Keynote speakers have been announced for a pair of industry events this autumn – the inaugural IOBM (Institute of Builders Merchants) Conference in October, and the BMF Members’ Conference in September.
Being held at the NEC on 5 October as part of UK Construction Week, the first ever IOBM (Institute of Builders Merchants) Conference will be addressed by David Kilburn, founder of MKM Building Supplies. David, together with Peter Murray, founded MKM in Hull in 1995 and from humble beginnings in a rented 5,000 sq ft warehouse, the business rapidly became one of the fastest growing companies in the UK and is scheduled to open its 100th branch in late September this year.
As one of the merchanting industry’s Top 100 Influencers, David is well placed to share his experience and expertise on the IOBM Conference theme of Building Professional Excellence.
The Conference is free of charge for IOBM members, with a nominal charge of £49 plus VAT for non-members. Find out more here and register for the event by emailing June.upton@bmf.org.uk
They say every picture tells a story and photographer Giles Duley, the keynote speaker at the BMF Members’ Conference in September, has spent much of his career drawing attention to the long-term impact of conflict and humanitarian crises by highlighting individual stories behind the headlines.
Giles’ own story is as dramatic as those of his subjects. Working in Afghanistan at the height of the conflict there, Giles stepped on an IED losing both legs and his left arm, and nearly losing his life. He became the only civilian to be treated at the military hospital at Headley Court where he underwent nearly 30 operations and despite being told that he would never walk again, by focusing on what he could do – rather than what he couldn’t – less than two years after the incident, he was both walking and working once more.
Sharing “a look at a world that few see at first-hand, putting things in perspective, but also offering lessons in commitment, goals and values”, Giles will discuss “what businesses can learn from the power and importance of telling a story” as well reflecting on his own resilience and determination.
The BMF Members’ Conference and black-tie Awards Dinner takes place on 15 September at St. George’s Park in Burton on Trent whilst the annual Golf Tournament and other social activities will be held on the previous day, 14 September, at the exclusive JCB Golf and Country Club.
To find out more and book your place of the BMF Members Conference and Awards 2022, please visit the events section at www.bmf.org.uk
