Future Of Office Space Summit

There’s a colossal tug of war happening right now in many workplaces around the country. At one end of the rope are employers. At the other end, holding on for dear life, are individual employees picking up the slack for the first time. And in the centre, providing all the tension, are lofty questions about where, when and how we should work. The implications for office owners are huge. In this revealing presentation, Tim Duggan will unpack the latest research from dozens of experts globally to make some educated predictions about the future. 

Tim Duggan, Bestselling Author, Work Backwards

In this session, market leaders discuss how they are navigating the profound structural changes induced by the pandemic in the office sector, the strategies they are adopting and predictions for the year ahead. 

• Are employer strategies for encouraging workers back into the office working and what are the implications for office demand, utilisation and design? 

• Examining the generational differences in Australian workplaces, how they interact and what this means for office use 

• Will the shift out of secondary into prime and premium locations continue and what does this mean for older building stock and new developments? 

• Evaluating the benefits of the green office – how can sustainable practices and a focus on the environment satisfy tenants’ demands and cut costs? 

Panellists

Sally Franklin, Chief Operating Officer, Real Estate, Investa

Pete Carstairs, Head of Investment and Capital Transactions, Aware Super

Stace Fishwick, Executive Director-Commercial, Property and Development NSW

Fiona Denison, Head of Asset Management | Office, Charter Hall

Micah Schulz, Fund Manager, Australian Prime Property Fund Commercial, Lendlease

Facilitated by

Benjamin Martin-Henry, Head of Real Assets Research – Pacific, MSCI

The flight to quality provides an alluring incentive for investors to direct their capital towards refurbishing and reviving office towers into attractive new assets that draw greater occupancy. In this session, learn how existing assets can be repositioned in order to unlock renewed value and potential growth. 

• The implications of the ‘flight to quality’ for non-premium office assets 

• Allocating capital strategically to ensure optimal leasing appeal 

• Assessing technology and innovation transforming the sector 

• Evaluating the role ESG plays within Quintessential’ s portfolio management 

Andrew Borger, Chief Investment Officer, Quintessential

In this session we bring landlords, developers, tenants, architects, fit-out companies, and tech firms together in small focus groups to talk through the most pressing issues facing the office real estate sector today. This will be followed by a 2-minute wrap up by table facilitators, summarising the dialogue at each of their tables.

Round Table 1: Thriving in the age of high cost: Optimising office development amidst soaring construction and input costs.

Trevan Robinson, Project Director, Investa

Round Table 2: AI in Office Markets: Will AI fundamentally shift the way we interact with the workplace?

Tom Broderick, Head of Office and Capital Markets Research, CBRE

Round Table 3: Flex Space: Navigating partnership and management agreements

John Preece, Chief Operations Officer, Hub Australia

Round Table 4: The next generation workplace: what elements are key

Tanya Lanycia, Director – Commercial Development, Property and Development NSW

Stace Fishwick, Executive Director-Commercial, Property and Development NSW

Round Table 5: The Office Advantage: Making Perfect ‘Cents’ for People Productivity, Wellbeing, and Growth

Professor Jane Burns, Chief Wellbeing Officer, Workplace Wellbeing

Round Table 6: Mandate or choice? Optimising the 'return to office' experience to be safe, secure & sustainable.

Chris Wallington, Service Leader, Honeywell

Kevin Livingstone, Enterprise Account Executive, Honeywell

In this session, David Cannington will explore the latest demand, valuation, occupancy and broader trends shaping the future of Australian office space. David leads Investa’s property research team, working with investment, development and operations teams to deliver the latest market intelligence.

• Unpacking the impacts of macroeconomic conditions and record migration levels on Australia’s office markets and future supply
• What do recent office market trends mean for landlords and tenants  
• How has demand for office space changed post-pandemic and the implications on future markets

David Cannington, Head of Research and Strategy, Investa

Following on from the above session, our experts examine the impact of high interest rates, capital costs, and vacancy, which have proved significant headwinds for asset performance and transactions since the pandemic. Many, however, see a light at the end of the tunnel, and perceive an opportunity to capitalise on undervalued stock. In this panel, we examine strategies that are offering value for office assets today, and into the future.

• Analysing the impact of the current economic cycle on office market capital flows and returns 

• Navigating downturn – how to shore up and right size portfolios to be resilient in a turbulent market 

• Recalculating asset valuations and what this will mean for portfolio composition 

• Examining the role of non-premium grade stock in portfolios and how landlords can enhance their return on these investments 

Panellists

Sarah Dowd, Senior Investment Manager, Cbus Property

Andrew Borger, Chief Investment Officer, Quintessential

Tony Massaro, Partner, KordaMentha Real Estate

Matthew Brown, Head of Office, The GPT Group

Facilitated By:

David Cannington, Head of Research and Strategy, Investa

It’s now more important than ever for landlords to focus on retaining their tenants. It takes more than just negotiating lease terms to remain competitive. Employees are demanding activated and connected buildings that make them want to come to work, and companies are seeking flexible space options that enable them to scale up or down as needed and provide their workers with flexibility where they work. In this session you’ll hear 3 x 10-minute mini presentations from innovative companies that are providing strategies and solutions to help landlords attract and retain tenants. The speakers will then join a 30-minute tech innovation panel discussion.

Talk 1: Maximising value from tenant engagement through advanced analytics

Daniel Scholtens, Managing Director, Future Forma

Talk 2: Utilising effective data strategies to ensure optimal office utilisation

Doug Curry, CEO, Arealytics

Talk 3: Examining how parking creates value for tenants and can be best utilised by landlords across commercial buildings

Abigail Spence, Marketing & Brand Lead, Parkable

Talk 4: Creating a hospitality-like experience  

Talk 5: Asset redevelopment & fit-out 

Letitia Hope, Head of Property Experience, ISPT

Abigail Spence, Marketing & Brand Lead, Parkable

David Lim, Projects & Facilities Specialist, Hertz

Greg Turley, on behalf of Peak Equities, Head of Global Sales (Parkable),

It’s now more important than ever for landlords to focus on retaining their tenants. It takes more than just negotiating lease terms to remain competitive. Employees are demanding activated and connected buildings that make them want to come to work, and companies are seeking flexible space options that enable them to scale up or down as needed and provide their workers with flexibility where they work. In this session you’ll hear 2 x 10-minute mini presentations from innovative data insight companies that are providing strategies and solutions to help landlords attract and retain tenants. The speakers will then join a 20-minute tech innovation panel discussion.

Talk 1: Utilising effective data strategies to ensure optimal office utilisation

Doug Curry, CEO, Arealytics

Talk 2:  Maximising value from tenant engagement through advanced analytics

Daniel Scholtens, Managing Director, Future Forma

Facilitated by:

Dr Tony McGough, Partner – Research and Consulting Victoria, Knight Frank

Daniel Scholtens, Managing Director, FutureForma

Doug Curry, CEO, Arealytics

Dr Tony McGough, Partner - Research and Consulting Victoria, Knight Frank

101 Collins Street has long stood out as one of Melbourne’s most prestigious premium office towers. Beginning in 2022 the team at 101 Collins undertook the daunting task of reducing their scope 1 emissions while maintaining a thriving occupied office tower, switching off their last natural gas boiler in 2024. In this case study, the team behind this feat takes us through their journey and the challenges they faced in the path to net-zero.

• Identifying the barriers to efficient electrification 

• Assessing the feasibility of large scale ESG projects, and their impact on leasing desirability 

• Analysing the successes, challenges and lessons learned over the course of the project 

Selva Thiru, Senior Engineering & Sustainability Manager, 101 Collins Street

In the past, landlord-tenant relationships were often relegated to lease negotiations and the occasional maintenance request. More and more, however, owner and occupier relationships are becoming more cooperative, constructive and mutually beneficial. In this session, Letitia Hope highlights the way ISPT is working in partnership with their tenants to create an office environment conducive to productivity, conviviality and occupancy.

• Gauging the responsibility of landlords in asset fit-out and experiential upgrades 

• Assessing strategies for greater collaboration, from co-creation workshops to CEO circles 

• Establishing the importance of good company culture, and the role of space in its promotion 
• Reviewing strategy: What has worked, what hasn’t, and how will ISPT engage with tenants in the future? 

Letitia Hope, Head of Property Experience, ISPT

Office tenants are already getting great deals on rent, but many want much more from their landlords. More smart building features, flexible lease terms and decarbonisation strategies are among tenants’ key demands. Are landlords doing enough to meet them and how can the needs and expectations of real estate owners and occupiers be reconciled to create a win-win CRE economy?

• Evaluating attendance mandates and their impact on workforce productivity and satisfaction 

• What’s driving the shift to premium, green and healthy office buildings? 

• Reviewing the tech transforming the modern office; what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to be done to avoid obsolescence? 

• Establishing the requirements of space; from floorplates to foyer refurbishment 

• Moving beyond end of trip facilities and pets in the office: What is the next level of service landlords can provide tenants to justify the commute? 

Panellists

Simon O’Brien, Director, Property Transformation, NAB

Tanya Lanycia, Director – Commercial Development, Property and Development NSW

Jessica Van Raay, Joint Head of Tenant Representation VIC/Head of SA, JLL

Facilitated By:

Letitia Hope, Head of Property Experience, ISPT

AI is revolutionising the future of office space. With smart algorithms and data-driven insights, it is streamlining routine tasks, enhancing security, and optimising energy consumption and more. In this Special Address we move beyond efficiency to see how AI is fostering creativity, enhanced collaboration and enables personalised workplace experiences. We explore how it is reshaping not only the physical office but also the way we work, promoting flexibility, adaptability, and productivity in an ever-evolving landscape.

• Predictive maintenance of offices
• Leasing and modelling of offices
• Using generative AI to conduct market analysis of the office sector
• How can AI improve the tenant experience

Vanessa Rader, Head of Research, Ray White Commercial