Industry Panel: AI in the Cleaning Sector – Embracing Change
AI is here to stay but how can it be utilized to best serve a largely people-based industry? This expert panel will consider AI in all its guises and discuss how it can best be employed to enhance the FM, cleaning and hygiene sectors.
Session Speakers
Vanessa Goddess is a marketing strategist with 25+ years' experience, leveraging daily AI integration across Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Co Pilot for campaign development and strategic analysis.
Vanessa is Google AI-certified, creating operational frameworks and training materials for AI-enhanced marketing workflows, and is actively engaged with AI professional communities, translating technical capabilities into practical business applications and measurable productivity gains
Heather Downes is Head of Innovation and Product Development at Mitie Hygiene & Environmental Services. She began her career in the FM industry at the age of 21 and has since gained extensive experience across a wide range of sectors.
Her early career in operational management gave her an in-depth understanding of cleaning service delivery, workforce deployment and customer expectations, which has shaped her expertise in designing solutions that are both practical and forward-looking.
Throughout her career, Heather has been passionate about driving continuous improvement and ensuring that cleaning services evolve to meet the needs of modern workplaces. In her current role, she leads on researching, reviewing and implementing innovative cleaning technologies and methodologies that enhance efficiency, deliver measurable cost savings and improve service outcomes for clients.
A key area of focus for Heather is sustainability: she champions solutions that support Mitie’s environmental ambitions through reducing water and energy usage while also improving productivity. Heather is particularly keen to harness the power of robotics and artificial intelligence to transform the cleaning industry.
By optimising labour resources through smart automation and data-driven insights, she is committed to creating solutions that not only enhance efficiency but also add real value to clients’ environments. This includes exploring how robotics can free up cleaning teams to focus on higher-impact tasks and how AI can provide predictive, responsive approaches to service delivery.
Merci Marosi is the Co-Founder of Bubble Duck, a creative agency renowned for transforming digital marketing in the cleaning sector. Passionate about innovation, Merci focuses on integrating AI-driven strategies to enhance client success and engagement. Her work empowers businesses to embrace technology, fostering growth and adaptability in an evolving industry landscape.
Ceris Burns is a dynamic marketing strategist and international PR expert with over 20 years of experience in essential industries including cleaning, facilities management and environmental sectors.
A multilingual, chartered marketer and CPD accredited AI trainer, she is the founder of CBAi, where she empowers professionals to confidently embrace AI in marketing - making it less overwhelming, more impactful and a lot more human.
As a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Chartered Environmental Cleaner, Ceris has worked with leading organisations including ISS, JCB, BICSc, and i-team Global.
Fluent in five European languages and known for her genuine, no-nonsense approach, she partners with organisations and individuals alike to demystify AI and unlock practical, ROI-driven results.
With over 20 years in the cleaning and facilities management sectors, Kevin has dedicated his career to operational excellence, innovation and business improvement.
Currently, as Head of Cleaning at Sodexo, his goal is to establish the business as the industry leader, leveraging sustainability, innovation and technology to shape the future of cleaning.
