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The Hidden Energy Opportunity: Driving Resilient, High-Performing Multi-Site Operations

Name: The Hidden Energy Opportunity: Driving Resilient, High-Performing Multi-Site Operations
Start: 2026-10-22T18:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-22T21:00:00+01:00
Location: Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill | London

Join senior leaders from Blend and Schneider Electric for an executive dinner exploring how organisations are creating more intelligent, efficient and sustainable buildings. Discover how energy optimisation, connected infrastructure and data-driven decision-making can reduce costs, improve resilience and deliver stronger operational performance.

Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill | London

October 22, 2026

to October 22, 2026

6:00 pm

- 9:00 pm

About this event

For years, sustainability and operational performance have often been treated as parallel priorities: one focused on environmental impact, the other on efficiency, cost, and business outcomes. Increasingly, that distinction no longer holds.

Rising energy costs, aging assets, evolving sustainability targets, regulatory pressure, and growing expectations around workplace performance are forcing organizations to rethink how their buildings and facilities operate For organizations managing portfolios of distributed sites, the challenge is not only improving performance, but doing so consistently across many locations, often without dedicated on-site expertise.

Join Blend and Schneider Electric for an executive dinner exploring how leaders how leaders are improving energy performance, operational efficiency and resilience across large portfolios of sites. Through candid peer discussion, we’ll examine how organizations are using energy optimization, connected infrastructure, smart-building technologies, and data-driven decision-making to improve operational performance while advancing environmental goals – and where the greatest barriers remain.

Our speakers

Alice Williams

Vice President, Digital Energy | Schneider Electric

Alice Williams is Vice President, Digital Energy UK at Schneider Electric, where she leads cross-functional teams supporting customers in the deployment, management, and optimization of efficient building management solutions.

With extensive leadership experience spanning strategy, operations, and commercial excellence, Alice is passionate about helping organizations accelerate their electrification and digitalization journeys. A strong advocate for data-driven sustainability, she works closely with customers and partners to improve efficiency and resource management across sectors including real estate, healthcare, education, industry, and infrastructure. Known for her people-centric leadership style, Alice is committed to building high-performing teams and driving innovation that delivers measurable business and sustainability outcomes.

Jean-Marc Zola

Building Segment President | Schneider Electric

Jean-Marc-Zola is Schneider Electric’s Building Segment President, leading the company’s global strategy for the Retail, Healthcare, Real Estate, and Hotel sectors.

With more than two decades at Schneider Electric, Jean-Marc is passionate about helping organizations create future-ready buildings that are sustainable, efficient, and people-centric. He is a strong advocate for the role of electrification and digitalization in addressing climate and operational challenges across the built environment.

Julia Belle

Head of London Community | Blend

Julia is a broadcaster, political commentator, corporate event host and business trainer. She has been covering news, current affairs and entertainment for BBC Three for three years and before this she featured weekly on BBC 5 Live – discussing the newspaper headlines and the latest breaking news.

She hosted a BBC election show, diving into key voter topics, as well as a TED Talk titled “The Secret to Being Right” which was instantly selected amongst TED’s “Editor’s Picks.”

She has interviewed some of the most influential figures in politics and business, on a range of topics from general elections to generative AI.

She runs the London community of Blend as well as the members’ exclusive Blend Book Club, interviewing prolific business authors and sharing key learnings from a range of titles covering topics like leadership, negotiation, DEI, productivity and handling difficult issues.

Michael Ward

UK Retail Segment Leader | Schneider Electric

Michael Ward is Schneider Electric’s UK Retail Segment Leader, bringing more than 10 years of experience in business strategy, commercial growth along with championing more sustainability and energy efficiency for buildings across segments.

He is passionate about helping retail organizations navigate change, improve operational performance, and unlock growth opportunities through innovation and digital transformation. Known for his customer-focused approach, Michael works closely with retailers to address evolving industry challenges and drive sustainable business success.

Key themes & discussion topics

Sustainability as a business performance driver
How energy efficiency and environmental goals can also reduce operating costs, improve resilience and strengthen overall performance.

Smarter buildings, better decisions
Turning connected infrastructure and building data into meaningful action across energy, maintenance, occupancy and asset performance.

Modernising ageing assets
Deciding what to retrofit, optimise, modernise or replace while balancing cost, carbon, resilience and long-term value.

Building for the future
Exploring what a truly future-ready facility looks like and which investments organisations should prioritise today.

Event agenda

Cocktails & networking

6:00 – 6:30 PM

Opening remarks & panel discussion

6:30 – 7:15 PM

Dinner & guided discussion

7:15 – 8:45 PM

Event wrap-up & group reflection

8:45 – 9:00 PM

Why should you attend?

Connect sustainability with measurable business outcomes by exploring where environmental goals and operational performance increasingly overlap.

Learn from peers facing similar challenges around energy costs, ageing assets, building performance and sustainability targets.

Explore practical ways to get more from existing facilities without relying on complete replacement or major reconstruction.

Hear how leaders are preparing for the next generation of buildings by using smarter infrastructure, better data and more strategic investment decisions.

Who should attend

This event is designed for senior executives responsible for the intersection of business performance, sustainability, facilities, energy, technology, and the built environment.

Venue

Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill | London

11-15 Swallow St, Piccadilly
London
W1B 4DG
United Kingdom

Apply to participate