AT chats to… Samantha McClary about her obsession with lego, her first conference as Chief Executive of the BCO and what her career as a journalist will bring to the job.

What sets the BCO conference apart from the other high-profile gatherings in the industry calendar?
The BCO Conference brings together experts from across the entirety of the workspace sector from concept to active use. That means there isn’t a person there who isn’t going to be a useful contact for you. That sort of focus is invaluable. The quality of our speakers and depth of the discussions that they’ll have sets us apart too. And this year, with our focus on brand, design and quality, delegates will be able to get the inside track on how vital this is for a successful workspace, giving them the upper hand in an increasingly competitive world. And, of course, there are our tours. BCO conferences get our delegates out and about to physically interact with best-in-class developments. The tangibility of property is one of the things that makes this sector so brilliant. To be able to showcase this and enable people to learn and be inspired is pretty special if you ask me. Which you did…

What do you want to achieve at this year’s conference?
This is my first conference as chief executive of the BCO so it’s a really great opportunity for me to meet hundreds of our members and find out more about what they love most about the BCO and how we can be even more powerful for them. It is a really great opportunity for me to learn more about this part of the real estate sector too. I want to come away hoarse of voice from chatting too much, with a brain full of ideas and information, and with an even bigger skip in my step. It’s pretty big already to be honest, but I know I’m going to be inspired by the conference.

What are the highlights in the programme for you?
All of it. It’s jam-packed and almost impossible to choose where to spend my time. I’m considering cloning myself. I’m obviously really excited to join conference chair and vice president Helen Hare up on stage to talk about the future, but I’m expecting to be fascinated by Carlo Alberto Carnevale-Maffe’s keynote, our sessions on really understanding the value of customer experience and how to get it right and all the NextGen sessions too, particularly their workshops on the future of the workplace. I could go on…

What attracted you to your new role at the BCO?
I love the real estate sector. I find it fascinating. I think the people in it are among some of the smartest and most genuine people around. It is an industry that really cares and genuinely does some really brilliant work. I don’t think enough people know that and I want to advocate for that. I can do that at the BCO. The workspace sector is also going through an exciting period of transformation and to be able to take up a position where you get to be a part of that, to see that transformation, to help guide our sector through it through the sharing of best-practice, intelligence and inspiration, is a real gift. I am incredibly passionate about showcasing and building talent and bringing fresh ideas both into the sector and shining a light on them, so I was also attracted by the strength of the BCO’s NextGen membership and the potential they bring. I could go on and on and on, if I’m honest. But the simple answer is the people – the people within the BCO team, all the members, presidents and committees, and the people in the sector as a whole –  and the potential – the workspace sector has so much potential, to deliver for planet, people and UK PLC and the BCO can help with that.

How will your past experience in the industry inform your approach as chief executive?
As a journalist you learn how to listen as much as you learn how to ask probing questions. You learn how to make people comfortable so they trust you and tell you the truth. You get to understand what makes people tick. Understanding what matters and why and how to articulate that is a vital skillset. I very much plan to put that to use at the BCO. The more I can understand and learn from our membership, the wider market and beyond, the greater use we can be, the bigger impact we can have. I also learnt how to communicate pretty well, I hope, so plan to use that to bring even more of the incredible content within the BCO membership to life.

What should BCO members know about you that they might not know already?
I may be a frustrated architect as I am obsessed with LEGO. They should probably also know that my passion for the sector means that I can be just as fierce a challenger as I am champion, so while I will always support you, I will also always poke you to be better.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Knowing that what our industry does makes and difference and that I can help a little bit in that through the work of the BCO.

And what keeps you awake at night?
Apart from my mum’s cat, who is living with us and likes to scream at 2am? Knowing that what our industry does makes and difference and that I can help a little bit in that through the work of the BCO. Helping change the perception of our industry is a responsibility that has weighed heavy on me for a number of years now. Getting it right is important.

Samantha McClary is CEO of the British Council for Offices.