Certificate in Asset Management, he joined Oxford University Estates in 2023 to support the implementation of a lifecycle asset management approach across the estate.

Will now leads the M&E Engineering Team and Asset Management & Maintenance Planning Team, helping to deliver a new maintenance strategy across more than 300 buildings in and around Oxford. The estate spans everything from Grade I listed heritage properties to modern laboratory and research facilities, giving him extensive experience in balancing operational risk, compliance and long-term asset performance across complex environments.

Claire Curran is CEO of Linaker, a national engineering maintenance specialist supporting complex multi-site estates across the UK and Ireland. With a career spanning engineering and facilities management since the age of 17, she brings extensive operational experience of maintaining ageing assets while balancing compliance, cost, service continuity and investment priorities.

A former President of the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and current Board member, Claire is passionate about raising standards and improving how the sector uses data and technology. She brings a practical perspective on moving maintenance from reactive decision-making towards a more intelligent approach to risk, resilience and whole-life asset value, using better information and technical judgement to understand where intervention is needed most.

Mike Talbot is Chief Technology Officer at SFG20, where he leads the organisation’s technology strategy and development. With a track record of building and scaling software products in complex, regulated environments, he brings deep technical expertise alongside a strong focus on commercially viable, customer-led solutions.

He has held senior executive and board-level roles across the technology sector, including leading organisations through growth, IPO and trade sale. Mike brings a pragmatic perspective on how digital solutions can move beyond concept to deliver measurable outcomes and genuine return on investment.

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Emma Armstrong is Founder and Director of Empro Business Group, a UK-based FM consultancy specialising in strategic change, outsourcing and technology advisory. Through the company’s Empro Technology division, she works with Tier 1 FM providers and corporate occupiers to help organisations navigate the rapidly evolving FM technology landscape and make informed, commercially viable decisions.

With a background spanning FM mobilisation, TUPE and large-scale contract transitions, Emma brings a practical perspective on technology adoption, focusing on what is successfully implemented in operational environments and where challenges commonly arise. She is a strong advocate for aligning technology investment with business understanding, operational needs and measurable outcomes.

Paul Bullard is Chief Product Officer at SFG20, bringing over 25 years’ experience in facilities management technology and digital solutions, with a particular focus on compliance and industry standards. He is known for translating business needs into practical solutions and for distilling complex technical concepts into clear, actionable insights.

Alongside leading product strategy at SFG20, Paul plays an active role in standards development through ISO and BSI committees, representing BESA/SFG20 across key technical groups. His work includes membership of CEN/TC 348 WG10 and BSI committees FMW/1 and FMW/1/-/10, contributing to BS 85361, and serving as Convenor of BS 8587 Guide to Facility Information Management. He brings a strong product and commercial perspective, ensuring standards and technology are aligned to real-world application and deliver measurable value.

Mike Darby is Co-Founder and CEO of Demand Logic, where he is helping to transform how buildings are operated through data-driven energy and facilities management. With over 30 years’ experience in building services engineering and building automation, he has designed and delivered control systems for complex, business-critical environments, including major banking institutions.

A recognised industry voice, Mike contributes to steering groups, committees and sector events, and brings a practical, real-world perspective on how digital solutions can deliver measurable outcomes. He is particularly focused on cutting through industry hype to demonstrate where technology genuinely drives performance, efficiency and return on investment.

Kirsty Cogan is Managing Director of SFG20, where she leads the strategic direction, performance and ongoing development of the business. She oversees all commercial, operational and product activity, driving growth, market expansion and the evolution of SFG20’s offering within the built environment sector.

Since taking on the role, Kirsty has led significant transformation, including scaling the organisation, re-platforming the product and expanding into new markets. With a background spanning the built environment, financial services and utilities, she brings broad commercial and operational expertise, alongside a strong focus on accountability, data-led decision making and industry compliance.

Stephen Hockman KC is one of the UK’s leading authorities in regulatory, environmental and health and safety law, with over 30 years’ experience advising and representing clients in complex, high-profile cases. His practice spans judicial review, major inquiries, civil claims and criminal prosecution and defence, acting for corporates, regulators and public bodies across some of the most challenging legal landscapes.

A former Chairman of the Bar and Head of Chambers at 6 Pump Court, Stephen is widely recognised for his expertise in compliance, risk and enforcement, including his involvement in major regulatory investigations and high-profile cases. He brings a clear, authoritative perspective on the evolving legal and accountability landscape, particularly in the context of increasing scrutiny and enforcement.

Sarah Buxcey is Deputy Director of Operations at the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), bringing over a decade of regulatory leadership experience alongside a long-standing Civil Service career focused on leadership and operational delivery. She joined the BSR in January 2026, where she supports the delivery of the regulator’s work within the evolving building safety landscape. 

Prior to joining the BSR, Sarah spent six years leading the Teaching Regulation Agency, with responsibility for regulating the teaching profession in England. She previously held senior roles within the Education and Skills Funding Agency, working closely with schools to strengthen financial management,  governance and leadership. She brings extensive experience of translating regulatory requirements into effective operational delivery and strengthening accountability within regulated environments. 

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Jason Instrell is Head of Technical at SFG20 and a senior electrical engineer with over 29 years’ experience in the industry. His background spans hands-on delivery, large-scale M&E projects and business leadership, including running his own company for over 20 years. He also works with the IET as an Industry Representative and Technician Assessor, supporting engineers in achieving professional registration.

Jason brings a practical, implementation-focused perspective on engineering and compliance, drawing on extensive experience across facilities management, planned and reactive works, and technical standards. He specialises in translating complex regulations and guidance into clear, actionable approaches that can be applied effectively in real-world environments.

Andi Connelly Horsley is Head of Compliance at SFG20, responsible for the governance framework that underpins the accuracy, integrity and legal compliance of the SFG20 standard. She oversees the review and challenge of content, validating statutory requirements and ensuring it is robust, consistent and evidence-based.

With over 25 years’ experience in the construction and built environment sector, Andi began her career as a mechanical building services engineer before moving into technical authoring and product development within SaaS. She combines practical technical knowledge with a strong focus on governance, validation and assurance, working closely with industry bodies to ensure the SFG20 standard is evidence-led and can be confidently applied in practice.