Justin Kirby is a leading industry commentator, connector, and facilitator with over two decades of experience in catalysing stakeholder engagement and business transformation. He is a passionate advocate for bridging the persistent gap between the design-and-build phase and the long-term operational life of a building

This is the central mission of Start With Smart, a community he recently launched to bring together a global network of forward-thinking professionals. Justin’s work applies the same strategic and entrepreneurial drive he used as the Executive Director of the Digital Buildings Council (DBC), where he helped to establish a collaborative platform for industry leaders and facilitate key initiatives, including the crucial Review of The RIBA Smart Buildings Overlay.

A respected voice in the field, Justin has been appointed to the Editorial Guidance Panel for Build in Digital magazine and was nominated to the prestigious Digital Construction Power Players 2025 list by Digital Construction Plus. He is adept at turning complex industry challenges into clear, actionable conversations, making him an ideal moderator for this event.