IAM Annual Conference 2022 Day two Infrastructure asset management in the Middle East Day two of the conference opened with a fascinating keynote from Dr Najib H Dandachi, the CEO of Al Usul, discussing the achievements and challenges of the Gulf Cooperation Councils (GCC) infrastructure asset management. He stressed that the GCC is, in a way, creating a whole new world from scratch, with cities such as Neom and Dubai. The population of Dubai has grown 60 times larger in the past 30 years, and such rapid growth has required a monumental shift in the approach to infrastructure. This unprecedented growth has led to numerous infrastructure projects. In response to the growing energy requirements, the UAE has commissioned two of the worlds largest nuclear reactors, Barakah 1 and Barakah 2, with a predicted power output of four megawatts, and two further reactors are planned for the future. Similarly, railway networks are being expanded to better connect national and international cities; renewable, sustainable, and decentralised desalination plants are improving access to potable water; and a shift to accessible tourism has made it easier than ever to visit, with online visa applications taking as little as half an hour to receive. The financial investments and move to asset-centric organisations are working together to achieve ambitious and impressive targets for net zero. This shift has also included strong consideration of the efficiency, not just the effectiveness, of the assets, as companies in the region move away from the conservative, risk-averse approach to infrastructure implementation. Dr Dandachi examines AM initiatives Dr Najib Dandachi opens day two with his keynote More than 300 questions asked during sessions A lack of complacency and organisational Darwinism, as Dr Dandachi described it, was perfectly demonstrated by the Leadership Digitisation Initiative. The Prime Minister of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, released the results of an open survey to determine which companies had implemented digital services most effectively. Those companies with the highest ratings were praised by the Prime Minister in a Tweet, and those with the lowest ratings given 90 days to improve. Dr Dandachi stated that, while digitisation was becoming a priority across all industries, the human factor should not be ignored, because this is the key to the success of any organisation. The rapidly evolving approach to the human resource in the GCC focuses on a robust competency framework, aims to empower women in every industry, and lower the reliance on an external workforce, while attracting and retaining qualified immigrants. After all, as it was so well put by Khadeidre Le Gendre in day ones NxtGen presentation, all asset management problems are people problems! There was a wide selection of streams to choose from following the keynote, from Exploring diversity, equity and inclusion in asset management, to Digitising the brownfield, as well as The future is here knowledge asset management in 2022 and Forging a template for the future of rail asset management. Decisions, decisions John Woodhouse, of TWPL, presented a deeply thought-provoking talk on Building decision-making capabilities for the decisive decade. This was not, as most people understand optimised decisionmaking, focused on data analytics, but instead discussed the organisational capability to make better decisions, understanding the human factors in play and helping to improve communication with stakeholders. The decisive decade is defined by the risks facing the planet, and these risks are the critical factor necessitating a move away from a short-term focus. However, changing this focus is no simple task. For some businesses, a short-term approach feels necessary to survive long enough to create more options for the future. For the individual, we often praise those who solve almost catastrophic issues, while those who work quietly in the background to prevent them happening in the first place seldom receive recognition. For organisations, the management rotation prioritises short-term gains as a demonstration of value to achieve further promotion. Whatever the reason, a short-term focus leads to consequences: unsustainability; decision avoidance; a ticking time bomb of cumulative risk. So what can we do to shift our thinking? Well, the SALVO project Woodhouse described offers an off the shelf approach to building a decision-making framework in organisations, with a six-step process covering each of the generic capabilities for decision-making in asset management. Identify and prioritise the problems and opportunities; define the problem; identify potential solutions; evaluate and optimise timing of discrete options; evaluate and optimise combinations of interventions; and assemble total portfolio and programme. He summarised that a people-centric process is needed, and that proven, accepted methods are already available. Reinventing the wheel is unnecessary, and often causes more problems than it solves. Furthermore, the existing information held by organisations is usually enough, if we ask the right questions of the right people, in the right way. Woodhouse concluded that global case studies have consistently revealed multimillion-dollar cost benefits, as well as reductions in risk and improvements to performance and sustainability within hours or days compared with current strategies. John Woodhouse discusses mega risks... ... existing solutions and methodologies... ... and explains the SALVO process Todays challenges Dr Christian Roberts provides the second keynote The second keynote of the day was presented by Dr Christian Roberts, the President of the IAM, entitled Our role in addressing todays challenges. This was followed by another set of brilliant and topical workshops and presentations, including IAM mega-trends 2022, Enbridge case study best practice for capital planning excellence and An integrated green/gray asset management framework. Reflections More than 50 speakers throughout the two days Headline sponsor What should we take away from the conference? Ursula Bryan, the IAM CEO, stepped in to give her thoughts. Maturity journeys, sustainability and digitisation were the three largest topics to crop up in the abstracts submitted by prospective presenters; however, she noted that it was rare for any presentation to focus on just one of these topics. In fact, they often went hand in hand. One area that particularly struck Bryan was outcomes. Engaging with the wider community to understand what they need from the assets, understanding who suffers the consequences, and how thinking needs to view both the local and global impacts. This is also linked to the approach of managing assets with a view to the long term, thinking beyond the end of asset life. Can these assets be recycled? Repurposed? Points well worth considering. Sponsors Exhibitor list Did you miss the conference? 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