Meredith O’Connor
International Director, JLL
March 21 | 1:30pm-6:00pm | 425 S Financial Pl
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?
1:30 pm: Registration – Lobby
2:00 pm: Opening Session – Room 302/303
3:10 pm: Real Estate & Design Breakout Session – Room 303
3:10 pm: Risk Breakout Session – Room 302
4:15 pm: Closing Session – Room 302/303
5:10 pm: Happy Hour – Atrium (3rd Floor)
6:00 pm: Conclusion of Event
Text EXEC to 22-333 to join the conversation and submit your questions.
International Director, JLL
2:00pm-2:55pm | Room 302/303
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?
Gerald Chiddick is the Midwest Regional Executive for Zurich North America. In this role, he is responsible for executing Zurich’s business strategy for the Midwest Region, including delivering plans for strategic growth, profitability and operational excellence, and building strong relationships with Zurich’s customers and distributors. Prior to his current role, Chiddick was U.S. Middle Market Head of Real Estate, Retail & Hospitality for Zurich North America. He rejoined Zurich in 2021 from Amerisure Insurance, where he served as the Vice President of Marketing and held leadership roles in product and business development.
Todd Heiser, IIDA is a Principal and Co-Managing Director in Gensler’s Chicago office. His leadership showcases more than 20 years of experience in next-generation design at the cutting edge of workplace strategies, and his commitment to a high level of conceptual and technical development, combined with a design process that champions client partnership, transforms spaces for his clients across the globe. With a genuine interest in people and passion for leading teams to personal and professional success, Todd is a trusted mentor to many. His expertise is regularly sought after by organizations, conferences, and global media outlets, exemplifying his influence in the industry and beyond.
Anastasia Herasimovich is a partner in the Firm’s Real Estate Practice Group in Chicago. Anastasia advises a wide range of clients, including Fortune 500 and publicly traded companies, on all aspects of commercial real estate law with a particular focus on domestic and cross-border construction projects and real estate aspects of corporate transactions. Anastasia has worked on many high-profile construction projects involving commercial, industrial, warehouse, retail, mixed-use and religious properties in 100+ jurisdictions.
Dennis Vicchiarelli has over 30 years of professional experience working for public, private, and nonprofit entities in the urban planning, economic development, and real estate arenas. Vicchiarelli is currently employed as Managing Director of Research and Strategy in the Chicago office of JLL. In this capacity, he functions as a leading authority on commercial real estate activity in the Chicago region, serving as a market expert and JLL representative, and working with business community, media, and public sector partners.
Eleanor Esser Gorski is the CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center, the leading organization devoted to celebrating and promoting Chicago as a center of architectural innovation and education. Gorski brings to the role more than 25 years in architecture, historic preservation and urban planning; a passion for design as a way to create equity; and a wealth of deep experience and knowledge of Chicago, including appointments to key city leadership roles under three mayoral administrations.
3:10pm-4:00pm | Room 303
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?
As a Principal at Perkins and Will, Joe Connell plays a significant role in designing innovative work spaces that put employee needs first. His clients include Interface, Herman Miller, Haworth, and Google. And while ongoing projects keep him busy, he also makes times for cycling, kayaking, and snowshoeing—focused hobbies that perhaps adds to his expertise in creating environments that encourage concentration.
Brian Hungerford is a Principal and Director of Architecture at OTJ Architects. Most recently he has provided corporate headquarter design leadership for Spirit Airlines, SC Johnson, Adient, Solstice, Radio Flyer, and Caterpillar. Brian holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kentucky and has served as a guest lecturer and juror at various institutions, including his alma mater, the Illinois Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University, the University of Illinois Chicago, and the Harrington Institute of Design.
Mike Lombardo, J.D. is the Managing Broker of Blue Star Properties and has been an active real estate professional in Chicago since 2004. During that time, Mike has represented both Tenants and Landlords in lease transactions totaling more than 2 million square feet. Mike played an integral role in redeveloping and leasing The National, a historic 600,000 square foot Daniel Burnham designed property in the Central Loop. Mike also owns and oversees the leasing of a portfolio of properties in the Chicagoland area that contains more than 1 million square feet of office space.
Dr. Suzet McKinney, a nationally recognized public health expert, serves as Principal and Director of Life Sciences at Sterling Bay. In her role, Dr. McKinney leads the strategy to expand Sterling Bay’s footprint in life sciences nationwide, pursue grant programs for laboratory incubation and graduation space and advance the work of various Sterling Bay life sciences initiatives. Prior to joining Sterling Bay, Dr. McKinney was CEO and Executive Director of the Illinois Medical District (IMD).
As the Executive Vice President and CEO of the International Interior Design Association, known as IIDA, Cheryl Durst is committed to achieving broad recognition for the value of design and its significant role in society through the power of the built environment to shape and enhance daily life. With 15,000 members across 58 countries, Cheryl oversees the strategic direction of IIDA, curates and capably leads the 10-member International Board of Directors and directs all outreach and programmatic efforts, including more than a dozen global design competitions that recognize worldwide excellence in interior design.
3:10pm-4:00pm | Room 302
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?
Joe Macejak is a property broker residing in Marsh’s Chicago office. In his leadership role, Joe is responsible for strategically developing and assisting Real Estate clients in the Property Practice throughout the Central Zone portion of the United States. Joe’s responsibilities include innovating marketplace strategies, developing product solutions customized for each individual client, coordinating and implementing the execution of initiatives to deliver results, and establishing servicing plans for Real Estate client’s property risk needs.
Gerald Chiddick is the Midwest Regional Executive for Zurich North America. In this role, he is responsible for executing Zurich’s business strategy for the Midwest Region, including delivering plans for strategic growth, profitability and operational excellence, and building strong relationships with Zurich’s customers and distributors. Prior to his current role, Chiddick was U.S. Middle Market Head of Real Estate, Retail & Hospitality for Zurich North America. He rejoined Zurich in 2021 from Amerisure Insurance, where he served as the Vice President of Marketing and held leadership roles in product and business development.
4:15pm-4:55pm | Room 302/303
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?
John is a partner and the cofounder of McKinsey’s Real Estate Practice, where he leads boards, CEOs, and senior executives in improving the performance of investment portfolios, corporate real estate, and development programs including office, housing, mixed use, complex healthcare, and life science across six continents. He guides institutions designing the “future of work” to achieve higher performance through improved workplace experience, technology solutions, and more efficient real estate portfolios.
#WhereTheFutureMeets | #DesignSummit23
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