Name: Dan Drogman
Title: CEO, Smart Spaces
What I do: I lead a team of 50 people to integrate commercial office spaces with smart technology, improving accessibility and carbon footprint. My role is focused on growing the business and ensuring we can scale efficiently. Our next innovation frontier is implementing AI to drive new smart building features at speed and helping increase the energy efficiency of office spaces much quicker, on behalf of our clients.
Why I got into the property industry: I originally wanted to become an architect, but computer programming came naturally when my dad bought me my first MS DOS PC in 1986. When I left university, my first job was developing software for a commercial property marketing company. It was there where I spotted the opportunity in using software beyond property marketing, in managing real estate more efficiently.
How I did it: My brother Tom and I started Smart Spaces a decade ago. We started out as ‘coders for hire’ in the early days of the business, using our skillset to pay rent. From here we secured a deal to set up the meeting room booking functionality for Marriott Hotels. This was a pivotal step in the foundation of the business as we saw an opportunity to evolve and implement this technology in office spaces.
My first proper job: Developing software for a commercial property marketing company.
My first big break: The contract with Marriott Hotels.
My inspiration(s): I have an appreciation for architecture and how buildings are designed. The engineering and design complexity inspires me in the work I do in heading up Smart Spaces.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: Pre-pandemic there was a lot of reluctance in managing the workplace experience using technology. Many companies were also reluctant to understand how technology can bring down the carbon footprint of a building and increase its energy efficiency. I think today that challenge is being overcome and I think our track record has played a key part in that.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: Smart Spaces has always been an independent business, with no external funding. We started off small but became profitable very early in our journey and now, our growing team of 50 works with companies such as GPE, 22 Bishopsgate, Ashby Capital and Hines.
The biggest misconception people have about the property industry: That it’s traditional with no diversity of career opportunities.
My biggest bugbear about the industry/the one thing I would change about the industry: The real estate sector would evolve quicker if companies had more confidence in trial and error in uncovering the optimal solutions to operational challenges, and if people had the confidence to make bold decisions and take risks. Tech integration is one of the most important trends shaping the built environment in the next decade, but the level of impact will depend on who is willing to take the leap forward and who isn’t.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: Diversity of perspectives enables you to fix problems and find the next innovation. Technology can also help you do that but people from different backgrounds accelerate creativity and can amplify the impact of the technologies you deploy.
Why I’m so passionate about ESG: I love working on some of the world’s most impressive office developments, from skyscrapers to historical buildings, which we’re transforming through the power of technology. I want these buildings to stand the test of time and they cannot do so if they’re not energy efficient and operating at their optimum though the use of use technology.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: I want to see Smart Spaces continue to evolve, innovate and scale at pace to meet the needs of our clients and organisations, from corporates to property developers, as they grow and prepare for the future. I see myself leading an expanding team of talented individuals, the best in the business, that will help to grow the company’s smart building platform beyond the 80m sq ft of commercial real estate we are today, and expand globally and add to the 26 countries worldwide we currently operate in.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: Winston Churchill would be fascinating to speak to and get to know what he was really like in person.
What I do in my downtime: Reading and travelling. I like going to Collioure, a small town in the South of France.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: Architecture.
My advice for someone just starting out: The built environment is going through a digital transformation so anyone starting in the industry should now have a good understanding of how technology can make a real difference. Knowing how to use software can help you spot where improvements can be made and can give you a career advantage.
My motto/mantra: Be passionate about what you do.
