Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
The BMF has finalised the second tranche of interactive workshops at the All-Industry Conference in Istanbul in June. The format enables delegates to discuss some of the most pertinent issues facing our industry today, and the latest to be announced will focus on two very different areas – Digitalisation & Technology and Recruiting and Retaining new talent.
If Cybercrime was a nation, it would have the third largest economy on earth – the digitalisation and technology workshop explores the risks that must be managed by merchants and suppliers faced with the choice of trading online or becoming irrelevant. The session will discuss how to meet new challenges and defend against the fastest-growing threat to business and perhaps to modern civilisation.
Led by Brian Winters, chief technology officer at ECI Software Solutions, who are sponsoring this workshop, Andy Scothern, chairman of the BMF Digital and Technology Forum and Paddy Donnelly, founder of ES Tech Group, with insights from Conference speaker, James Freedman, an expert on combatting scams and scammers, the workshop will offer an informative, entertaining, and only slightly terrifying insight into cyber security and how you must protect your business from attack.
The final workshop, Recruit, Retain, Revive – introducing a new generation to a well-hidden gem, will take a closer look at the challenges faced by the industry in recruiting young, ambitious, career-hungry individuals, along with opportunities that will help them retain the excellent talent we currently have, and how we can revive a sector built on traditional values. This is an excellent opportunity to find out more about the BMF Young Merchant Group, how it benefits businesses, and how forward-thinking and new talent can breathe life into merchant and manufacturing operations.
The workshop, which is sponsored by the IoBM and Digby Stone, will be led by Jo Callow, head of digital and communications at Knauf Insulation and current chair of the BMF Young Merchant Group and Marianna Peet from LEAP, the apprenticeship specialists. Jim Parlato of Browns Builders Merchants will join them to discuss the benefits of having someone in the Young Merchant Group within the business.
Two 45-minute workshops will be held each day – the others focusing on Sustainability and Energy Efficiency – and delegates will be invited to select which they would like to attend in advance of the event.
