Gerald Chiddick
Midwest Regional Executive Distribution & Regional Management, Zurich North America
Over three years after its onset, COVID-19 continues to reshape how the world functions. Organizations across the globe must rethink how they function to keep stakeholders happy and engaged. As the future of work evolves, the design, real estate, and risk assessment and insurance sectors are all repurposing old models and innovating for the needs of the present and future. In the city of Chicago, organizations must reconsider how they invest in workspaces and secure their assets. As the Loop evolves to meet our changing needs: How can organizations adapt to keep employees engaged with in-person work? Should companies continue to invest in high-end real estate opportunities? What are the significant risks companies face today as they plan for their future in Chicago? How can companies best meet the needs of today while making secure, sound decisions for their future? How can the central business district be reimagined to innovate the office experience?
Join Exec Club and JLL on March 21, 2023 at Investing in Spaces & Building the Future where industry leaders will discuss innovations happening in the design, real estate, and risk insurance industries.
The changes to work models and business practices brought on by COVID-19 are here to stay. Businesses around the world and in the city of Chicago are adjusting how they operate and design, real estate, and law firms as well as risk and insurance organizations must adapt to meet the new needs of clients, investors, their employees and other stakeholders.
What are the most pertinent business and legal trends in these sectors today? How can organizations adapt to keep employees engaged with in-person work? What do business leaders need to consider as they formulate strategic plans? How can Chicago’s central business district be reimagined to innovate the office experience? How have priorities shifted to meet the expectations and needs of now? What opportunities and challenges does this shift bring to businesses?
Midwest Regional Executive Distribution & Regional Management, Zurich North America
Managing Director, Gensler Chicago
Partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP
Managing Director of Research and Strategy, JLL
Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Architecture Center
The pandemic left office spaces empty for months on end, with many companies still struggling to get employees back in their spaces. This is not without significant financial loss. Organizations are now left scrambling to determine how to get a return on their investment in commercial properties while balancing employee demands for remote and hybrid work models.
Now more than ever, companies must determine if having a physical office space is essential for business operations, company culture, and effective workflows to avoid major losses on real estate investments.
What is the right kind of office space to invest in for the future? What elements of design attract employees back to the office? How do companies ensure they are investing in design that is functional, cost-effective, and meets the expectations of employees? How can organizations assess their need – or lack thereof— for physical office space? Do the pros of investment outweigh potential risks and losses?
Principal, Chicago, Perkins+Will
Principal, Director of Architecture, OTJ Architects
Managing Broker, Blue Star Properties
Principal, Director of Life Sciences, Sterling Bay
CEO, IIDA
As the pandemic lingers, organizations must face the realities that come with the uncertainty of the future, including the risks that arise with investment in real estate and workplaces.
Office space and real estate investments cannot be fruitful without the right planning and protection. Global recovery and risk mitigation is vital for a continued return to normalcy, and companies must be cognizant of the most pressing risks that come with investing in assets.
How has the approach to risk assessment and asset protection changed in the wake of the pandemic? What can organizations do immediately to protect themselves and their assets? How can companies prioritize the risks they must mitigate? What are current innovations happening in real estate, and how can the new exposures and different risks that they may pose be managed?
Managing Director, Marsh
Midwest Regional Executive Distribution & Regional Management, Zurich North America
When it comes to investing in and securing the future of the workplace and commercial real estate, organizations must consider how the ever-changing world affects their strategic planning. Strategic planning must go beyond determining opportunities for growth—companies must also consider how the future of work affects their long-term investment strategy in real estate and workspaces. Moreover, organizations must recognize that their investment in workspaces goes beyond fiscal commitment. Companies must leverage real estate opportunities to foster meaningful growth, promote inclusive and productive workplaces, and attract and retain talent.
How can an organization plan for the future of their workplace in this era of change? What are the key lessons learned through the pandemic? What steps can organizations take to meet the challenges of current and future workplace expectations? How can companies plan for growth while instilling flexibility and resiliency in their strategic plans to be prepared for the unknown?
Partner & Co-Founder of Real Estate Practice, McKinsey
