Topic: Organisational design & development

By Myrna Rickards
October 6th 2025

Annual Conference 2025 – Mission Possible: Improving the connectedness of major projects Highlight Report

Bookings are now open for this year's Annual Conference. This event is not bookable via our website – please contact sascha.flint@majorprojects.org to secure your place! 

We're excited to announce that this year's Annual Conference will be held at a new venue: Hotel La Tour, Milton Keynes. Member organisations are invited to book one space initially – for either your Main Representative or a nominated colleague (please see note below regarding recommended attendees). Places are limited to one per organisation, subject to availability, and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Attendance is included in your membership fee and covers the full conference programme, meals and overnight accommodation, provided by the Major Projects Association. 

Mission Possible: Improving the connectedness of major projects 

In an era of profound public policy reform, where government's strategic priorities are articulated through missions – not departments – how can major projects step up to deliver greater value? This year's Annual Conference will explore how we join up the initiation and delivery of major projects with the UK Government's evolving missions agenda, as laid out in the Prime Minister's Plan for Change. 

Mission-based government promises to tackle society's grand challenges – clean energy, economic growth, health, and net zero – through cross-sector, outcome-focused collaboration. It offers a chance for major projects to contribute in ways that go beyond traditional delivery models and metrics. But to do so effectively, we must rethink how we plan, govern and manage major projects and programmes. We need to better understand the interconnectedness of our major projects – with what we already have, what else is being delivered and other initiatives being planned or considered. 

This conference will delve into what the shift from transactional to portfolio-based project thinking means in practice. From reforms to Green Book with the introduction of place-based business cases, to the formation of mission boards and NISTA, the major projects landscape is being reshaped to enable interconnected, system-wide thinking. How should project sponsors, clients, contractors, advisors, investors and regulators respond? What capabilities will we need? And how do we deliver at mission or portfolio level without losing sight of accountability at project level? With water companies looking to build their own power supply, energy companies looking to build their own desalination plants to secure the water they need, and transport authorities focused more on housing and place-making, it is clear that the days of isolating projects scope to a primary objective are over. How should benefits be valued, measured and shared across a programme portfolio? Perhaps we no longer have, say, transport, energy or water projects but omni-projects that deliver a little bit of everything? 

Through keynote contributions, sector case studies, and interactive syndicate work, the conference will spotlight the systematic shifts required across policy, planning, procurement, and delivery. Delegates will hear insights on how spatial, systems and portfolio approaches can break down silos – both within government and across industry. 

Expect thoughtful contributions from senior leaders and academic experts in systems thinking and project governance. The programme will include real-world perspectives on interconnectivity from energy, transport, water and public services, culminating in collaborative syndicate discussions, where members will co-develop practical recommendations to take forward. 

This is not just a conference about what needs to change – but how we can change. It's an opportunity to shape the future role of major projects in delivering public value and national resilience.

Keynote 

 
James Murray MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury

James Murray was appointed as Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 1 September 2025. He previously held the office of Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, having been shadow Financial Secretary for three and a half years before that.

He has served as the Member of Parliament for Ealing North since 2019.

 

 

 Perspectives report: Mission-led major projects 

Ahead of the conference, we're pleased to share our latest perspectives report on Mission-led major projects, exploring how the UK's evolving missions agenda is reshaping the way we govern, plan and deliver. 

The report highlights:

  • How missions shift focus from departments to outcomes. 

  • The role of industry, regulators and government in working together.

  • The changes needed in leadership, accountability and communication. 

Who should attend? 

Those involved in major projects seeking to understand and/or embed systems thinking, collaborative delivery, and strategic alignment into the heart of major projects. We ask Main Reps to consider who would be best from your organisation to attend the conference – both in terms of learning and contribution. Strategic thinkers are ideal! 

Booking your place 

This event is not bookable via the website. For registration, please contact sascha.flint@majorprojects.org.

By Myrna Rickards
September 29th 2025

Mission-led major projects

The role of major projects in delivering the Government’s mission and the impacts the mission may have on how major projects are governed and delivered.

By Jonathan Norman
February 23rd 2023

Collaborative leadership: lessons from the 2022 Games and beyond

Moving the dial on leadership capability is one of the Major Projects Association’s strategic objectives. This seminar examined leadership through the lens of collaboration.

By Jonathan Norman
January 23rd 2023

Annual Conference 2022 – Escaping the Major Projects Echo Chamber (REVISED DATE) Full Report

This Annual Conference was postponed from September 2022 following the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Registrations remain in place for those confirmed to attend and joining details will be circulated in January 2023.

Over the course of the 40 years since the Association was formed the approach to major projects has continually evolved in response to the delivery environment of the day. Today’s delivery environment is unrecognisable even from just a few years ago, let alone from the early days of the Association. We may need radical changes, but if we continue to refine our approach based on memoirs of past successes are we in danger of incrementally solving past problems rather than those of today and tomorrow? To free ourselves from the shackles of past paradigms we need to escape the major projects echo chamber.

At last year’s Annual Conference we considered the past, present and future practice of initiating and delivering major projects. We identified some current practices we’d like to consign to the past and some practices we’d like to bring back. When considering the future we concluded the pace of technological change, aligning to socio-economic drivers, the urgency of addressing and avoiding environmental catastrophes and the general volatility of geopolitics would mean that major projects and the way we deliver them will need to be different.

This year’s conference builds on that and looks at how they will be different due to four paradigms that do not fit our current and future needs:

  • A hierarchical delivery model.
  • An inherently linear project lifecycle in a complex dynamic world.
  • Simplistic ROI or Cost-Benefit models that do not reflect how we get value from systems.
  • An assumption of infinite resources where growth is the goal/solution.

Are there non-hierarchical delivery models already available and it’s just a case of applying them more widely (e.g. Construction Playbook, Project 13, Value Toolkit)?

Do we need a portfolio approach to major project delivery, where each project is adaptive to emerging needs and opportunities within the overall ‘system’. This may require us to rethink our current focus on requiring firm ROI or Cost-Benefit commitments per project up front.

Have we become selfish toddlers in our competitive pursuit of growth and all things new? Do we need to re-learn how to share, re-use and repurpose? How do we marry owner/stakeholder competitive expectations and non-growth solutions in a major project context?

These questions need to be addressed for all types of major projects whether that is for infrastructure or other major projects such as policy and transformation.

The conference will be delivered as a physical event and we are offering one space per organisation on a first come, first served basis (additional spaces may be available closer to the time of the event). Spaces are offered at no charge (attendance is covered under your organisation’s membership fee) and include accomodation at the venue for the evening of Monday 12th September.

The conference is currently fully booked. Please let us know ASAP if you are no longer able to join us, as we do have a waiting list in place.

By Jonathan Norman
September 27th 2022

Systems Thinking, Systems Leading Highlight Report

Any scan of literature on major projects will reveal a common theme. Major projects need to deliver systems which in turn deliver the benefits expected of the investment in them. Generally, the more significant the project, the more complex the system will be and the more connected it will be with other systems – or the system of systems as explained in the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Routemap module on Systems Integration.

“As projects become more complex, their success or failure is increasingly determined by the interactions between new and pre-existing natural, built and digital systems, and the critical role of people in making these interactions work. As such, project outputs should not be viewed in isolation but as part of a system of systems”. 

The challenge of understanding such system of systems is well documented in the NAO’s report on lessons from Crossrail which, in part, led to the report “A System Approach to Infrastructure Delivery” commissioned by the Institution of Civil Engineers. There’s now a recognition that understanding systems is a core skill for anyone delivering projects in the public sector with the recent “systems thinking for civil servants” guidance being pubished by the Government Office for Science.

There are numerous tools and techniques which can be used to map and model systems to enable solutions to be defined and projects established to implement them. But the real challenge for delivering systems is not a technical one of modelling but one of leadership in the context of complex relationships and non-linear development. So how does the major projects leader embrace systems thinking? What competencies do they need to develop and/or deliver a new system within systems?

 

By Jonathan Norman
April 7th 2022

Innovation at the Edge Full Report

Is innovation best left to chance in the form of random mutations from current ‘best practice’? Or should it result from thorough investigation and analysis followed by a centrally directed transformation programme? Or somewhere in between and
perhaps best realised through Lean-style continuous improvement?

Is it best to focus on product innovation (e.g. design), process innovation (e.g. project methods), or organisational innovation (e.g. delivery models). Or perhaps a bit of each?

How do we approach innovation that requires collaboration across organisational boundaries – which is typical in major projects? Can we incentivise innovation, or do commercial structures and risk allocation get in the way?

By Jonathan Norman
March 15th 2022

Reimagining Global Supply Chains Highlight Report

We are living in a world of continuous change – increasingly uncertain and volatile. To address our critical social and environmental needs for a healthy and sustainable future, we all need to take positive action. We also have increasing expectations to deliver project benefits at a faster pace, bringing innovation and while being consistently reliable. Our project libraries are overflowing with policies and guidance and our lives and ways of working being redefined by new technologies and digitisation. For major projects the challenges and questions posed cannot be under-estimated – the operating models we have may not fit our future needs. The client and supplier relationship that delivers capital investment is key, so what do major project leaders need to consider and how can we best redefine our supply chains?

In this seminar we will discuss key themes relating to supply chains including, what are projects seeing as the pandemic comes into its third year? How can we mobilise major projects at pace to address critical needs? How should projects consider geopolitical issues such as protectionism versus free trade? What are the benefits of a global versus local supply chain? How can clients and suppliers best collaborate to achieve Net Zero? Do we need to rethink our contractual models if we want resilient, sustainable and diverse supply chains?

Successful organisations are adapting at pace to deliver projects in this rapidly shifting landscape – reimagining the way they work and operate now and in the future. In this event, we will hear from major project professionals from UK government, academia, client organisations and suppliers who are reshaping supply chain strategies to be ready for the needs of tomorrow’s major projects – aligned to the Association’s three landmark objectives of sustainability, diversity and capability building.

We are delighted to have Ruth Todd, Chief Commercial Officer, HS2 confirmed to chair this event, who, prior to joining HS2 in 2021, led the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force programme to deliver coronavirus vaccines for the UK.

Please note that this will take place as a PHYSICAL EVENT. Should COVID restrictions prevent this from taking place in person, we will make arrangements for the event to be broadcast via ZOOM.

 

By Jonathan Norman
July 7th 2021

Building Transferrable Skills – Lessons learned from Nuclear Decommissioning Short Report

Please note that this event will now take place via VIRTUAL means, with revised timings of 09.30 – 12.45. 

The Nuclear Decommissioning sector has gained many lessons learned in the last decade as it has made progress to safely and securely decommissioning the UK’s legacy nuclear infrastructure.

Using case studies from the delivery of a number of projects from across this challenging and highly regulated environment, this seminar will explore the lessons from the past and how they can be built into improving future delivery strategies of all major programmes.

With a focus around the key themes of programme management, collaboration and integration, community engagement and addressing the skills shortage gap, this event will be of interest to those both within and outside the nuclear sector as we hear from a range of stakeholders and encourage attendees to reflect together on how these lessons could be applie within their member organisations.

By Jonathan Norman
July 7th 2021

Building Transferrable Skills – Lessons learned from Nuclear Decommissioning Highlight Report

Please note that this event will now take place via VIRTUAL means, with revised timings of 09.30 – 12.45. 

The Nuclear Decommissioning sector has gained many lessons learned in the last decade as it has made progress to safely and securely decommissioning the UK’s legacy nuclear infrastructure.

Using case studies from the delivery of a number of projects from across this challenging and highly regulated environment, this seminar will explore the lessons from the past and how they can be built into improving future delivery strategies of all major programmes.

With a focus around the key themes of programme management, collaboration and integration, community engagement and addressing the skills shortage gap, this event will be of interest to those both within and outside the nuclear sector as we hear from a range of stakeholders and encourage attendees to reflect together on how these lessons could be applie within their member organisations.

By Jonathan Norman
July 7th 2021

Building Transferrable Skills – Lessons learned from Nuclear Decommissioning Full Report

Please note that this event will now take place via VIRTUAL means, with revised timings of 09.30 – 12.45. 

The Nuclear Decommissioning sector has gained many lessons learned in the last decade as it has made progress to safely and securely decommissioning the UK’s legacy nuclear infrastructure.

Using case studies from the delivery of a number of projects from across this challenging and highly regulated environment, this seminar will explore the lessons from the past and how they can be built into improving future delivery strategies of all major programmes.

With a focus around the key themes of programme management, collaboration and integration, community engagement and addressing the skills shortage gap, this event will be of interest to those both within and outside the nuclear sector as we hear from a range of stakeholders and encourage attendees to reflect together on how these lessons could be applie within their member organisations.