Breakfast Bytes

The United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are leading the region in getting a future-ready built environment ready for the coming years. This rapid built-up is also voraciously consuming PropTech – from helping solve commercial problems like increasing foot traffic in malls to managing energy needs in workplaces. To discuss the regional outlook and how it compares to the global built environment, CMtoday speaks to Ivo Van Breukelen, partner at The Proptech Connection – a U.S. based consultancy firm which provides bespoke technology solutions to the real estate sector. Breukelen reveals the global trends he has observed in Proptech such as centralised platforms, construction technology, and a push to decarbonise the built environment. Listen to this podcast for more international insights.

UAE's Facilities Management industry is at a confluence of two demands -- buildings are being upgraded to become smart, while the built environment needs to proactively move towards Net-Zero targets. Javeria Aijaz, Managing Director of  HITEK, a  Farnek Services company, speaks to Community Management Today on the range of services she is bringing to her clients. She also speaks about harnessing the Internet of Things (IoT), Building Management Systems (BMS), Machine Learning (ML), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technologies to be future-ready.

 The projections for Saudi Arabia's Facilities Management Industry are extremely positive with a predicted CAGR of 11.1% for the coming year. The FM industry is seeing growth on the back of mega and giga projects announced in the Vision 2030 plan. Mike Moore, VP of FM for Al Bawani International speaks to CMtoday about the change seen in the FM industry post the COVID-19 pandemic, the external factors affecting the growth of KSA's FM businesses, the scale of the adoption of technology, and the challenges the industry faces as it grows in the double digits. Moore is a veteran of the industry with over four decades of experience in Facilities Management.

Artificial Intelligence and machine learning are now ubiquitous to most industries as they form the backbone of research and future-ready products. CMtoday sits down for an exclusive chat with James Massey of MRI Facilities Management to talk about the legacy challenges in integrated facilities management, the future of the industry as building management systems become the norm, and the Middle East's growth trajectory in the built world. Massey has over two decades of experience in the industry as he has previously been Chief Operating Officer of Castleton Technology and worked in Property Technology before it became the latest buzzword. As Managing Director of MRI's Facilities Management business, Massey is driving MRI's global technology strategy into this area.

As Saudi Arabia opens itself to the global market, the country's real estate sector is proving to be a key driver of the economy. Cities like Riyadh, and Jeddah are seeing impressive growth numbers as foreign investors queue up to acquire new assets. CMtoday spoke to Pedro Ribeiro, the newly appointed KSA head for CBRE. Ribeiro is based in the capital city of Riyadh and has over two decades of experience in Retail, Real Estate and Asset & Property Management firms across the Middle East, Europe and North Africa.#realestate, #CBRE, #SaudiArabia, #builtworld, #assetmanagement, #realestateoutlook, #economicgrowth, #Vision2030

In this edition of First Brick, CMtoday's weekly news podcast, we look at a report by Property Finder on Dubai's Property Market. Meanwhile, JLL has made a new appointment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. And we look at a report by CRTKL that talks about the benefits and potential energy-saving opportunities offered by universal buildings. Listen to this space for more.

The weekly round-up of news includes developments in the Facilities Management, Community Management, Real Estate and PropTech sectors. AGFS has announced new names to the region's leadership team. Huspy has acquired two mortgage brokerages to enhance its service offerings. Saudi Arabia has announced the master plan for the development of the Rua al Madinah project. Listen to this podcast to know more.

In this special episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes', we talk with Majda Rochdi, Director, Marketing & Communications at UD Trucks Middle East, as she shares with us her views and experience in the automotive sector.

Welcome to an all-new episode of Breakfast Bytes by CM today Magazine.In this episode, editor Namitha Madhu speaks to Dr Dan Simmons, VERTECO's OperationsDirector, who goes over the latest trends in smart water management systems and how they can be incorporated into existing buildings.

In this episode, editor Namitha Madhu speaks to Muhammad Ajmal Saeed, CEO of Emerging Horizons Technical Services (EHTS). With an impressive portfolio of clients, EHTS is a leading supplier of fire and safety maintenance services in the UAE.When the pandemic hit, the company focused on strengthening its services through training and acquiring new technologies. This led to a successful 2021, with the winning of several new contracts.In this podcast, Saeed talks about the company's plans for 2022 and the current challenges in the market.

Welcome to an all-new episode of Breakfast Bytes by CM today Magazine. Today, we discuss snagging and its importance in the property handover process.What is considered a snag? What level of quality is considered a snag? Listen to what the experts at Land Sterling — Hamza Betraoui, Managing Director, and Matthew Young, Manager for Snagging and Handover Management Services — have to say about these to our host, Namitha Madhu, editor for CM today.This podcast is sponsored by Land Sterling, a leading real estate consultancy based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.

Today it's essential we rethink the importance of Facilities Management Technology. In this new-age service delivery, the focus is shifting towards innovation that keeps customers at the centre and empowers Facilities Managers with the free reign to create an elevated, always-on experience.However, despite the investments in multiple software, FMs continue to operate at sub-optimal levels. Making it essential for one to truly rethink how to maximise one's performance. Senior Editor Megha S Anthony spoke to Mr Arshad Ahmed, the Head of Building and Facilities Consultancy of the Land Sterling Group, to get more insight into this. 

Welcome to another brand new episode of Breakfast Bytes. In the last few years, ‘PropTech' has been a buzz word and one cannot deny the important role it plays in the built environment. However, there is still a lot left to be explored on the impact it has had over these last few years, not just in the UAE but in other parts of the region as well. Shedding light on this and more is the guest speaker, Hamza Betraoui, who is the co-founder and managing director of the Land Sterling Group. 

Welcome to another brand new episode of Breakfast Bytes. In this episode CM today opens the discussion about the importance of employee experience at a workplace. Giving key insight into the measures and resources Initial Saudi has taken to improve their employee experience is Mr Nader Ibrahim, the IFM Regional Manager in Central Region, Initial Saudi Group.

CM today recently started a campaign focusing on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which sheds light on the many verticals of the built environment and how they have evolved in the region.In this episode of Breakfast Bytes sponsored by Land Sterling, our editor Megha Anthony spoke to Mr Youcef Betraoui, the CEO of Land Sterling about the milestones they have achieved in the Kingdom.Let's listen in….

The current pandemic and the new economic conditions in the Kingdom have prompted renewed focus in Saudi Arabia’s FM sector. However, among the growing sector Initial Saudi, a KSA-based company, has proven to be an industry leader despite the challenges. Having always been at the forefront of the market, the company has big plans for the future. In this episode of BreakfastBytes, John Nolan, the CEO of Initial Saudi gives an insight into how the company has grown over the years and the changes it has incorporated to adapt to the new normal.

In these pressing times, if there is one thing that brings us courage and hope is learning about the way another peer has handled their challenges and risen to the top. On the occasion of Women's Day Megha S Anthony, the editor of CM today Magazine, spoke to Rekha Patel, who is the FAST Consortium Commercial & Legal Director at Alstom, which is responsible for the major transportation infrastructure project, the Riyadh Metro, about her journey into the built environment.

Are Probiotics the Future of Cleaning? In Conversation with Joe Flanagan of Ingenious ProbioticsWhat this episode covers:- What are probiotic cleaners?- Are probiotics the future of cleaning products?- What are the pros and cons of using probiotics for cleaning?- How effective are probiotic cleaners against viruses and bacteria?Tune in to the episode!

We’ve turned over the 2020 page (and thankfully so). It’s time for the cleaning and hygiene industry to brace for 2021. But amidst new strains of COVID-19 emerging, will the new year be uncertain or hopeful?In this episode of Breakfast Bytes, Tatjana Ahmed, Housekeeping Manager and Functional Specialist at Grand Hyatt shares some interesting insights about what lies ahead for the industry - Tune in to hear the full podcast!

The pandemic has left a strong after taste on the built environment across the region. But have you wondered what impact it left on the facilities management or the property management sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)?   In this special episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, we explore how KSA has been coping at a time when it is at its peak to achieve strong deliveries and milestones.  Talking about how the built environment in the Kingdom has changed in the last year, and the challenges they are facing is Michael Moore, Chief Executive Officer – Saudi Arabia, Cushman & Wakefield. Tune in to find out more about the potential of the market and the trends to watch out for!

In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, Swaliha Shanavas speaks to Heetesh Bhoola, R&D Director – Beauty & Personal Care at Unilever MENA & Turkey, who provides insights into the progress with regard to their commitment to reducing waste, as well as achieving over 70% recyclable packaging in the MENA region.Listen to this podcast and subscribe to get notified each time we release a new Breakfast Byte!

The buzzwords this year has been IoT, AI, Frictionless Services etc. But have these game-changers been taken advantage off by the FM industry? And to what extent is the data being utilized to improve their services?In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’ sponsored by Facilio, CM today talks to Sanjay Bhatia, the General Manager of Concordia, about all this and more.

Presenting this new weekly series from Media Fusion, covering the latest news & insights from the professional cleaning & hygiene, facilities management and waste & recycling sectors from the region and the world.

In this special episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, we talk with Dhawal Shah, Director at Metco Marketing (India) and Vice-President (Nonferrous) at MRAI, as he shares his views and insights on the state of the metals recycling sector in India, COVID- 19’s business impact and the industry’s response amidst this uncertainty, policy and trade issues, short term outlook, plus some significant initiatives that could drive future business growth.

In our latest episode of Breakfast Bytes, conducted in association with Dulevo, Eng. Rehan Ahmed, Head of Services Activities Control, Supreme Council for Environment, Bahrain, and Mr. Nasser Mattar, Director at Nidukki, talked about the sustainable efforts in cleaning, sanitisation and waste management in Bahrain to combat the Covid-19 crisis. They also touched upon the key issues and significant and preventive measures adopted in the country to ensure the safety of the citizens.

The last few months of the stakes have been really high and facility managers have had to regroup and embrace the change. While the entire experience was new, now it is time to explore how one can achieve sustainability.In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, sponsored by Facilio, CM today talks to Fahad Mohamed, Director of Facilities Management, from Deyaar Community Management, who spoke about how technology has paved the way to embrace this change and achieve sustainability.

The pandemic has brought out many things this year; among them are the importance of training and the role it played during the lockdown. Training has proved to be a strong foundation for the industry to tackle the uncertainties of the COVID 19 situation.In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, sponsored by Farnek, CM today talks to Uzair Bhamji, the head of talent development, Farnek, about the methodologies they have adapted towards training and relooking into the key lessons he picked up during his trip to the Disney Institute last year.

Among all the industry-related discussions and developments, we wanted to start your weekend with a little fun with a game of myth or fact. In this episode of Breakfast Bytes, sponsored by Eltizam Asset Managemen, Alan Rowlands, General Manager of Three60 Communities, played along and broke three interesting myths in the community management sector.

It has been 5 months since the pandemic has truly taken over the world. While the UAE’s fight against it has been successful resulting with the lockdown restrictions being lifted, it is important to note that the fight is not over as yet.In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, sponsored by Facilio, CM today talks to Tarek Nizameddin, the Senior Executive Director at Ejadah, on the initiatives they have taken to secure their facilities and staff alike.

In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, sponsored by Facilio, CM today talks to H.P Aengaar, CEO at Provis, about their digital transformation journey, and how they were able to leverage it to adapt to the current situation.

The past couple of years, there have been many innovative technologies that provide portfolio-wide management, enable better collaboration between end customers and service providers. Now the pandemic has brought out many emerging trends with respect to service delivery.In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, sponsored by Facilio, CM today talks to Abdulla Al-Wahedi – CEO of Khidmah, who gives an insight into some of these emerging trends and the unique ways in whichKhidmah supports quality customer experiences.

The unique structure adorned with Arabic calligraphy at the beginning of Sheikh Zayed Road has caught all our attention. The Museum of the Future is yet to open to the public, and the team behind this beautiful structure is excited. In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, sponsored by Facilio, CM today talks to Sundar Raman, the Director of Technology, Museum of the Future, about the kind of technology the facility is applying towards the operations & maintenance.

The pandemic has changed many things including the relationship between the service provider and community manager. The synergy between the two is very crucial. In this episode of ‘Breakfast Bytes’, CM today talks to Mr. Derek Ford, Director of Technical Services, Farnek Services, about what this relationship means post the lockdown.

This episode is brought to you by Waste & Recycling Middle East & Africa magazine where we discuss Circular Economy with a special focus on plastics, with Adrienne Zsakay, CEO of Circular Economy Asia.

In our latest episode of Breakfast Bytes, CEO of Averda, Malek Sukkar discussed key issues related to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the context of COVID-19. One major concern that has emerged is related to the management of PPE with increasing amounts being used and discarded as the virus continues to spread. Listen to what Sukkar has to say on this important topic.

In our new episode of Breakfast Bytes, we are joined by Bradley Emmet, Former Head of Operations Gold Gym UAE. Having extensive knowledge and experience of a facility as sensitive as a gym, Bradley takes us through the evolution of gym hygiene, the common challenges faced in maintaining gym hygiene (along with their solutions) and a lot more.

We're out with a brand new episode of our business podcast - Breakfast Bytes!This week's episode is an EXCLUSIVE interview with HE Eng Marwan bin Ghalita, CEO of RERA. Listen to what he has to say about the current impact of the pandemic and the initiatives that RERA has taken towards the betterment of the industry.

In times of Covid 19, the need to decontaminate air in hospitals has become higher than usual. In our new episode of of Breakfast Bytes, we speak to Michael Rollins, Consultant Healthcare Environment Infection Prevention regarding the equipment, chemicals and procedures required to maintain air hygiene in healthcare settings. WHAT THIS PODCAST COVERSHow Coronavirus can spread through the air.The challenges in decontaminating air.Methods by which air can be decontaminated effectively.Composition of chemicals required.Appropriate equipment to disinfect air? The precautions facilities like supermarkets or hospitals must take to prevent airborne contamination.

These are the most challenging times for the healthcare and waste management sectors, and one cannot emphasise enough the significance of effective medical waste management practices. It is a critical area and at such a crucial time it becomes more important for healthcare facilities, waste management service providers and residents to stringently follow the right procedures and take necessary precautionary measures to deal with the waste in a proper manner to ensure the safety of the community and the personnel working in the field. In our latest podcast, we touch upon the issues, precautions and prevention measures required in the healthcare and waste sectors, as well as awareness, practical measures and best practices related to handling infectious waste generated in households in conversation with Dr. Prashant Nasa, HOD Critical Care Medicine and Chairman Prevention and Infection Control, Antimicrobial Stewardship, NMC Specialty Hospital, Dubai, and Mr. Madhumohan, Chief Innovation Officer, Dulsco.

Covid 19 has undoubtedly turned the world upside down. From health to economy, the pandemic has not shown mercy towards anyone. With the rising number of cases across the globe, manufacturers of cleaning and disinfection products are finding it hard to keep up with the high demand. The limited supply of raw materials has led manufacturers to find new and innovative ways to fulfill the market demand.In this episode of Breakfast Bytes, Keith Watson, Division Manager of Reza Hygiene talks about the common challenges manufacturers of cleaning products are facing and how they can be overcome.

This week's episode is powered by Al Fajer Facilities Management. Our speaker in this episode is Yunusa Aminu, a Senior FM Consultant at Gregory & Jones Consultants, helps us break 3 myths that surround Service Charge. Service Charge is a concept that has so many misconceptions surrounding it. That’s why in today’s episode we want to give our listeners a better insight into what Service Charge is all about.

This week's episode is powered by Diversey. Our speaker in this episode is Ms. Tatjana Ahmed - Chairwoman of the UAE Housekeepers Group and Housekeeping Manager at Grand Hyatt Dubai, talking to us about how housekeepers in the region can take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. From using the right equipment to the appropriate chemical solutions and even best practices, she outlines the ideal steps to be taken.COVID19 threatens the way of the hospitality industry today and the only precaution that may be taken is through proper hygiene, lowering the risk of spread of the epidemic, understanding the disease and making sure we know what's facing us. Diversey is a global leader in supplying hygiene solutions to hotels, restaurants, hospitals, institutions that are in a position to host guests for accommodation, treatment, for health, business or pleasure. Diversey programs such as Well Hotel serves as a one-step solution with products, audit and training to protect hotel operations and guests in critical times as today, and actually lowering the risk even in normal times.Right now, any information that talks about preventing contamination and spread of COVID-19 is GOLD! Listen to this podcast on Soundcloud and Apple Podcasts. And, do subscribe to get notified each time we release a brand new Breakfast Byte!

The SPA has been developed by the security industry regulatory agency also known as SIRA and the industry stakeholders to support the best practices and innovation in the security industry. In this episode of Breakfast Bytes, the Chairman Khalid Al Hamadi, gives us an insight into what one can expect from the association.

This week's episode features Manuela D’Agata, International Education and Certification Director, ISSA EMEA Office, and Dennis Goodwin, the Business Development Manager, UK, Ireland and the Middle East, ISSA.And the topic at hand is Why cleaning companies must focus on the importance of ‘education’

This week's episode features Manuela D’Agata, International Education and Certification Director, ISSA EMEA Office, and Dennis Goodwin, the Business Development Manager, UK, Ireland and the Middle East, ISSA. And the topic at hand is Why cleaning companies must focus on the importance of ‘education’

Many governments in the region have started taking proactive measures to ensure sustainable solutions are in place to achieve their waste diversion goals. Several companies in the waste recycling sector have been supporting these efforts with valuable and innovative solutions, and in this edition of Waste & Recycling MEA we've introduced a new section that features some of the leading companies in the region. Our 2019 listing includes some of the businesses that are playing a major role in the sector and making a significant impact on both the industry and communities they are involved in.

We have come to the end of the year and 2019 has certainly gotten everyone talking about Asset Management and Community Management a lot more than before. Infact, we also as a brand felt it was time to start looking at the Facility on a more holistic level leading us to completely rebrand ourselves as CM today. Being the only dedicated magazine in the region talking about Community Management, where we aim to bring all the stakeholders and discuss all aspects of a building.

We're out with a brand new episode of our podcast - Breakfast Bytes!This week, we’re talking about the challenges mall owners and cleaning companies face during the rush hours of the Dubai Shopping Festival. Not only that, we are also digging deep into the best practices they adopt at this time of the year. Make sure you listen to this episode, and share your thoughts on the much awaited time of the year - the DSF.

This week, we discuss the highlights from the Middle East Waste & Recycling Awards (MEWAR Awards) 2019 that was held recently at The Ritz-Carlton JBR, Dubai, UAE. MEWAR Awards – the only dedicated initiative of its kind in the region – honoured the best performers across 16 categories and a total of 31 awards and certificates of recognition were presented at a well-attended function. The second cycle of MEWAR Awards had some interesting moments which we discuss in this episode.

There is no doubt that training and education are key priorities for FM business leaders in the Middle East. The rapid growth of smart technology and tools – combined with evolving property development trends and stakeholder expectations – only means staff training initiatives will assume greater importance in 2020. In fact this year saw many Integrated Facilities Management companies open exclusive state-of-the-art training centers. Today, we are going to not only talk about few of them but also shed light on the importance of training in Facilities Management.

We've picked “Public Washroom Hygiene” as the topic for this week’s episode since it is something that we have all questioned at some point in time in public areas.