By Ian Hainey, CEO, Integrated Holistic Communications (IHC)
As the facilities management (FM) industry enters its peak season and competition intensifies across the gulf for major contracts, Ian Hainey, CEO of IHC, a marketing communications agency that has represented some of the region’s leading FM providers for over a decade, shares his insights on how strategic marketing is set to play an increasingly vital role in companies securing and sustaining a competitive edge.
The Gulf’s FM industry is entering a decisive phase. Analysts estimate the GCC market to be worth between US$60 and 70 billion today, with Saudi Arabia’s share alone projected to nearly double from around $30 billion in 2025 to more than $55 billion by 2030. Meanwhile, the UAE continues its steady expansion, with outsourcing now dominant across sectors including hospitality, healthcare, education and retail.
These are impressive numbers. Yet despite this scale and impact, the FM industry too often remains invisible, noticed only when something goes wrong. That invisibility is no longer sustainable. With giga-projects transitioning from construction to operation, net-zero commitments approaching and competition intensifying, FM firms must recognise communications is no longer just a support function. It is a strategic driver of growth, reputation and trust.
A Silent Market is a Risky Market
Today’s buyers no longer wait for suppliers to make the first call. Research shows B2B decision-makers complete nearly 70% of their journey before engaging with a vendor. If your story isn’t discoverable, visible and credible across channels, you may already be out of contention before tenders are even issued.
This is why at IHC, we hold fast to the mantra: Creativity. Content. Results. when it comes to communications, telling your story clearly, amplifying it consistently and measuring its impact rigorously.
In the GCC’s FM sector, the ability to communicate outcomes will increasingly matter as much as the ability to deliver them.
From Claims to Proof
FM companies are at the heart of some of the most pressing sustainability and efficiency challenges in the region. Buildings account for about a third of global energy use and emissions, and in GCC countries, air conditioning alone can drive 60-70% of peak demand.
This is where FM firms deliver enormous societal value, but only if they can translate technical impact into clear, compelling narratives for clients, regulators and investors.
The days of ‘press release factories’ are long gone. Clients and stakeholders now expect more than claims – they demand proof. That means communicating measurable savings, uptime improvements, emissions reductions, safety protocols and workforce wellbeing with clarity and credibility.
What 2026 Will Demand
By 2026, several shifts will redefine FM communications:
- Operational storytelling: As giga-projects move into steady-state operations, the real differentiator will be firms that can share clear, data-backed stories of mobilisation, commissioning and ongoing performance.
- Video and photography investment: Several times more likely to engage your audience and deliver your key messages, but requires broad existing FM knowledge.
- Outcome-priced contracts: More agreements will link fees to verified performance, placing a premium on transparent, evidence-led communications.
- Workforce visibility: Safety and wellbeing in extreme climates will increasingly form part of brand equity, not just compliance.
Communications as a Growth Lever
At IHC, we are clear about the role of marketing communications: it is not window dressing. It is how you build trust, shape perception and create competitive advantage. Our approach is a fully integrated plug-in team delivering PR, social, digital and content in unison, designed to maximise budgets and position brands where it matters most.
FM firms that adopt this integrated philosophy can transform how they are perceived: from silent operators to strategic partners, from cost centres to value creators.
The GCC’s FM industry is vital to the region’s economic and environmental future, but it cannot fulfil that role from the shadows. Firms must embrace communications as central to strategy, telling their stories with the same discipline they bring to managing assets.
By 2026, the leaders in FM will not only manage buildings efficiently, they will manage narratives with precision, credibility and consistency. Those who do will not just win contracts – they will help shape the future of the region’s built environment.
GCC FM Industry at a Glance (2025–2030)
- Market size today: Estimated at US$60 to70 billion
- Saudi Arabia: US$30 billion in 2025, projected to exceed US$55 billion by 2030
- UAE: High single-digit annual growth forecast through 2030, outsourcing dominant
- Sector drivers: Mega-project handovers, tourism growth, healthcare expansion, and smart city development
- Sustainability stakes: Buildings account for around 34% of global energy demand; in the GCC, air conditioning drives up to 70% of peak load
- Growth trend: Mid to high single-digit CAGR expected regionally through to the end of the decade
Contact info@ih-c.com for more information
