IPMI summit 2022, what was it all about then?
Firstly, as recruiters to the market, it was amazing to be invited and to gain a real clear insight as to the market. We are hugely grateful to Owain, Ricardo and the team for inviting us along. It is a compliment in itself to be asked to attend.
Secondly, it was great to have the opportunity to sponsor an event that is happening for the very first time. As many of you will know, we only officially became FJN in February of this year. To see our brand nestling between Allianz, Cigna, HCA, IMG, Lifeworks and United Healthcare on the stage where the speakers were delivering their presentations was great. A little surreal, but great. We hope to be involved for many years to come.
So, onto the event itself. From the welcome teas & coffees and introduction, through to the final thank yous and goodbyes, it was a completely seamless experience. Very informative and enjoyable in equal measure.
The first day covered a wide range of topics and discussion points which included the changing world of work, the future for IPMI, risks facing mobile work forces, building an IPMI advise business fit for the future and also a focus on mental health. All of these topics are so relevant to us and it was great to hear the expert panels and presenters thoughts.
Some facts were quite shocking. I personally had no idea that the UK lost 131 million working days per year on average due to workplace absence. In amongst the raw statistics were lots of opinions which really resonated with us. Lots of comment was made around being experts in your field and knowing your market. The fact that we attend and support these events, demonstrates our appetite to learn and develop our knowledge of a market place that we love. We completely understand that most businesses have inhouse teams to manage a plethora of roles which will include 100s of skill sets. We cannot help with IT, Legal, Surveyors etc – inhouse teams can excel with these areas, but to build a truly outstanding IPMI business, you need an IPMI specialist recruiter. Our place in this process is to help you ‘build your business with the best people in the market’ – a great quote from Tony Powis (NED at PIB).
The day was finished off in fine form by Luke Prankard (Head of Sales and Alliances) of Lifeworks. Luke delivered some great insight and facts around mental health both in and out of the work place. This will be a topic of discussion for all of us for the rest of our working lives and something which all businesses need to focus time and resources on.
As Luke finished the signal was given to retreat to the bar – an offer not to be refused by many. FJN sponsored the drinks reception and it was great to speak with so many current and longstanding clients. It was equally nice to meet lots more people and to chat in a relaxed environment. Let’s face it, it has been a while since we have done this!
Day two was opened by Owain Thomas and commenced with a sound technical overview of regulatory issues in the middle east and also how the industry is dealing with, and will continue to deal with, the fall out of Brexit. Other topics covered were delivered by key industry figures including Brian Hall (IOD), Amber Musson-Thorp (Lifecare Intl), Annabelle Neame and Miele Hurlock (HCA), Jon Carpenter (Chairman of AIMIP) with the afternoon being concluded with a very interactive discussion between Sam Mistry (Aston Lark), Michelle Bishop (AJG) and Nadia Jafar (Bluestone).
In summary of the two days, I think everyone came away feeling very upbeat and full of positive thoughts for the months and years ahead. Our industry is at the forefront of everyone’s mind at present and to see people from varying different businesses collaborating and sharing ideas together was really refreshing. Stuart and myself, have come away from this event buzzing at the thought of the industry going from strength to strength!
