The conversation around facilities management has changed. FM is no longer asked to prove its place at the executive table but to deliver on technology, sustainability, workplace experience and operational resilience all at once. Ahead of his appearance at FM Today and Tomorrow 2026, John Cunniffe, Head of Operations and Facilities at Maples Group, shared what that shift looks like in practice, and why the organisations that act on it now are the ones pulling ahead.

For Cunniffe, what sets 2026 apart is that the sector has moved on from justifying itself. "What separates 2026 is that we've moved from proving our worth to deploying the resources earned from it," he explains. The organisations pulling ahead are those using FM's broad project management skills to adopt tools such as AI and deliver returns across sustainability, experience and resilience, while those falling behind treated the pandemic as "a temporary crisis to survive, rather than the turning point to modernise their operations."

Bringing FM providers, occupiers, workplace leaders, sustainability specialists and technology experts into one room matters because, in his words, "no single group operates in a vacuum." Internal capability works best alongside specialist advice, and a mixed audience turns high-level corporate targets into practical conversations about "deploying the right resources to match business needs." When those perspectives collaborate, FM can deliver transformational change behind the scenes while quietly keeping operations running smoothly.

Looking to 2027, he sees the FM leader as "a strategic business partner whose role has expanded far beyond the traditional boundaries of hard and soft services." Technology will sit at the centre of that skill set, specifically knowing how to select, deploy and use digital tools to drive performance, with a dedicated tech-focused function now earning its place within the modern FM team.

The biggest change over the coming twelve months, he suggests, will be the move "from reactive operations to fully predictive, data-driven facilities management." What will matter most is how organisations get there. Leading FMs have stopped rushing into new platforms, taking a measured, phased approach instead: selecting the right tech mix, ensuring it can scale, and dedicating skilled people so that each solution delivers a tangible return for the business.

His message to anyone still deciding whether to attend is direct. "The speed of change in our industry means you can no longer afford to operate in isolation," he says, adding that being in the room is about "gaining the actionable insight and tech foresight needed to lead your organisation into 2027 rather than scrambling to catch up."

What he values most about events like this is "the shared sense of purpose and practical problem-solving." With FM spanning people, workplace design, sustainability and technology, they offer a rare chance to compare real-world experience with peers facing the same challenges. "There's a genuine openness in the Irish FM community to elevate the entire industry together," he notes.

John Cunniffe will be speaking at FM Today and Tomorrow 2026 on 4th November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, where he joins the client-side panel on the purpose of the office today. Book your place at www.fmawards.ie/conference/book-your-place to take advantage of the Final Reduced Rate, saving €100 until 23rd October, and subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed on speaker announcements and agenda updates.