FEDESSA Conference & Trade Show 2024

Mark Durden-Smith

Event Host,

Taking a break from his roles on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now, ‘Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights’ and Sky 1’s ‘The Match’ and passing up a much higher paid job offer to host a massively prestigious event just because he loved his time with the self storage industry so much last time.  Mark injects a level of humour into the event while keeping things on track and managing all the questions from the audience.

Geoff Ramm

Keynote, OMG Marketing

Like you, Geoff Ramm, the creator and author of Celebrity Service and OMG Marketing, knows that great customer service leads to lucrative, repeat business but a greater experience leads to global recognition.  So how can you design a customer experience that has you talked about for decades to come?

Geoff knows all the tricks to make you craved by your customers, envied by your competitors and raved about in your industry.  In his interactive presentation you will not only discover out-of-this-world ideas, you will be excited to implement them too.  He’s challenged and inspired entrepreneurs, companies and organisations across six continents to create award winning ideas to outperform the competition.  Author of the Celebrity Service & OMG book trilogy, he has also been awarded the PSAE award of speaking Excellence.  Oh and his on-stage presence and infectious enthusiasm and humour will have you on the edge of your seats.

Rennie Schafer

SSA UK & FEDESSA

Rennie is the current CEO of the Self Storage Association UK & FEDESSA, having previously been the CEO of the Australasian Self Storage Association for over 9 years.  Rennie has extensive knowledge of the self storage industry across the world, from the developing Asian markets through to the birthplace of self storage in the USA.  He has over 22 years of association management experience 17 at CEO level.  Rennie is also on the Board of the Institute of Association Leadership, has an MBA and completed the Oxford University High performance leadership programme.

Oliver Close

CBRE Ltd

Oliver Close is a Senior Director at CBRE Ltd and leads the firm’s activities in the self storage sector.  Oliver has over 22 years’ experience in self storage and has provided real estate advice to many of the major operators in the industry, across both Europe and the Asian self storage markets.  
Oliver worked on the stock market flotations of both Shurgard and Safestore, has executed a number of sale transactions in several jurisdictions and collaborates closely with the SSA UK, including with the production of the UK Self Storage Survey for a period of years.  CBRE’s activities include, in addition to valuations and transactions, general advisory, debt advisory, equity raising, capital allowance advice, corporate finance and site acquisition services.

Mike Tate

Storage King Australia

A true legend of the self storage industry Michael co founded Storage King in Australia in 1998 and has grown it to be one of the largest self storage brands in Australia and New Zealand with over 220 stores, while still maintaining an amazing workplace culture and that “family business” feel.  Michael came from a retail and property background and transformed the traditional property management style inherent in the industry at the time to a living breathing retail offering that householders and small businesses were crying out for.  Its been 10 years since he last spoke at a FEDESSA conference and this year he will be talking about how the role of the self storage manager has changes since he spoke last and why people are still important in the industry.

John Lindsey

Co-Founder and President, Lindsey Self Storage Group

John C. Lindsey graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Business Administration with a Commercial Real Estate Development Concentration.

Licensed since 2008, his only focus has been self storage as he has explored brokerage, consultation, development, and management over the past seven years while working on various projects throughout the world.  He recently entered the European market through the Europa group with recent acquisitions in the Netherlands.

John is a member of the North Carolina, South Carolina and National Self Storage Associations, as well as a board member of the national Self Storage Association, the NCSSA, and Former President of the SSASC.

Federico Rolz

CEO, Mr.[B] - Self Storage

Federico Rölz is the CEO and leader of Mr.[B]-Self Storage (formerly known as Mr. Bodeguitas), a vertically integrated company that develops, owns, and operates 17 storage facilities and 60,000m² of NRA across Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

Mr.[B] is establishing a new standard in the region through its extensive reach, having built a multi-country, multi-currency company with an innovative, service-driven approach to self-storage.  Mr.[B] has also become an innovator in the self-storage industry, winning the “International Facility of the Year Award” four times over.

Mr.[B] is on an ambitious growth path, with 6 new facilities in development, adding another 25,000m² of NRA in the next 2-3 years, aiming for a 120,000m² portfolio before 2030.

Federico is also an influential figure in the broader self-storage community. He has been a speaker and/or moderator at numerous industry events in Guatemala, the United States and Spain, sharing his insights and expertise. Additionally, he co-founded and presided over the self-storage association in Guatemala for over six years.

Kevin Chan

Chairman and Founder, Store Friendly

Kevin Chan, Kai Ho is the Founder and Chairman of Store Friendly Self Storage Group, which was founded in 2002 and has grown to be the largest self storage provider in Asia with over 130 branches covering Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore. Store Friendly has earned its reputation by providing high-quality service, reliability and convenient location.

Their model is “F.A.S.T.” which means Focus, Action, Search and Tenacity. Kevin was the first person to adopt a smart security system in self storage in Hong Kong, which features dehumidification by air conditioner, restricted access to facilities by Smart Cards & 24-hour online surveillance. At present, Storefriendly manages more than 2 million square feet of GFA and is the largest self storage provider in Asia and garnered 25% market share in Hong Kong. The robust growth from 3 branches in 2002 to over 130 branches in 2024 is the result of Kevin’s efforts of scaling up the business through franchising. Kevin was a founding member of the Asian self storage association and has spoken at numerous self storage events around the world.

Dr. Christina Radics

Transformational Coach

Dr. Christina Radics is a passionate motivational speaker, dentist, coach, DJ and researcher dedicated to igniting human potential and fostering happiness. Having experienced burnout while running her successful dental clinic, Christina Radics blends insights from extensive research and personal experience to deliver an engaging presentation that inspires positive change. Through practical tools and relatable anecdotes, Christina Radics empowers audiences to overcome challenges, cultivate resilience, and embrace a happier, more fulfilling life.  This session will not just cover the concepts of work-life balance but give or take-home ways in which to change your life and become happier in what you do.

Geoff Ramm

Keynote, OMG Marketing

Like you, Geoff Ramm, the creator and author of Celebrity Service and OMG Marketing, knows that great customer service leads to lucrative, repeat business but a greater experience leads to global recognition.  So how can you design a customer experience that has you talked about for decades to come?

Geoff knows all the tricks to make you craved by your customers, envied by your competitors and raved about in your industry.  In his interactive presentation you will not only discover out-of-this-world ideas, you will be excited to implement them too.  He’s challenged and inspired entrepreneurs, companies and organisations across six continents to create award winning ideas to outperform the competition.  Author of the Celebrity Service & OMG book trilogy, he has also been awarded the PSAE award of speaking Excellence.  Oh and his on-stage presence and infectious enthusiasm and humour will have you on the edge of your seats.

Christel Land

Clover 4

Christel Land is a popular business coach/consultant and an experienced sales and marketing trainer with extensive experience working in the self storage industry.  She regularly delivers sales, service, and marketing training sessions for the SSA UK and FEDESSA.  She started out in self storage over 20 years ago and since then she has worked at every level of the industry. It is this experience she brings to her training and coaching. Christel also works with web design and specializes in building smart booking systems for self storage websites. She is the author of the only book to date on sales in the self storage industry.  Combining her engaging training style with an enormous amount of industry knowledge, Christel will give you all the tools you need to grow your sales skills and improve your performance.

Izeldi Loots

Director - Valuation Advisory - Alternatives, JLL

Izeldi leads the Alternatives Valuation and Advisory team at JLL with a focus on self storage. The specialist team in London works with local European teams to service clients across EMEA providing valuation and consulting advice to institutional investors, lenders, entrepreneurs and family offices.  She has more than 10 years’ experience in the  self storage industry, having worked for a family owned and operated self storage company in  South Africa. The company was a market leader and successfully sold to a listed self storage REIT on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. More recently, she authored valuation guidance notes for self storage properties for the RICS.  

Anne Ballard

Universal Storage Group

Anne Ballard is President of Marketing, Training & Developmental Services for Universal Storage Group and is known industry-wide as The Hat Lady for her variety of headwear. Anne has served on the SSA Board of Directors and is a two-term Past President of the Georgia Self Storage Association. A frequent speaker at state, national, and international conferences, Anne is also the author of The Hat Lady Speaks, Marketing and Managing Self Storage and numerous articles for industry magazines and The Self Storage Almanac, Development Handbook, and others over the last 30 years. Founder of Universal Management Company in Atlanta in 1993 and now an owner and partner in Universal Storage Group. She handles facility planning, feasibility studies, design, startups, and operational consulting and training.

USG manages over 75 properties in the US and has another 20+ consulting clients. USG has won 13 Facilities of the Year awards for its clients and 9-time winners of Best Manager Training from ISS along with Best Development Consulting and best third party management.

David Rowan

Keynote,

David Rowan, founding UK Editor-in-Chief of WIRED and author of the bestselling book Non-Bullshit Innovation (Penguin), is today’s leading speaker on how emerging technologies will impact business — and how leaders should prepare now. David has given 700 keynotes around the world, and has moderated events for governments, the World Economic Forum and the biggest global companies. An investor in more than 170 early-stage tech companies, he runs venture funds that invest in health-tech and climate-tech. David has been a technology columnist for The Times, GQ, Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times, and at WIRED he got to know the founders of tech giants such as WhatsApp, LinkedIn and Spotify. And he is still searching for the future.

Ahmet Kuyumcu

CEO and Founder, Prorize

Ahmet Kuyumcu is the founder and CEO of Prorize, which offers AI-based revenue-management (RM) solutions to self-storage operators in 24 countries across six continents. The firm’s proprietary software and pricing consultants help clients capture maximum revenue from their assets.  Ahmet has directed and built profit-generating pricing systems across a broad range of sectors. Previously Chief Scientist at Zilliant and a Senior Scientist at Talus (now JDA) where he  he engineered the scientific processes for the most successful pricing products in the travel-transportation, media, automotive and apartment industries. Ahmet also taught graduate-level classes in Pricing and Revenue Management at the University of Texas at Austin and the Indian School of Business.

Mike Tate

Storage King Australia

A true legend of the self storage industry Michael co founded Storage King in Australia in 1998 and has grown it to be one of the largest self storage brands in Australia and New Zealand with over 220 stores, while still maintaining an amazing workplace culture and that “family business” feel.  Michael came from a retail and property background and transformed the traditional property management style inherent in the industry at the time to a living breathing retail offering that householders and small businesses were crying out for.  Its been 10 years since he last spoke at a FEDESSA conference and this year he will be talking about how the role of the self storage manager has changes since he spoke last and why people are still important in the industry.

Kristi Adams

VP of marketing, Open Tech Alliance

Krtisti has over 20 years of experience specialising in marketing within the self storage industry across the US and international markets, She has led marketing efforts at CubeSmart, Fort Box, and other major US self storage operations and has been responsible for establishing and maintaining brand identity while spearheading innovative marketing strategies to drive consumer demand.

As the Vice President of Marketing she has overseen the marketing efforts for eight product lines, including the e-commerce brand StorageTreasures. She oversees global marketing initiatives, brand strategy, and customer engagement.  She is an active member of the SSA Women’s Council Advisory Board and recently assumed the role of Board Chair for Charity Storage, a non-profit organization that leverages storage facility operations to raise funds for community benefits.

Adam Crohill

CEO and Founder, Cube Storage

My background is in creative marketing, branding and design with nearly 20 years of experience in building brands.

I’ve worked with a wide range of clients and individuals, from self-funded startups to multinationals and luxury brands. I co-founded and subsequently spent ten years as Creative Director at Rock My Wedding, where I led many successful campaigns, secured partnerships with global brands, and helped grow the business into an award-winning online planning resource with 300k monthly visitors and a million social media followers.

After selling Rock My Wedding, I moved into creative consultancy, working with startups and small businesses in and around my home town, Cheltenham.

Now, I am excited to be building Cube Storage, a modern, hybrid self-storage facility that leverages cutting-edge technology to offer secure and convenient storage solutions. This new chapter reflects my commitment to innovation and allows me to apply my skillset to a new industry.

Duncan Bell

VP Operations, Shurgard

Duncan Bell has been Chief Operating Officer since 1 January 2023 and is a member of the Company’s Executive Committee.

He leads the field and commercial operations, including marketing and pricing activities, with a strong emphasis on enhancing the omnichannel experience and optimizing the customer journey.

He was previously Vice President of Operations (since 1 January 2014), where he played a pivotal role in driving operational excellence.

Duncan Bell joined Shurgard in April 2009 as the Market Manager for the UK. Throughout 2013 Duncan was also Market Manager for The Netherlands.

Duncan joined Shurgard from the travel industry where he worked for Travelbag as Sales Director and then Head of Travelbag from 2006-2008. Prior to that Duncan worked as General Manager for Trailfinders in Manchester, Glasgow and London from 1992-2006.

Duncan holds a BA (Hons) in Economic History from the University of Sheffield.

Russell Jordan

Space PLUS Store GmbH

• US Self Storage Sector Experience 1995 - Devon Self Storage
• Opened the first ever Self Storage Facility in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in 1996 in JV with Devon Self Storage LLC, USA.
• Successfully introduced a new concept and brand to a new market
• Founded and built-up a 24-store national Self Storage Operation, City Box, which sold to a US National chain.
• Founder and Chair National Branch Association NSSA - Netherlands
• Founder and Board Member European Branch Association FEDESSA
• Currently CEO Co-Founder Space Plus Germany (2020) targeting a national roll-out of multiple use Digitally Enabled Self Storage/Flex Office facilities in Germany. Currently 8 operational stores, 2 unmanned and 6 further stores in development.

Paul Fahey

Easybox

Paul joined the moving and storage business as a teenager in 1981 and soon found the movers trade association in the UK, a valuable source of information about best practice and methods.  In 1999 Paul joined the Self-Storage Industry, which in Europe and the UK was approximately 10% of the size it is today.  Paul was a director of the UK SSA for 7 years including 3 years as Chairman, a director of FEDESSA for 10 years including 3 years as President. Now back on the UK SSA board for the last 4 years, Paul has been a serving self-storage industry Director continuously for the last 18 years.  Paul has been a guest speaker at conferences in the US, and other countries. Paul has established four different small self storage businesses, two of which he has since sold and two which he still operates.  As a side “hobby” Paul has advised operators, or would be operators, in a consultancy capacity, in several Middle eastern countries and most European countries over the last 20 years.

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Paul è entrato a far parte dell'attività di trasloco e stoccaggio da adolescente nel 1981 e presto ha trovato l'associazione commerciale traslochi nel Regno Unito, una preziosa fonte di informazioni sulle migliori pratiche e metodi. Nel 1999 Paul è entrato a far parte del Self-Storage Industry, che in Europa e nel Regno Unito era circa il 10% delle dimensioni che è oggi. Paul è stato direttore della UK SSA per 7 anni, di cui 3 anni come presidente, e direttore della FEDESSA per 10 anni, di cui 3 anni come presidente. Ora tornato nel consiglio di amministrazione della SSA del Regno Unito negli ultimi 4 anni, Paul è stato un direttore del settore del self-storage ininterrottamente negli ultimi 18 anni. Paul è stato relatore ospite a conferenze negli Stati Uniti e in altri paesi. Paul ha creato quattro diverse piccole attività di self storage, due delle quali ha poi venduto e due che ancora gestisce. Come "hobby" collaterale, Paul ha consigliato operatori, o sarebbero operatori, a titolo di consulenza, in diversi paesi del Medio Oriente e nella maggior parte dei paesi europei negli ultimi 20 anni.

Michael Fogelberg

Storeinn

With over 30 years of experience, I am recognized as a pioneering force in the European self-storage industry. I have observed the sector's evolution from a modest 100 sites in the early 1990s to the flourishing landscape of over 6,000 stores today.

My entrepreneurial journey began in 1993 when I co-founded Shurgard Europe, which I helped grow until I sold my stake in 2004. My second venture came in 2006 with the establishment of SelStor AB. We expanded quickly to become the second-largest self-storage company in Sweden by 2012, operating 10 centers across the country, before I sold it to Pelican Self Storage.

In the autumn of 2014, I embarked on my third venture, 24Storage AB. As CEO, I spearheaded the company's growth in Sweden and introduced a centralized digital management system for efficient operations. Our innovative approach led to a successful IPO in Stockholm in 2019, followed by acquisition by Nuveen in December 2021.

In addition to my self-storage ventures, I have been an angel investor in UK-based companies Taxi System and Street Car. I was also a founding member of Zipplify, a company that developed a digital latch lock for the self-storage industry, which we successfully sold in December 2022.

As of January 2022, I have co-founded my fourth self-storage venture, Storeinn AB, and Inntello, our system platform, in collaboration with Ubbe Strihagen. This marks the latest chapter in my journey to innovate and transform the self-storage industry.

Cesare Carcano

Casaforte

President of the Casaforte Selfstorage SpA group, President of AISI (Italian Selfstorage Companies Association), he was the founder of FEDESSA (European Selfstorage Federation) of which he was also president until 2018. He has international training and professional experience in the development of industrial projects and activities with high added value. He has managed and developed companies in the Advertising and Marketing, Strategic Consulting, Logistics and Real Estate sectors in Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and the United States.

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Presidente del gruppo Casaforte Selfstorage SpA, Presidente della AISI (Associazione Imprese Selfstorage Italiane), è stato fondatore della FEDESSA (Federazione Europea del Selfstorage) di cui è stato anche presidente fino al 2018. Vanta formazione ed esperienze professionali internazionali nell’ambito dello sviluppo di progetti ed attività industriali ad alto valore aggiunto. Ha amministrato e sviluppato aziende nel settore dell’Advertising e Marketing, della Consulenza strategica, della Logistica e del Real Estate in Italia, Svizzera, Belgio, Stati Uniti.

: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cesare-carcan

Robbie Cameron

Director of Search, Digital First

Robbie, who has over 17 years’ experience in the self storage industry, has worked at every level of operations in the leading and largest self storage brand in Africa, Stor-Age Property REIT (JSE - SSS) (https://stor-age.co.za/), of which he was a founding staff member. Specialising in digital marketing, Robbie heads the experienced Digital First team (https://www.digitalfirst.co.uk) overseeing daily operations and the execution of strategic campaigns focused on enquiry generation.

With extensive experience in onboarding greenfield self storage locations and multiple acquisitions across brands and continents, Robbie is most proud of the continued improvement in performance in competitive markets. He believes that Digital First is uniquely positioned as a self storage expert with excellent marketing capabilities supported by their accredited Google and Meta partnerships.

Roger Martin-Fagg

Economist turned strategist,

Roger Martin-Fagg is an economist who combines insight into the financial and policy worlds with management strategy. As such he delivers both an economic outlook, and what organisations should do to prepare. After studying Economics, Economic History and Geography Martin-Fagg worked as an economist with the New Zealand Government. He returned to the UK to work in the air transport industry before teaching strategy and economics at Henley Management College to senior managers from a wide range of industries.

Mark Durden-Smith

Event Host,

Taking a break from his roles on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now, ‘Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights’ and Sky 1’s ‘The Match’ and passing up a much higher paid job offer to host a massively prestigious event just because he loved his time with the self storage industry so much last time.  Mark injects a level of humour into the event while keeping things on track and managing all the questions from the audience.