1 May 2025 12pm – 12.45pm Zoom webinar

Overview

Recently, we opened nominations for two Non-Executive Director (NED) roles on the IWFM Board. If you are considering nominating yourself or want to learn more, join IWFM Chair Mark Whittaker and one of our newest Board member's Linda Alexander plus Jake Drummond on this short webinar, followed by a Q&A.

Mark will talk about the Board and the role requirements, and Linda and Jake will discuss their recent experiences as Board members, what attracted them to the role and the benefits to their careers. Discover more, like how NEDs balance the role with a day job and advice for those considering nominating themselves. 

Please note: To be eligible to become an NED, you must be of Certified grade or above and held that grade for at least 6 months. We welcome and encourage applicants from all members of the community regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, belief, marital status, pregnancy or any other personal circumstances. 

Nominations will close on 9 May. 

Speakers

Linda Alexander CIWFM

Head of Facilities Management, The Commonwealth Secretariat

Linda Alexander’s experience spans a range of sectors including not for profit, health and higher education. Her career in workplace and facilities management spans three decades and her association with the Institute just as long.  She joins the Board with previous NED experience and a stated aim to be a voice and a role model for those underrepresented in workplace and facilities management at senior levels.

Jake Drummond FIWFM

Deputy Director, Property Profession & Deputy Government Head of Property Profession

Jake was appointed as Deputy Government Head of Property Profession in April 2024, having spent the previous six years working across various senior Property roles in the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), primarily in the Facilities Management (FM) arena.  During his time in MoJ, Jake led the transition of Prisons FM into the MoJ Property Directorate, to ensure alignment with the wider HMPPS Probation and HQ estate.

Prior to joining the MoJ, Jake was the Estates and Facilities Manager for Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust, where he began his career in Property in 2008.  Since leaving the Trust as an employee, Jake has sat on the Board of Directors, where he currently serves as Vice Chair of the Board and also Chairs the Finance, Audit, Risk and Resources Committee.

Jake also serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM)

Mark Whittaker CIWFM

IWFM Chair, IWFM
Mark Whittaker CIWFM was appointed to the role of IWFM Chair in October 2021 and has been Chair of the Institute for coming up to four years. Mark has worked in the workplace and facilities management profession for approximately 19 years, and is the General Manager for an FM consultancy, Thomson FM Ltd. His volunteering journey with the Institute started over 12 years ago, when he answered a LinkedIn post asking for volunteers to help with the then BIFM Lancashire Group. In the years that followed, he became Deputy Chair and then Chair of IWFM North Region. Mark was awarded "BIFM Regional Volunteer of the Year" in 2015 and has since been an ambassador for IWFM’s Career of Choice school’s programme. He joined the Board as an elected Non-Executive Director in 2018 and also serves on various Institute Committees in his Chair role.
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