Navigating Major Programmes

How can the infrastructure industry encourage more open discussions between diverse sectors? In the final Uncharted Conversations episode of the year, Riccardo, Shormila, and David come together to look back at 2025 and ahead at what’s to come, reflecting on the themes, tensions, and unanswered questions of the season.This year saw murky decision-making persist despite infrastructure’s growing prevalence in every Canadian industry. This characteristically honest and envelope-pushing roundtable teases apart the challenges of navigating building and public sector leadership in this economic reality. The group digs into the impact and barriers that risk-averse and unwieldy systems erect against innovative Canadian ideas and efficient project management. They propose new lines of inquiry—including public finance, ideal delivery model selection, and fundamental government mechanics—for the coming year. The pirates also share their personal experiences recording free and unscripted conversations about an industry whose hatches are so tightly battened down with technicality and precision. This episode is part retrospective, part provocation, and a clear invitation to keep the conversation going.Key Takeaways:The podcast's role in building a community of thought and practice;The vital importance of conversations that span all sectors of the industry;How we’ve overcomplicated government decision-making processes, and the resulting implications;Why generalized indecision is the greatest risk facing public project delivery;The fraught reality—and future potential—of hybrid private finance and alliance contracts.Quote:“I feel that now, speaking from a private sector lens, the indecision is a real dampener for my optimism and enthusiasm for how we’re going to tackle some big challenges.”- David HoThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/Follow David Ho: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtho-ontario/Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

Where does project control exist in the hierarchy of major programme management? This important role is far more than just financial reporting, providing oversight, or raising all the red flags—it's serves as the critical support function that enables project managers to see clearly and act decisively. In this episode, Mohammed “Moody” Saad joins Riccardo to clear up the common misconceptions around project controls. Moody is the VP of Project Delivery at AtkinsRéalis and a sessional lecturer for Toronto Metropolitan University’s Masters of Project Management program. The project controls manager is a trusted advisor and data wizard who connects the many moving parts of every infrastructure venture. Moody draws on his decades of experience to outline what sets high-performing professionals in his industry apart, including their ability to analyze problems, ask the right questions, and circumvent misplaced emotional or reactive decisions. He and Riccardo also explore the need for early integration of project controls and how the right tools and leadership culture are essential for every programme’s success.Key Takeaways:What project control management is—and what it definitely is not;What great project control managers have in common across sectors and roles;The essential tools and leadership culture that set them up for success;The three critical questions every project control manager should be able to answer;How to begin your project control journey.Quote: “One ​thing ​that ​is ​often ​overlooked ​in ​organizations ​is ​a ​project ​management ​culture. And ​that's ​where ​I ​think ​a ​lot ​of ​organizations ​struggle. ​Because ​if ​you ​don't ​have ​that ​buy ​in ​from ​executive ​leadership ​in ​an ​organization ​to ​drive ​that ​project ​management ​culture, then ​you ​are ​not ​setting ​up ​the ​project ​management ​and ​project ​controls ​personnel ​for ​success.” - Mohammed “Moody” SaadThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Follow Moody Saad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moodysaad/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

How has the rise of P3s in major infrastructure programmes impacted Canada since their adoption? In the past 30 years, the country has seen a significant transformation in the industry, from the rise of public-private partnerships, to the creation of governance like the Infrastructure Ontario Act, to the more recent implementation of alliance and collaborative models. Riccardo’s guest, Damian Joy, has seen this development from its early stages. Damien’s journey through what he calls his three careers—working with contractors on mega projects around the world, settling in Canada as a director at Balfour, and consulting with Ernst & Young—offers an excellent vantage point. With his wide-ranging knowledge and eagerness to continue growing his expertise, Damian is perfectly positioned to provide a well-rounded SWOT analysis.In this episode, the two civil engineers identify and break down the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of past and future social infrastructure projects in Canada. Their insightful and unfiltered exploration highlights the external impacts and internal sticking points that are carrying the country through its burgeoning building renaissance.Key TakeawaysThe origin and development of P3 across Canada;The importance of strong leadership and proactive governance in the success of mega projects;How P3 and UK knowledge transfer benefited contractors in Canada;The factors that affect a programme’s success above and beyond the delivery format;The impact technology is having on infrastructure data management.Quote:“[P3s and alliance models] both have a role to play. I think there’s benefits of both and the problem is not the model, it’s when the model is used in the wrong place at the wrong time.”- Damian JoyThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/Follow Damian Joy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damian-joy-8174a3b/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

How do we build innovation before we begin to build infrastructure? When it comes to planning and launching major infrastructure projects, rushing to the construction phase too quickly has proven disadvantages. Navigating Major Programmes takes it down to the studs with Teresa Gonzalez Rico, the London-based Associate Director of AtkinsRéalis. She joins Riccardo to talk about innovation and development as a safeguard for stability while those projects are still just ideas.Teresa was a part of the early stages of the UK’s Catapult Network, a government-funded initiative that supports innovation across high-growth sectors. Through real-world case studies and insights from her experience leading cross-sector collaborations, she expounds on the wide-ranging benefits of gathering diverse players—startups, researchers, educational institutions, and big tech—to test-run solutions to complex problems, at scale, right from the start. She and Riccardo discuss striking a balance between human-centred and commercial gain, and they explore the impact funding models have on success and public perception. Teresa also dives into the industry’s need for smart digitization to address the messy realities of major infrastructure projects.Key TakeawaysHow projects combining disparate interests deliver widespread research and development benefits;The importance of effectively implementing and scaling up with new technologies;Why requiring publicly funded organizations to raise capital can send mixed messages;Digitization across the full life-cycle of built environment projects;The innovative mission of the Catapult Network in the UK.Quote:“I ​think ​one ​interesting ​aspect ​of ​the ​catapult ​network ​is that they were ​set ​up ​as ​not ​for ​profit ​private ​companies. ​Their ​commercial ​model ​is ​that ​they ​receive  ​funding ​from ​that ​core ​funding, ​but ​then ​they ​would ​have ​to ​supplement ​that ​funding. So ​actually ​in ​some ​way, ​while ​there ​is ​a ​lot ​of ​activity ​that ​is ​powered ​through ​that core ​funding ​coming ​from ​the ​government, ​there ​is ​also ​a ​big ​drive ​to ​find ​opportunities ​and ​find partners ​and other to ​collaborate ​with ​and ​draw ​in ​investment.” - Teresa Gonzalez RicoThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/Follow Teresa Gonzales Rico on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresagr/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

The federal government recently announced the Major Projects Office and Build Canada Homes agencies designed to administer funds and accelerate infrastructure—but will they streamline or weigh down progress with bureaucracy? Riccardo, Melissa Di Marco, and David Ho pull up chairs to a roundtable discussion of this timely and complex topic. In this episode of Uncharted Conversations, they explore the often default solution of agency development when issues arise and whether those at the helm are genuinely equipped to solve these particular problems. Questions of risk aversion and fragmented decision-making prompt skepticism from both private infrastructure bodies and Canadian citizens. The three seasoned experts unpack the structural and political realities that influence how agencies perform, reflecting on past examples, and consider whether the present country-wide urgency might push leaders to act differently this time.The conversation poses an essential question: Are these agencies being created to lead, or just to manage? Infrastructure in Canada today faces overlapping jurisdictions, unclear mandates, and high public expectation. Success will depend on more than just good intentions—it will require clarity of purpose, empowered leadership, and swift execution within a narrowing window of opportunity.Key TakeawaysThe challenge of clearly defining what problem an agency is meant to solve;How funding concerns can block and distract from forward progress;The sometimes murky relationship between provincial and federal in major programme delivery;The risk of adding bureaucracy instead of leadership in moments of urgency;The opportunity for optimism in the face of Canada’s infrastructure crisis.Quote:“I think if somebody tried to create a new version of a provincial infrastructure agency today [like Infrastructure Ontario], they would be burdened with expectations of fixing almost everything, and I think might be quite unfair.” -David HoThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Follow David Ho: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtho-ontario/Follow Melissa Di Marco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-di-marco/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

What impact has the AI evolution had on the role of the project controller? Project controls is a lesser-known but essential component in the delivery of any large infrastructure venture. In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo brings in Dale Foong, a seasoned specialist in the digital side of project controls and PMO leadership. Dale reframes this multifaceted career path as equivalent to a rally co-driver or golf caddy—someone to guide the project leader through inevitable complexity. Success calls for a combination of risk interpretation, blind spot highlighting, and dynamic decision-making.Dale and Riccardo’s conversation unpacks how AI and advanced integrated data systems are reshaping what’s possible in major programmes. Despite this constant advancement, Dale is confident that the ability to tell the story behind the data will always protect the human side of project controls. He champions a future where innovation is embraced, not feared— where those who can harness new tools while keeping their communication skills sharp will lead the way.Key TakeawaysWhy “project controller” might be the wrong name for this information management role;Some of the newest AI-based technologies transforming the project controller toolbox;How to tackle the issues of using a linear interaction tool to map a complex major program;The most vital skill required by a project controller, regardless of tech advancements;The cognitive pitfalls of mindlessly engaging with LLMs.Quote: 20:13-21:20Pull quote options:“We know we deliver far more complex projects than we’d like and we know there’s many different ways to deliver those projects. So my challenge to that way of thinking is, why do we only have one version of how to deliver that project?” (20:25)“In the short term, or even the medium term, AI will not replace the project controller. Project controllers who know how to use AI and know what technology is out there will replace those that don’t.” (41:15)The most important skill that I think is required for the project controller…regardless of technology, AI, or any tools advancing, is still going to remain communication skills.” (24:18)The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Follow Dale Foong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dale-foong/Listen to the Project Chatter podcast: https://projectchatterpodcast.com/Listen to the GenAI podcast: www.youtube.com/@GenAIPodcastLearn more about Movar: https://movar.group/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

Where can your career take you when you’re open to learning more? In this episode of the Master Builders series, Annie Ropar—the CFO of the UK’s National Wealth Fund (formerly the UK Infrastructure Bank)—joins Riccardo and Shormila for a candid conversation about lifelong learning, leadership humility, and how a start in finance has evolved into purpose-driven management in infrastructure. Annie’s dedication to curiosity and building great teams is a throughline in her career. A transition from the private to public sector reshaped Annie’s understanding of success—shifting from rapid execution to long-term and varied stakeholder impact. She outlines their different approaches, with the latter’s focus extending beyond amassing revenue to providing lasting social value. With humour and realism, Annie speaks to numerous industry motifs, including the senior-level gender gap and the demands of executive leadership. Her perspective highlights why today’s major programmes demand a special kind of master builder—one who can leave their ego behind and lift the whole team forward.Key TakeawaysWhy never assuming you’re the smartest person in the room is an essential leadership skillHow a recalibration of expectations plays into the transition between sectors and industries;The caring imperative of leadership, and the challenge of setting boundaries;Why joining boards isn’t the only possibility for women looking to advance their careers;The unexpected innovation of Canada’s infrastructure industry.Quote options:“I ​really ​have ​a ​fundamental ​care ​for ​not ​just ​my ​box ​or ​whether ​it's ​a ​small ​box, ​big ​box, ​but ​also ​about ​the ​people ​around ​me, ​even ​if ​they ​work ​in ​different ​parts ​of ​the ​business, ​et ​cetera. ​I ​always ​look ​at ​it ​from ​the ​perspective ​of, ​I'm ​an ​owner ​of ​this ​organization. ​I ​may ​not ​have ​shares, ​I ​may ​not ​have ​a ​stock ​certificate, ​but ​I ​am ​responsible ​for ​everyone ​in ​this ​organization.” - Annie RoparThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Follow Annie Roper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-ropar-95554b4/    Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

What is the role of the sponsor in planning and delivering major projects? When it comes to public transit infrastructure, on time and on budget is only part of the story. In this episode of Navigating Major Programs, Andrew Antinucci and Carol Deveney—seasoned sponsorship and governance experts at CPCS—join Riccardo in a layered and comprehensive conversation exploring what it really means to ensure not just completion but the benefits of every major programme.The three self-professed transit geeks unpack this evolving role in Canada. The sponsor is critical, but often misunderstood, responsible not just for justifying cost and schedule, but for identifying and defending monetizing and non-monetizing benefits throughout a project’s lifecycle—for the communities the build will employ, serve, and exist within. From the business case to resisting scope adjustments to navigating multi-layer funding in a changing political climate, project sponsors are quietly shaping the success of the country’s most ambitious projects.Key TakeawaysWhy the project sponsor is a champion of public benefits, not just project outputs;The importance of post-evaluation for recognizing the short- and long-term benefits;What Canada can learn from the UK’s more mature sponsorship practices;How clear accountability reduces risk and speeds decision-making;What it takes to support scope, governance, and expectations at every phase.Quote:“When ​we're ​spending ​public ​money, ​I ​think ​all ​of ​us ​would ​agree ​we've ​got ​an ​absolute ​duty ​to ​say ​that ​we're ​spending ​it ​wisely ​because ​these ​things ​are ​expensive. ​There's ​never ​enough ​money ​to ​go ​around, ​not ​just ​our ​sector, ​but ​all ​the ​sectors. ​So ​the ​focus ​on ​cost ​should ​always ​be ​there. ​But, ​I ​think ​benefits ​are ​more ​difficult ​to ​explain ​because ​a ​lot ​of ​the ​time, ​especially ​in ​major ​projects, ​people ​get ​money, ​they ​understand ​what ​cost ​is, ​but ​the ​benefits ​are ​sometimes ​more ​nuanced.” - Carol DeveneyThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Find out more about Andrew Antinucci: https://cpcs.ca/team/andrew-antinucci/Find out more about Carol Deveney: https://cpcs.ca/team/carol-deveney/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

What does our society—and our country—need to know to embrace nuclear as the answer to the global energy situation? Riccardo sits down with the SVP of CANDU Energy at AtkinsRéalis, Julianne den Decker, in this intricate and important conversation. Julianne is the perfect spokesperson to clarify the history and impressive comeback of nuclear energy, a once-maligned and feared innovation. A lifelong advocate for the science, safety, and societal benefits of this baseline power source, Julianne explains with detail and passion how the decarbonization movement, security concerns, and AI’s unprecedented energy demands make nuclear a no-brainer for uninterrupted electricity around the world. She and Riccardo unpack the misunderstood safety record and strategic advantages of the made-in-Canada nuclear solution, as well as the practical importance of major project best practices in ensuring the success of complex nuclear infrastructure builds. This episode presents insights on the future of energy that make a compelling case for why nuclear matters now more than ever.Key TakeawaysThe factors behind the global nuclear renaissance;What history got wrong, and how public perception of nuclear risk has evolved;What sets CANDU reactors apart, including fuel flexibility to medical isotope production;How the Darlington refurbishment succeeded through collaborative project management and realistic planning;What the global future of nuclear looks like—and why Canada is well-positioned to lead.Quote:“It gets back to fundamental project management. With power ​generation, ​we ​are ​dealing ​with ​a ​very ​sophisticated ​customer ​that ​not ​only ​runs ​a ​big ​fleet ​of ​reactors, but they’re not new to major project execution. There was a lot of thought put into how are we going to run this kind of a major project and how are we going to listen to those who have been around the block and then do this project differently. There’s not one silver bullet you can point to, but many many things we’ve done correctly.” - Julianne den DeckerThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Follow Julanne Dan Decker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianne-den-decker-541a4b46/   Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

How are new procurement approaches, policies, and politics affecting disputes in major programmes? As collaborative and alliance models continue to rise in popularity, the old disputes playbook is rapidly being rewritten. It’s an exploration perfectly suited to Uncharted Conversations, so Riccardo and Melissa Di Marco take aim at the ways dispute resolution is evolving—courtroom litigation and boardroom negotiations, data-driven forensics, and increasingly AI-assisted workflows.The focus on alliance-style contracts is shifting fault lines and muddying traditional supply chain relationships within the industry. Legal grey zones introduced by expanding digital components are challenging the dispute landscape, and algorithms are having an outsized influence on expert analysis. Melissa also breaks down why environmental disputes are primed to be the next big thing. This episode explores how teams delivering major infrastructure projects must adapt not only their contracts but also their thinking to resolve issues in an industry where the source of conflict, and the tools to address it, are changing fast.Key TakeawaysWhy alliance contracts still allow certain claims—and why that matters;How AI and data tools are transforming the speed, scope, and tone of dispute resolution;Dispute review boards (DRBs) and the change in venue of major project disputes;Detailed specifics of how delay analysis goes forward in disputes;How responsibility shifts when AI agents begin making the decisions.Quote:“Data won’t eliminate disputes. It might potentially weaponize them in some way, because you can take the same dataset and one party can cherry pick whatever set of data to help them tell a different story, so we might actually see disputes about data about disputes”. - Melissa Di MarcoThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Melissa Di Marco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-di-marco/Read Riccardo’s latest at: https://riccardocosentino.com/   Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

How do you lead a national infrastructure organization in the process of building a new future? This episode for the Master Builders series, invites in one of the experts behind the curtain: Lisa Mitchell, the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). In her deep-dive conversation with Riccardo and Shormila, she speaks to her journey from politics to the forefront of Canada's infrastructure evolution.Early experiences in Ottawa prepared Lisa for the fast pace and competing priorities of national infrastructure. She shares how she navigated imposter syndrome and career pivots, and why she sees this moment as a powerful opportunity to modernize P3s. The cross-cultural strengths of this modality, many of which are unique to Canada, create a strong foundation from which to build a groundbreaking tradition, especially today, when infrastructure finds itself front and centre in political discourse. From fostering industry-wide collaboration to advocating for programmatic delivery and inclusive stakeholder engagement, Lisa takes us on a candid, capable, and humble exploration of how we might build a better Canada—one conversation, one contract, and one conference at a time.Key Takeaways:Why redefining leadership means focusing on function, not the title;How infrastructure became a top political priority—and what comes next;The public and private discourse that makes Canada’s P3 ecosystem uniques;What goes into organizing Canada’s biggest infrastructure conference (aka P3 Prom);Why the next era of P3s must expand beyond traditional models and asset classes.Quote“It's ​naturally ​built ​on ​competition, ​but ​I ​had ​never ​met ​a ​group ​of ​private ​and ​public ​sector ​folks ​that ​were ​so ​willing ​and ​committed ​to ​sit ​at ​the ​table ​and ​figure ​out ​how ​to ​make ​things ​work ​and ​to ​do ​good ​things. If ​we've ​got ​a ​sticky ​policy ​thing, ​I ​can ​pull ​a ​group ​of ​people ​together ​to ​sit ​around ​a ​boardroom ​table  very ​easily. ​They're ​so ​committed ​and ​willing ​and ​they're ​able ​to put ​​the ​individual ​​needs on ​the ​back ​burner ​to ​have ​these ​conversations ​and ​really ​look ​at ​it as ​industry ​specific. ​And ​I've ​just ​been ​so ​fascinated ​by ​that.” - Lisa MitchellThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Read Riccardo’s latest a: https://riccardocosentino.com/Follow Lisa Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

What does it take to deliver nation-building infrastructure in an era of political momentum, regulatory complexity, and evolving priorities? Prepare for an evocative conversation with Tim Murphy, as we explore a complex and important question for our country’s future. Tim is the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic Affairs Officer at AECON with an illustrious 40-year career in litigation, politics, and major projects. This wide-ranging discussion is an expert look at the opportunities and obstacles shaping Canada’s infrastructure in the coming years. Tim and Riccardo unpack the interplay between political will, regulatory frameworks, Indigenous participation, and shifting public expectations.Success depends on more than funding and approvals: it calls for courage, collaboration, and a willingness to rethink entrenched models. Tim speaks to lessons learned from vertical and horizontal building projects, the complicated role of Indigenous reconciliation in project planning, and the urgent need for productivity and innovation in the construction sector. This conversation highlights both the challenges and the untapped potential of thinking—and building—bigger.Key Takeaways:Why Canada’s current political climate creates a rare opportunity for nation-building infrastructure.How Indigenous participation is reshaping project planning and delivery.The unique regulatory and stakeholder challenges of vertical and horizontal infrastructure projects.Why public-sector incentives must evolve to prioritize project success over strict contract adherence.The role of government in driving technology adoption in construction.Quote:“To ​be ​honest ​with ​you, ​divergent ​interests ​inside ​the ​indigenous ​communities ​too. ​You'll ​have ​some ​national ​organizations ​who ​have ​certain ​kinds ​of ​views ​as ​national ​organizations, ​and ​very ​particular ​communities ​who ​are ​supportive ​of ​particular ​projects ​and ​want ​it ​to ​proceed ​because ​they ​see ​it as ​the ​chance ​for ​economic ​reconciliation, ​jobs, ​contracts, ​opportunities. ​etc. ​So ​I ​think ​there's ​a ​process ​that ​needs ​to ​happen ​to have ​those ​discussions ​at ​a outsized ​project ​specific. ​And ​then ​part ​two ​is ​the ​project ​specific. ​So ​it's ​not ​going ​to ​be ​fast.” - Tim MurphyThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Follow Tim Murphy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tjmurphy1959/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

What does it take to thrive in the highly complex and male-dominated financial industry? This episode of Master Builder highlights the journey and achievements of Sara Alvarado, a powerhouse in infrastructure finance whose career has spanned continents, crises, and industry and policy overhauls. With co-hosts Riccardo and Shormila, Sara shares how her experience as an immigrant shaped her resilience. She details her role in defining infrastructure as an asset class in Canada and describes the unique combination of ever-growing policy and risk expertise that has kept her on a steady career trajectory for more than 30 years. From spearheading early renewable energy financing deals to helping shape global UN guidelines on digitalization and gender equality, Sara reminds us that success is driven by more than technical skills—it calls for hard work, curiosity, and passion.This conversation is an opportunity to explore the interplay of finance, infrastructure, and social impact. Sara recently received the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her sustainable finance contributions and is a true Master Builder—one who has already begun to shape her legacy.Key TakeawaysHow Canada’s early renewable energy boom helped define infrastructure finance as we know it;The impact of the 2008 financial crisis on infrastructure as a stable, long-term investment;Why policy, finance, and technology need to move in tandem to shape meaningful change;The one trait Sara prioritizes over everything else when building successful teams;A behind-the-scenes look at how UN working groups are driving global change.Quote:“I ​think ​there's ​a ​catalytic ​point. ​It ​is ​in ​our ​brains ​and ​we ​feel ​the ​need to ​do ​more. ​​So ​it's ​either ​moving ​into ​something ​different, ​moving ​into ​a ​much ​more ​senior ​role, ​decision ​maker, ​leader ​position, or ​you ​can ​move ​into ​boards. ​And ​that ​will ​come ​at ​different ​times ​for ​different ​females. ​But ​what ​I ​want ​them ​to ​know ​is, ​yes, ​there ​is ​a ​second ​career ​curve. And ​it can ​be ​hard ​because ​you're ​learning ​something ​else. But ​it ​is ​very ​rewarding. ​And ​it ​happens ​at ​a ​time ​where ​females ​are ​much ​more ​confident.” - Sara AlvaradoThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Follow Shormilla Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Sara Alvarado: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-alvarado-mba-cfa-b8315764/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

How do we transform infrastructure experts into infrastructure leaders in time for Canada’s building boom? Canada is facing a future of increased infrastructure projects, but the country has a poor track record when it comes to delivering major projects. In fact, “over time and over budget” is a global industry trope. In pursuit of systemic, upstream solutions, Riccardo compiles an esteemed panel of experts for a timely and critical conversation: how do we elevate the leadership of multi-billion-dollar major infrastructure programmes essential to our country’s national culture and well-being? Barriers to collaboration, differences and similarities between infrastructure programmes and corporations, the behavioural versus the technical—the industry leaders break down what’s going wrong and why we haven’t fixed it yet. Unwilling to stop at theory, the group posits and troubleshoots actionable ways governments and the private sector could work together to quickly and effectively shore up Canada’s infrastructure industry.Key Takeaways:The theories as to why it costs more to create infrastructure in Canada;The significant and often-ignored gap between technical, management, and leadership skill sets;How an integrated leadership training program could elevate all levels of project management;The impact of lackluster research into Canada’s past infrastructure successes and failures;Utilizing AI within reason in an industry that relies on human interaction.Quote:“I ​think ​we ​can ​create ​a ​program ​that builds ​on ​the ​global ​experience ​and ​best ​practices, ​but ​also ​captures ​Canada’s ​own ​project ​delivery ​cultures, ​business ​practices,  ​community ​needs, ​and ​sees ​leadership ​through ​that ​lens ​and ​enables ​us ​to ​deliver ​projects. ​But ​it's ​going ​to ​take ​governments ​coming ​on ​board and recognizing ​the ​value ​that ​it's ​not ​just ​private ​sector ​expertise ​on ​these ​projects. ​You ​don't ​just ​hand ​over ​a ​project ​and ​then ​say ​come ​back ​in ​five ​years ​and ​we'll ​cut ​the ​ribbon ​together. There's ​a ​ton ​of ​leadership ​that's ​required ​on ​the ​public ​sector ​side ​too, ​at ​the ​highest ​levels ​of ​the ​organization ​to ​make ​sure ​that ​these ​projects ​stay ​on ​track.” - Matti Siemiatycki The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Connect with Matti Siemiatycki: https://www.geography.utoronto.ca/people/directories/all-faculty/matti-siemiatyckiLearn more about Kirsten’s work at https://aecom.com/en-ca/about-us/our-leadership/kirsten-watson-2/Connect with Suzanne Moreland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannemoreland/Connect with John Allen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-allen-30452226/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

How does cross-over between diverse perspectives and cultures affect project delivery, and how could it be improved? In this episode of Uncharted Conversations, Shormila and Riccardo are once again joined by fellow infrastructure experts David Ho and Melissa Di Marco. Their animated discussion explores how organizational dynamics—building teams that combine both multi-service and multinational cultures—impact the successful delivery of major programmes. Jumping directly into the action items of a project, as the client often expects, is a great dopamine hit, but is it really the best approach? The self-proclaimed industry pirates call out the drawbacks of North America’s checks and balances tradition and the need for more client ownership. This episode aims the cannons at systemic assumptions and poses big questions to procurement professionals, all with the crew’s uniquely provocative and playful inspection of their industry.Key Takeaways:The importance of aligning the values across a project and all its contributors;Recognizing that “meaningful teaming up” takes time;The fallout of the industry historically being so transactional and deliverable-focused;The problem with the disconnect between who bids on the project and who ultimately delivers it;How bringing client-side experts to the table could improve infrastructure projects.Quote: “I ​have ​never ​seen an ​RFP ​where ​the ​client who ​is ​asking ​for ​a ​description of ​a ​team ​is ​doing ​so ​with ​reference ​to ​a ​real ​understanding ​of ​how ​you, private ​sector ​company, ​​delineate ​​the ​function ​that's ​responsible ​for ​the ​delivery ​of ​a ​service ​from ​the ​function ​that ​is ​responsible ​for ​the ​P&​L ​from ​the ​way ​in ​which you ​have ​a ​team ​structured ​for ​a ​pursuit versus ​when ​you ​shift ​into ​execution. And ​even ​just ​that ​type ​of ​a ​description would ​be ​an ​interesting ​change ​I ​think ​for ​the ​better ​that ​would ​allow ​clients ​a ​more ​sophisticated ​understanding ​of ​how ​things ​work.” - David HoThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/Follow David Ho: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtho-ontario/Follow Melissa Di Marco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-di-marco/Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

What does it take to transform a gateway station into a place where people pause in their head-down commute to connect and reflect? Riccardo Cosentino and returning co-host Corail Bourrelier Fabiani are joined by Jonathan Ring, the Development Director for London-based developer Sellar. They explore the public art programme at Paddington Square—one of the city’s most ambitious and complex redevelopment projects.Jonathan shares how the programme evolved from the early planning conditions to the final installation. His experience highlights the balance inherent in major projects, where diverse stakeholder voices, strict timelines, and logistical constraints pile on the pressure and teamwork is non-negotiable.Public art may be a smaller portion of the overall budget, but its impact on the public experience is profound. This episode offers an inside look at the creative and collaborative processes behind curating art in a heavily trafficked urban space. It is a conversation about leadership, legacy, and how the spaces we build shape how people feel.Key TakeawaysPublic art may be a smaller line item, but its emotional and social impact is immense.The earlier you integrate public art into a project’s design and planning, the smoother the process will be.Stakeholder management is about more than communication; it calls for timing, trust, and making space for diverse opinions.Delivering complex urban infrastructure requires balancing fixed timelines with creative possibilities.Strong, long-term relationships with designers and collaborators make it easier to solve challenges together.Rotating public art programs create ongoing opportunities for re-engagement and placemaking.Quote: “We're ​really ​trying ​to ​create ​a ​place ​people ​want ​to ​dwell ​in ​because ​it's ​got ​very ​interesting ​areas ​around ​it. And ​the ​public ​art ​really ​formed ​a ​major ​part ​of ​that, creating ​a ​place ​where ​people ​dwell ​in. ​What's ​great ​is ​now ​seeing ​in ​the ​summer, ​and ​I ​bet ​today, ​people ​will ​be ​sitting ​out ​in ​the ​square ​enjoying ​the ​public ​realm, ​seeing ​the ​art ​and ​enjoying ​it.” - Jonathan RingThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Listen to Riccardo and Corail’s public art conversation: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/public-art-installation-as-an-intrinsic-part/id1683413407Follow Jonathan Ring: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-ring-4284398b/Follow Corail Bourrelier Fabiani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corail/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

Can you rise up in the industry without an engineering degree? Kirsten Watson, AECOM’s Transit Market Sector Lead, is a case study in how continuous passion for learning and a celebration and honing your strengths—even when they don’t appear to be the perfect fit for a role—can lead to a varied and rewarding career. Co-hosts Riccardo and Shormila sit down with the transit executive on the interpersonal side of the industry in this episode of the Master Builder series. They break down the challenges and wins of major infrastructure projects and explore Kirsten’s career trajectory from private to public and back again. Their conversation explores the reality of the skills you really need (and don’t) for leadership, particularly as a woman in the industry. Kirsten’s background in employment law and HR have instilled in her a deep respect for listening—to clients, to stakeholders, to the smartest person in the room. As she explains, that’s how she’s become the one who brings the right people to the table, and it’s how even now, as a master builder, she leads with learning and pushes herself to say yes to even the most challenging opportunities.Key Takeaways:Why the ability to bring people together in agreement and collaboration transcends industry;How to challenge the misgivings of both internal and external skeptics when accepting a position in an unfamiliar field;The truth of the often undervalued HR skillset;The disconnect in big projects between the technology and civil components and who’s in charge of them;The ongoing challenge of providing proof of capability again and again as a women in infrastructure.Quote: “I ​think ​that's ​what ​I ​bring ​to ​the ​table, ​is ​the ​ability ​to ​bring ​other ​people ​to ​the ​table. ​And ​when ​we're ​talking ​about women ​in ​leadership ​and ​women ​saying ​yes. Bring ​the ​right ​people ​to ​the ​table ​and ​solve ​the ​problems through ​that ​team ​and ​that ​collaboration trying ​to ​learn ​other ​bits ​of ​the ​business ​so ​that ​you ​can ​actually ​do ​that ​work.” - Kirsten WatsonThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at https://riccardocosentino.com/   Learn more about Kirsten’s work at https://aecom.com/en-ca/about-us/our-leadership/kirsten-watson-2/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

Even traditional contracts can be collaborative with the right team. As a seasoned infrastructure leader who has served in government, private sector, and advisory roles for more than 15 years, Fred Antunes has seen this firsthand. His extensive experience delivering large-scale projects under P3s, design-builds, and collaborative models guides this wide-ranging and nuanced conversation with Riccardo. Together, they unpack truths and myths around what makes projects work.Fred’s real-world insights help to highlight the power owners have to shape project relationships and outcomes, the dangers of shifting risk without support, and why alliance contracts call for experienced and deeply engaged teams.Fred and Riccardo reframe collaboration beyond just a type of contract and offer up a compelling case for considering the unique needs, risks, and capabilities of each project team when choosing a delivery approach.Key TakeawaysThe right people, mindset, and approach—not the contract itself—determine whether a project is truly collaborative (and successful).Fair and active engagement from owners through major programme challenges can mean the difference between a frictionless project and a contentious one.When public infrastructure contracts push all risk onto the contractor, collaboration breaks down—and so does performance.Having the right people on the team during high-stress phases can turn a failing project around, even if it means personnel changes.Experience across public and private sectors builds a more well-rounded, adaptable perspective on project delivery.Quote: “The ​thing ​about ​the ​alliance ​that's ​really ​interesting ​is, it’s ​like ​setting ​up ​a ​new ​company. ​Where ​you ​basically have an ​alliance ​leadership ​team ​​that ​is ​providing oversight ​and ​direction. ​They're ​like ​the ​board ​of ​directors. ​You ​appoint ​somebody ​who's ​the ​CEO ​and ​then ​you ​basically ​create ​an ​organization ​that ​includes ​people ​from ​the ​owner, ​the ​designer, ​the ​contractor, ​put ​them ​together ​and ​you ​may ​have ​somebody ​from ​the ​owner's ​team ​managing ​somebody ​who's ​in ​the ​design ​team, ​or ​in ​the ​construction ​team, ​but ​they're ​all ​working ​for ​the ​best ​outcome ​of ​the ​project. ​And ​working ​as ​one ​coherent ​management ​team.” - Fred AntunesThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes - https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at http://www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Fred Antunes at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-antunes-36912852/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

What does it take to lead with integrity and empathy in an industry where technical expertise can quickly outweigh human connection? In this episode of the Master Builder series, Ethel Craft joins Riccardo and Shormila to reflect on a career rooted in service—from her beginnings in social services to her leadership role in Ottawa’s rail construction program.Ethel shares how a leadership course during her MBA sparked her passion for mentoring others, ultimately guiding her to pursue a Doctorate in Business while working full-time. Through personal challenges, professional pivots, and academic milestones, Ethel has remained grounded in one goal: to be a role model and a connector. She leads with a deep respect for the people around her and a clear-eyed view of stakeholder relations. Her track record highlights the vital balance leaders must strike between respect for those around them and confidence that they have earned their place, regardless of the journey that brought them to the table.Within this celebration of Ethel’s achievements is an invitation to re-envision what leadership can look like, in infrastructure and beyond.Key Takeaways:Genuine care and passion can take you further in leadership than a degree in your chosen industry.A strong support network makes all the difference as you chase your goals through life’s inevitable challenges.Imposter syndrome is common, even among accomplished leaders, but it shouldn’t define your path.Seeking to be a good role model can have a significant positive influence on your path to success.Real leadership is less about having all the answers and more about creating space for others to shine.Quote:“I ​felt ​like ​I ​was ​just ​draining ​everything ​within ​me, ​and ​at ​the ​same ​time, ​I ​needed ​to ​be ​a ​mom. ​And I ​was ​working, ​too. So, ​it ​was ​hard. ​But ​I ​had ​this ​amazing ​supervisor who ​just kept ​telling ​me, ​you ​can ​do ​this. ​Never ​putting ​pressure ​on ​me, telling ​me ​to ​take ​the ​time. ​And ​so ​when ​I ​talk ​about ​having ​a ​support ​system, ​it's ​a ​word ​that ​we ​take ​for ​granted, right? ​​But ​to ​have ​that ​network ​around ​you ​that ​makes ​you ​feel ​full ​on ​the ​inside is ​crucial.​” - Ethel CraftThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes - https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at http://www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Shormilla Chatterjee at https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Ethel Craft at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethel-craft-dba-mba-7961a724/ Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

Uncharted Conversations facilitates unscripted and controversial discussions aimed at disrupting the infrastructure industry. In the face of major skills shortages affecting Canada’s major programmes, Riccardo sits down with David Ho, the National Leader for Healthcare and Buildings at Accenture. What begins as a look at the skill-based industry shortcomings transforms into a nuanced conversation about cultural, structural, and leadership challenges.Is the talent shortage just about trades and technical labour, or are we also seeing a void in leadership and bold thinking? Together, David and Riccardo dig into why the industry struggles to innovate, what it would take to truly break from tradition, and how a fear-based approach to risk weakens even the most capable leaders. They explore how changing political priorities, unclear project outcomes, and resistance to outside ideas further complicate the path forward.This conversation challenges long-held assumptions and invites anyone involved at every stage of the infrastructure delivery lifecycle to have the kinds of discussions that, David and Riccardo argue, are essential to carrying the industry into the future.Key Takeaways:Current labour shortages may be overshadowed by a systematically hindered approach to leadership.The shift of project outcomes over time, while often unavoidable, creates missed opportunities for the implementation of new technologies.Fear of risk is an intrinsic part of the industry’s culture, discouraging first movers and stifling the bold leadership required for innovation.Venture capital constraints and razor-thin contractor margins leave little room for research and development.Remote and underserved communities could be catalysts for innovation—if approached with intention.How a uniqueness bias prompts us to reject international approaches that could help Canada adapt and improve.Quote: “I encounter lots of different infrastructure leaders and usually conversations where  these individuals are reflecting on their own organizations or on other  organizations. Somewhere  within the diagnosis is a problem of disempowerment.  And  that when people and leaders are not truly empowered, they fail to live up to what are their on paper accountabilities. And lack of empowerment at all different  levels of leadership causes people to put the blinders on, work in their silo and  become content or comfortable being told what to do. And ​that ​is ​the ​sort ​of ​exact ​​opposite ​type ​of ​outcome ​and ​behaviour ​we ​want ​from leaders.” - David HoThe conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes - https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Follow Riccardo Cosentino - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Read Riccardo’s latest at http://www.riccardocosentino.comFollow David Ho - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtho-ontario/Listen to Riccardo’s interview with Alice of Brick & Mortar Ventures at https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/construction-technology-and-the-importance/id1683413407?i=1000709879402 Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.