Kick off the day by examining the forces driving change in financial workplaces today. This dynamic discussion will set the scene, surface key challenges, and explore emerging trends and strategic insights, offering a shared perspective on the future of work and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Bridging Physical and Digital Spaces explores how Immersive Design Studios is uniting live and virtual participation into one shared experience. Thomas Soetens will showcase recent projects and introduce CANVAS—a real-time software platform that removes technical barriers between in-room and remote audiences, connecting spaces around the world as one—so organizations can design scalable, interactive experiences with a new dimension of presence.

Join Jim Shea and Philip Ross in conversation as Jim shares the story and vision behind 270 Park Avenue. This session explores the journey from early real estate decisions through design and execution, highlighting the building’s innovative design, cutting-edge technology, and collaborative partnerships that brought the firm’s global headquarters to life, and reflecting on what this landmark project reveals about the future of financial workplaces.

To set the scene, cultural anthropologist Melissa Fisher will introduce a concept from the social studies of finance to help leaders connect fragmented data to strategic impact: sociotechnical assemblages. By introducing this framework, she suggests viewing the workplace as a single system where material buildings, digital technologies like AI, and employees—with their unique habits and cultures—are inextricably linked. Leaders can apply this lens to recognize that diverse data streams only make sense when interpreted through the actual practices of their people. This shift moves beyond "thin data" to analyze the workplace as a social ecosystem, helping to bridge the "saying/doing gap" and turn efficiency into strategic value. To see how these assemblages work in practice, Fisher will moderate the panel, asking panelists to discuss how they are navigating these diverse data streams.

A pre‑launch highlight of the 2026 Global Workplace Adaptivity Index, an upcoming Vecos report developed in partnership with WORKTECH Academy, on how people really use the workplace. Using billions of online locker data points and expert insight, this session shows how Financial Services organisations can design adaptive, people‑centred workplaces that lift human performance while improving space and facilities efficiency.

Organizations are investing heavily in workplace design, technology, and employee experience — but how can the return on these investments be measured? Drawing on the forthcoming 2026 State of the Workplace survey and fresh insights from leaders across industries, this session will explore what ROI means in the context of space and experience. It will offer practical perspectives for decision-makers on evaluating workplace success, linking investment to performance, and making data-informed choices about the environments that enable people to do their best work.

Tomás specialises in tech that provides intelligent, human-centric workplaces that seamlessly integrate data, automation, and user experience. As CEO of Hereworks, he is passionate about leveraging technology to bridge the gap between built environments and the people who use them, driving efficiency and wellbeing, retention and improved performance, in modern workspaces.

In 2009 and 2011, Macquarie Group opened its now iconic workplaces at One Shelley Street in Sydney and 28 Ropemaker in London. In 2024, Macquarie Group opened its newest major workplaces in Sydney, New York, Houston, and Brisbane.

Join Andrew as he shares initial insights, measurable impacts, and lessons learned from these four most recent projects' first 18 months of operation. He will also trace the evolution of Macquarie's "connective architecture" over the last 17 years, highlighting how design and design thinking play a strategic role in supporting Macquarie’s entrepreneurial culture and meeting its commercial goals.

Financial workplace leaders are experimenting with AI to rethink how workspaces are designed and experienced. This panel explores both design and user perspectives — from designing and shaping workspaces to enhancing collaboration, connection, and innovation across digital and physical environments. Panellists will share exploratory approaches, emerging applications, and forward-looking innovation, highlighting new capabilities and opportunities to transform workplace delivery and elevate the employee experience. This session offers fresh perspectives and ideas to spark discussion around the next frontier of AI in the workplace.

As hybrid policies mature and competition for talent intensifies, leading financial institutions are rethinking how workplaces deliver value beyond efficiency and cost control. This panel explores how organizations are leveraging technology and data to curate the employee experience, bridging gaps between strategic mandates and real-world use. Panellists will discuss how AI, digital signage, and workplace management tools and analytics support decision-making, optimize space, measure ROI, and guide cultural and policy shifts shaping the future of financial workplaces.

As organisations push for greater in-office attendance, many are overlooking the real barrier to performance: workplace friction—the gap between organisational intent and operational reality. This session explores how managing friction across space, services and technology can unlock productivity, strengthen culture and position facilities management as critical infrastructure for organisational performance.

As the day concludes, join us to reflect on key themes, insights, and takeaways from the conference. This interactive session will distil key learnings, spark discussion, and explore how the ideas presented can drive future action. Share your thoughts, gain fresh perspectives, and leave inspired to turn insights into impact.