IAM to sit on newly formed UAB New Patron: DIREXYON Technologies We are delighted to welcome DIREXYON Technologies as a new Patron of the IAM. DIREXYON Technologies is a Canadian-based company specialising in predictive decision analytics for asset-intensive industries. With 20 years of industry experience, DIREXYON Technologies corporate culture and core asset management values actively reinforce the IAM asset management vision. The company continues to gear its R&D initiatives toward the advancement of nextgeneration asset investment planning (AIP) technology, notably in tight collaboration with the academics. The company works closely with Canadian universities to foster significant exchange of knowledge and ideas in preparation for future challenges. We look forward to working with them. Find out more about Patrons. The IAM has joined a new board set up to advise on potential improvements to Uniclass 2015, a classification system used to organise information across all construction industry disciplines. Meeting quarterly, the Uniclass Advisory Board (UAB) will feature a cross-section of relevant stakeholder organisations, including other representatives from bodies who supply, consume and procure construction data. Specifically, UAB will explore and advise upon Uniclass in relation to digital constructions evolution and maturation alongside the evolving need for data security around sensitive assets, buildings and infrastructure. Joining the IAM will be the Association of Cost Engineers (AcostE), the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT), the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), and the UK BIM Alliance (UKBIMA). Fiona Moore, who currently oversees the technical delivery of the Government & Industry Interoperability Group (GIIG), will be UABs chair. NBS experts Sarah Delany and Tina Pringle will also sit on the board, providing expert technical advice and insights. Moore, pictured above, said: Those implementing information management processes and the technologies that facilitate them know first-hand how important having a shared way to classify every aspect of a construction project is. The pace of adoption of digital construction is speeding up and thats why we need to ensure that naming conventions and approaches are robust and reflect whats happening in the field. Thats why the creation of an industry-wide panel in the form of the UAB will help to continuously improve Uniclass and make sure it continues to be an important part of driving up construction quality. Pringle, Director of Digital Information, NBS, and a member of the team that devised Uniclass 2015, said: Uniclass 2015 is a powerful system as it provides a unified classification system for the construction sector. It delivers a hierarchical suite of tables that allow for things of all sizes to be classified from an individual screw through to a university campus or road network. It allows for buildings, landscape, and infrastructure to all be classified using one system. As you can see, its very powerful, yet, as digital construction evolves, so must Uniclass. This advisory board is going to be a powerful way to ensure that the system remains fit for purpose as digital construction matures. Ursula Bryan is appointed IAM Chief Executive Officer As President of the IAM and Chair of the Board, I am delighted to announce that Ursula Bryan has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer. An executive leader with a proven track record in delivering value in asset management roles, Ursula will assume responsibilities on 1 February, 2022. The current Managing Director, Andy Watts, will continue to support the IAMs Transform22 programme over the following months. Ursula brings a wealth of experience in asset management. In her previous roles with National Grid, she was responsible for maximising value across the life-cycle of the 14 billion electricity transmission assets. A Fellow of the IAM, Ursula has Ursula Bryan been a board member since 2009, was the deputy president from 2017 to 2019, and the president from 2019 to 2021. This is an exciting period for the IAM. As the IAM focuses on supporting a growing global membership base, having a CEO with Ursulas credentials will be paramount to our success and that of the communities we support. With infrastructure so high on the global agenda, the IAM remains committed to helping governments, investors, asset owners, operators, and managers to maximise value from infrastructure, including the impact to the challenges of the moment climate resiliency, sustainability, and equity. To that avail, the IAM recently launched a global transformation programme Transform22 designed to create added value for its membership base, enhancing local networks and services with an improved global digital backbone. Transform22 will give our global chapters the autonomy to drive member services locally including meetings, conferences, training, and guidelines all within a common global framework. Transform22 will also refocus our core efforts to Translations of core publications and qualifications We are constantly working with volunteers worldwide on translation projects, so that we can offer our knowledge and services in as many languages as possible. Our latest translations are the result of work with volunteers and asset management professionals in the Netherlands, Canada and Iran to support the ongoing development of the profession around the world. As a result of their dedication, we have released: Asset Management An Anatomy in Dutch, which can be downloaded for free All SSGs in Farsi, which can be purchased via our online shop The IAM Certificate and IAM Diploma in French (Canadian), which can be booked via the Qualifications page. We hope to continue this work with other publications and more languages in the coming years. Christian Roberts continue developing the learned society, promoting the discipline of asset management through enhanced digital services, and building off what we have in place to provide more access to knowledge not only for members but also for the benefits of the public. Andy Watts will take a lead role in driving the central components of Transform22. Looking forward to 2022 and beyond, the opportunities we are presented with and the challenges we continue to face as we move out of the pandemic require commitment and leadership. Ursula has demonstrated this both as a volunteer to the IAM and in her professional career. The Board considers itself fortunate to have Ursula lead the IAM to its continuing success and shaping a bright future. Christian Roberts President of the IAM SSG 21 Asset Decommissioning and Disposal is published We are pleased to announce the completion and publication of our latest subject specific guideline SSG 21. The document addresses this subject under the following three sections: What does decommissioning and disposal mean definitions that can be universally applied. Decision-making governance controlling decisions to decommission or dispose of assets. Practical application the practical steps in undertaking decommissioning and disposal. An overriding principle throughout the document is that unless otherwise stated, all aspects of decommissioning and disposal are contained within the scope of the Asset Management System, where the Management System is as defined in ISO 55000. It defines the frameworks within which decommissioning and disposal take place. You can purchase a PDF copy via our online shop. We thank National Grid for sponsoring the release of this publication. Read more about it in this issue. North American chapter conference As co-chair for the North American Conference, I would like to thank everyone who participated in this years virtual event that was held on 12-15 October. This year, we had great speaker participation from keynotes and panels on the topics of Environment, Social and Governance considerations and the role that information management plays and its impact on asset management. We had nearly 70 submissions of abstracts for panels and speaker sessions for the various themes. The conference could not have been made possible without the volunteering of keynotes and speakers, workshop leaders and sponsors. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to our conference committee and the IAM staff. I have the pleasure to work with a passionate team in the spirit of growing the knowledge base in asset management. For those who are interested in volunteering at next years North American Conference, please contact joe.mooney@usa.theiam.org on the specific areas in which you may like to participate. We hope to see everyone in person again in Denver, Colorado, for the 2022 conference. Bonnie Tam, NA Conference Chair, Board Chair, IAM Canada Chapter