From Project Success to our Ambitions for the Next 40 Years

Published

At the end of this year, Sir Tim Laurence steps down as Chair of the Major Projects Association, after 10 years at the helm. On the strength of the annual conferences alone, he has guided the Association’s growing understanding of the complex issues that make up the environment of major projects:

victor-he-LKn6TroN0_0-unsplash2013 A Successful Project Every Time

2014 Making Major Projects Bankable

2015 Major Projects: Opportunities for a New Government

2016 Major Project Initiation: Making the Right Start

2017 Future Proofing Major Projects: Navigating an Uncertain Major Project World

2018 Pulling Together: Building a Common Future to Thrive in an Uncertain World

2019 Embedding Sustainability and the Circular Economy in Major Projects: Opportunity and Challenge

2020 Harnessing Emotional Intelligence in the Successful Delivery of Major Projects

2021 Major Projects 2016: Lessons, Ambitions and Practice for the Next 40 Years

2022 Escaping the Major Projects Echo Chamber (postponed until the January 2023)

While in the external environment, the industry has faced the extraordinary challenges of the growing climate emergency, Brexit, the COVID lockdowns and most recently, the cost-of-living crisis, double-digit inflation and the death of Queen Elizabeth II; Head of State for the past 70 years.

 

At the Association’s annual dinner earlier this week, Sir Tim reflected on his time as Chair and shared seven common themes that he had identified from our work over the last 10 years, and which provide us with much of our focus for the next 10 too:

  1. Carefully considered project initiation (with genuine consultation)
  2. Strong leadership, guided by good emotional intelligence and remembering that few if any of us are ‘complete leaders’
  3. Clever, smart, efficient use of resources
  4. A more balanced appreciation of risk
  5. A better understanding of the challenges the planet faces, including not only climate change but also loss of biodiversity
  6. Serious, thorough and honest post-project evaluation
  7. Pace, pace, pace

In January, Emma Howard Boyd CBE will formally take on the mantle of Association Chair. Emma’s background in financial services, where she has been a pioneer for the climate change, environmental and sustainable finance agenda, looks to set her up very effectively for the challenge presented by many of Sir Tim’s seven themes.