"It kind of hit that point where I felt it was probably the right time for a fresh challenge," says Peter Crowther, president of the British Council for Offices.
The real estate leader has experienced a whirlwind 12 months of change, first stepping down as Bruntwood SciTech chief development officer in November to develop his own property business, Here, and then taking on the role of BCO president in June.
Crowther says he listened to his own advice when deciding to set up his own property consultancy firm, having told his children and colleagues to follow their passions at career-defining moments. The company, cofounded with fellow Bruntwood alumni Kate Lawlor, focuses on the acquisition, reinvention and repositioning of buildings, with a focus on offices and life sciences.
His ambition to be BCO president, however, was driven by the feeling that he needed to give back to an industry in which he has worked for more than a quarter of a century, and to help bring on the next generation of property leaders.
Crowther says: "I had already been a member of the Northern Regional Committee for three or four years at the point I went into a BCO Awards judge, so I was already involved in the BCO and that was through the usual route of submitting an application to make the group aware of my appetite to become involved and make a contribution.
"At the point that Bruntwood SciTech was formed, I needed to focus 100% on my work in helping support the business find its feet and get into a rhythm. But, once that happened, there was the opportunity to have a look at re-engaging and giving time again to the BCO."
The BCO is the leading forum for the UK's office sector and its members include property agents, developers, managers and tenants. It spreads best practice through discussion and research – all in the name of improving the country's workplaces.
Crowther succeeds Despina Katsikakis, executive partner and global lead of total workplace at Cushman & Wakefield, and comes in at a time when the sector is facing numerous challenges, including how properties and those associated with them deal with climate change and technological advancement.
He says the BCO is looking at how retrofit and AI can offer solutions to these challenges, partly through its Guide to Specification and Guide to Fit Out papers. Crowther says the resources will help to steer the industry through "hugely challenging" times.
"It's quite difficult to keep up with the pace of change," he says, "but, as an organisation, we are responding and probably being even more demanding of ourselves to make sure we maintain that relevance and insight that really adds value to everybody.
"Within the BCO there is a real focus on retrofit – how we can recycle, reinvent that which exists already. There may be some buildings that come with inhibitors to retrofit, but through a team of advisers and utilising things like the Guide to Specification and the Guide to Fit Out, I think you can successfully reinvent the majority of existing buildings.
"I also think we are doing a reasonable amount of work around the integration of AI and having a look at how it can play a part [in the evolution of offices], in term of the efficiency of the buildings, but also in regards to the occupier experience and creating an environment that is enjoyable."
Another focus of the BCO President is boosting the participation of its members who are occupiers, with Crowther explaining that the forum should have varied representation. He says this ultimately benefits the group's research and events.
Crowther describes the appointment of Andy McBain, head of future of workspace and design at banking group NatWest, to junior vice-president as a "great hire" and one that will improve the BCO. The forum is also looking to boost its NextGen cohort, property professionals under the age of 35.
Crowther helped to organise the annual conference in Birmingham this year and says he made an effort to involve NextGen representatives, who make up around 25% of the membership, from the start of the planning process all the way through to its delivery. He described their input as invaluable.
He adds: "Including NextGen involves a level of challenge to how we do things and what we are doing at the BCO. That is really healthy and I'm keen to make sure that, as people move through from NextGen and into the next stage of their involvement with the BCO, they continue to have a voice because I'm incredibly passionate about inclusivity."
He finishes by saying that the BCO must be a "place for everybody", insisting that participation from all corners is needed for the forum to continue its work into the future. "We need all members to keep continuing to feed in, to pose the questions, the challenges, to participate... We will succeed as a result of our members participation."