3 Ps in a Pod

Hosted by Partnerships Bulletin and P3 Bulletin

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134

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Jun 2026

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About the show

The team behind Partnerships Bulletin and P3 Bulletin bring you the stories behind the headlines, interviews with industry experts, and an occasional lighter look at the market <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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60 recent

June 15, 202615 min

Lord Heseltine: "You’re just playing in toy town”

Lord Heseltine tells the story of the birth of the European Space Agency. Why post-Apollo, when the US was spending £1.2 billion a year on space, the whole of Europe was spending just £200 million. Why the birth of ESA was driven by the self-interest of three major countries. Why the US general with a $29 billion budget for the Star Wars project wanted to invest in Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Why, the idea that Britain could compete alone with the technologies that were accumulated and available to the American capitalist system was “simply laughable”. Why “being European is not selling out British interests”. And why Margaret Thatcher told him: “If you want to get on and put your budget into this, you can, but you're not getting any of mine."  Join Alice and Lord Heseltine as they pick apart the negotiating contrivances and the wheeling and dealing to circumnavigate “turkeys not voting for Christmas” that ultimately put European space on the map. Contributors:Alice Bunn, President of UKspace <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-alice-bunn-obe-fimeche-fraes-ceng-3b5141/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ukspace/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn</a> Lord Heseltine, Member of the House of Lords Key topics covered: <ul><li>Creation of the European Space Agency (ESA)</li><li>US "Star Wars" program and brain drain</li><li>Geopolitical case for European R&D collaboration</li><li>Impact of Brexit on science and technology</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

June 10, 202611 min

Episode 124: Tackling the PFI backlash

As the national media warn of the 'return of PFI', the team take a look at what's happening behind the scenes and how the narrative can be countered. They consider:<ul><li>Has the government finally kicked into action? - 2:15</li><li>The potential for defence PPPs - 3:50</li><li>Whether UK national and regional governments have a strategy for PPP - 7:06</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

June 3, 202620 min

Episode 123: IML’s Steve Cooper reflects on the UK PPP industry

IML chief executive Steve Cooper speaks to Paul Jarvis about his first 18 months in the role and reflects on the threats and opportunities in the current UK market. He discusses:<ul><li>IML’s experience of handback of PFI contracts - 3:20</li><li>What’s next for IML? - 9:41</li><li>Energy transition opportunities - 12:25</li><li>The emphasis on community impact and engagement - 16:40</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

May 28, 202626 min

Episode 122: Phil Washington on expanding the P3 opportunity

Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington outlines the airport’s pipeline of projects, as well as considering the wider P3 market. He talks to Jonathan Davies about:<ul><li>The ambition of Vision 100 - 2:20</li><li>How to get a public institution ready to develop a P3 pipeline - 6:50</li><li>Facing the challenges of progressing a P3 - 9:50</li><li>Potential of TIFIA financing for airports - 15:30</li><li>Private sector health and the level of competition for projects - 19:14</li><li>The potential of real estate P3s - 23:34</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

May 21, 202619 min

Episode 121: MDOT’s Jaclyn Hartman

Jaclyn Hartman, assistant secretary for transportation investments, speaks to Jonathan Davies about the current opportunity for investment and the climate in the US P3 market They consider:<ul><li>P3 projects currently under consideration in Maryland - 53 seconds</li><li>Working through Purple Line problems - 9:01</li><li>Getting the balance right between value for money and attracting a good level of competition - 12:15</li><li>Ensuring a strong skills and labor base - 14:45</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

May 6, 202619 min

Episode 120: Reflecting on the Partnerships Awards

Once again, the biggest night in PPP delivered an insight into the projects, people and organisations that are shaping the future of the industry. The team reflect on the evening, and discuss some of the winning entries. They consider:<ul><li>Impact of the UK elections - 3:17</li><li>Views of behaviours in existing contracts - 9:15</li><li>The global landscape of PPPs - 14:50</li><li>Lifetime Achievement winner - 17:25</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

April 22, 202623 min

Episode 119: Water and Defence

With water infrastructure in increasing demand for a variety of reasons, the team discuss where PPP is playing a role, before moving on to look at how different nations are using the model to support their defence investment plans. They discuss:<ul><li>Partnerships to boost drinking water</li><li>How data centres are driving water demand -  5:45</li><li>Why the UK pipeline is strong despite general uncertainty around privatisation and PPP - 10:40</li><li>How PPP can help help spending in the defence sector - 15:00</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

April 14, 20269 min

P3TER Locked and Loaded: Catch up with new opportunities

In this bonus episode of P3TER: Locked & Loaded, the team pick out some of the most recent findings from their friendly AI assistant. <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

April 10, 202620 min

Episode 118: Is momentum returning to the UK?

The team consider ongoing progress in the UK PPP market a year on from the establishment of NISTA. They discuss:<ul><li>Neighbourhood Health Centres and the interest in the UK social infrastructure sector - 1:20</li><li>Interest in the HS2 Euston Station PPP project - 6:15</li><li>CATOs and why they’re different to OFTOs - 10:38</li><li>Why expiry is not the end of the conversation for the private sector - 15:41</li><li>Political support for new PPPs - 19:40</li><li> </li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

April 2, 202626 min

Will Whitehorn: “We have to industrialise in space. It is an imperative”

How do we solve population pressure and climate crisis in space? How has GPS allowed us to provide 12% more food globally? How did the UK become a global leader in small satellite manufacture after the British Government said, “there’s no future for the UK satellite industry”? How did Elon Musk turn reusable rockets from science fiction to science fact in less than 20 years? What else are “Elon and Jeff” going to allow us to do? And why is SpaceX still “the elephant in the room”? Join Alice as she talks to Will Whitehorn, chair of giant space tech investor Seraphim and former president of Virgin Galactic, and they discuss the implications of “The Elon Musk show” and its legacy, “the beginnings of a competitive space industry of scale”. Contributors:Alice Bunn, President of UKspace <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-alice-bunn-obe-fimeche-fraes-ceng-3b5141/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dr Alice Bunn OBE FIMechE FRAeS CEng | LinkedIn</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ukspace/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UKspace: Overview | LinkedIn</a> Will Whitehorn OBE, Seraphim Space Investment Trust<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-whitehorn-obe-aba80833/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Will Whitehorn OBE | LinkedIn</a> Key topics covered:<ul><li>UK satellite manufacture</li><li>UK universities</li><li>SpaceX valuation</li><li>Reuseable rockets</li><li>Agricultural management</li><li>Population pressure</li><li>Climate crisis</li><li>Solar power</li><li>Data centres in space</li><li>Industrialising in space</li></ul> <hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.