The Infrastructure Podcast

Hosted by Antony Oliver

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Episodes

186

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-GB

About the show

A new regular podcast series which features conversations with some of the key leaders and influencers from across UK infrastructure sector.

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60 recent

October 26, 2026Episode 18535 min

NISTA’s progress unpacked with David Lunn

This live episode of the Infrastructure Podcast was recorded at the recent Twin Talks breakfast event hosted in London by the Infrastructure Policy Advancement team at Bentley Systems. My guest is David Lunn, NISTA’s new director for market engagement and in the wide-ranging discussion we explore the progress being made by NISTA, the UK National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, as it works with the supply chain to modernise how major projects are planned designed and executed. For too long, the UK's infrastructure sector has suffered from chronic inefficiencies, fragmented planning, and lengthening delivery timelines that inflate costs for taxpayers and hinder the service delivered to communities. In response, NISTA is leading a transformation of the way the nation’s infrastructure is designed, delivered and operated, engaging suppliers, investors, and regional leaders in the critical change required. NISTA is driving a major transformation of the UK's infrastructure sector through its 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy and the dynamic Infrastructure Pipeline. Its role and mission is anchored around the UK government’s 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy and the dynamic Infrastructure Pipeline which sets out a £718bn public and private sector investment plan spanning all sectors of the nation’s economic and social infrastructure portfolio. David joined NISTA this summer and is charged with the challenge of making UK infrastructure more investable. This will see him developing what is billed as an investor-ready pipeline, coordinating engagement across government departments, regulators and investors, and driving reforms that unlock vital private investment. David came to NISTA from the then-Department for Business and Trade and has had a distinguished career in the UK civil service spanning nearly 30 years. He led the establishment of the UK Infrastructure Bank, serving as a UKIB board member and its first Chief Operating Officer. He began his civil service career at the Department for Transport and led the original funding and governance agreements for Crossrail and the successful conclusion to the CTRL project. So let’s drill in and find out how NISTA intends to give industry the vital long-term market visibility of workload that will helps suppliers better anticipate future resource needs, invest in necessary skills, prevent regional bottlenecks and accelerate private investment. Resources NISTA website 10 year Infrastructure Strategy UK Infrastructure Pipeline UK Infrastructure Bank Infrastructure Policy Advancement at Bentley Systems

October 19, 2026Episode 18433 min

Building Canada's next decade with Clémentine Sallée

This episode was recorded live at the recent Toronto Transforming Infrastructure Performance Summit and we discuss the challenges around Building Canada's Next Decade - and specifically seeing what lessons can be learnt from the Major project successes seen recently over the provincial border in Québec. Québec is home to some of Canada's most ambitious infrastructure projects, from transformative transit expansions and airport development to investments that are reshaping the movement of people, goods, and economic opportunity. These projects are not only changing how communities connect and grow, they are also providing valuable lessons in how to deliver complex infrastructure successfully at scale. Joining me to explore what Canada's infrastructure leaders can learn from Québec's major project experience is Clémentine Sallée, Senior Director, Major Projects CDPQ Infra, the innovative owner-operator of many infrastructure projects in Canada. A lawyer by training, Clémentine brings two decades of experience in major-project delivery, infrastructure finance, governance, procurement and commercial strategy across Canadian and international markets. All of which makes her well qualified to examine the leadership, partnerships, governance models, and delivery approaches that are helping advance complex projects in today’s increasingly challenging environment. Resources The Alto high-speed rail project The Quebec City’s TramCité project Réseau express métropolitain (REM) project CDPQ Infra website TIP Live Toronto 2026

October 12, 2026Episode 18338 min

Unlocking human potential with Adam Crossley

In this episode we talk about how to unlock the human potential found – or indeed, waiting to be found – in the businesses across the UK infrastructure supply chain. As we read and hear virtually every day, the sector faces huge challenges as it races to deliver the government's multi-billion pound investment pipeline to upgrade, expand and modernise the nation’s infrastructure and drive towards energy transition and a net zero future. Achieving these economic growth targets requires investment in more than just heavy machinery and concrete. It demands a profound change in the way the industry finds, recruits, trains, and retains its people. My guest today is Adam Crossley, Vice President and Chief People Officer at contracting giant Skanska UK. Having worked in the business for close to two decades and spent seven years before that as an Officer in the British Army, he knows more that most about the need and ways to unlock that vital human potential needed to drive successful outcomes. Not least given the changes that we face in the sector. To boost productivity and meet these massive infrastructure goals, businesses like Skanska are rapidly integrating data analytics, digital systems and artificial intelligence. This technological shift means that leaders must bridge new skills gaps, attract digitally fluent talent from outside the sector, and reshape traditional and often entrenched organisational cultures. At the same time, the workforce must adapt to new demands around carbon literacy, Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), and delivering measurable social value as the sector moves towards more sustainable solutions and better outcomes for communities. Resources Skanska website Sophie Hayes Foundation 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery Construction Skills Mission Board Green Construction Board UK Green Building Council

October 5, 2026Episode 18237 min

Scaling Manchesterism with Alistair Godbold

In this episode we drill into the project delivery challenges facing the sector as it adapts to the new Burnham administration’s drive for devolved power and greater regional investment. And the government’s 10 year infrastructure strategy and massive £718bn pipeline means the spotlight has turned firmly from project planning to project delivery. But it is also true that successive central governments have historically struggled with major project execution, often hindered by bureaucracy, shifting political priorities, and fragmented decision-making. So is now the moment for a project delivery transformation? Well we certainly see the political landscape shifting significantly following Andy Burnham's entry into Downing Street. This brings expectations that his regional "Manchesterism" approach, built on sustained transport and innovation investment, devolved powers, and community-centric regeneration, will be scaled nationally. Yet scaling this model is no small feat. Not least when it comes to overcoming the constant politics of project delivery, stretched public sector budgets and the talent gap in the workforce. Success will inevitably mean taking radical and decisive steps to get decision making and project delivery in shape to secure the vital private sector confidence needed to invest amidst on-going economic uncertainty. Well to unpack these complex dynamics, my guest today is Alistair Godbold, Vice President of the Association for Project Management and Director with The Nichols Group. Alistair’s long and distinguished background in major project delivery should make him well placed to shed light on the critical issues ahead be that the need to modernise procurement, empower local communities, or deploy emerging data and AI tools responsibly. Resources Association for Project Management Nichols Group The UK Infrastructure Pipeline Centre for Complex Project Management Global Alliance for the Project Profession

September 28, 2026Episode 18152 min

Heathrow's bold ambition with Helen Elsby, Nigel Cole and Harriet Wheeldon

This episode explores the future of Heathrow, the UK’s hub airport and a vital engine for national economic growth. The discussion was recorded live at the recent TwinTalks breakfast hosted by the Bentley Systems Infrastructure Policy Advancement team and features Helen Elsby, Chief Development Officer at Heathrow , the person responsible for turning the airport’s complex multi-billion-pound ambitions into physical and commercial realities. Helen is joined in the discussion by two key members of her supply chain: Nigel Cole, Managing Director of Infrastructure at Mace Construct and Harriet Wheeldon, director at Mott MacDonald. With passenger volumes continuing to reach record highs, Heathrow continues to progress plans for expansion to combat capacity constraints and keep passengers and cargo moving in, out and across the country smoothly. The scale of ambition is staggering: a £1.3 billion commitment in 2026 to conclude the current H7 investment cycle, more than £5 billion planned for the forthcoming H8 period (2027–2031), and the greenlighting of planning work for a potential further multibillion pound investment in expansion. As the discussion hears, Heathrow plans to build faster, smarter, and more efficiently to deliver maximum value for passengers, airlines, and the UK economy. Funding these ambitions entirely through private capital requires relentless operational and supply chain efficiency. From Modern Methods of Construction and the use of digital technology to collaboration across a nationwide supply chain, Heathrow must stretch every asset to unlock a 12% capacity boost, transform passenger experience, and drive net-zero goals. Much to get on with at Heathrow – so much to discuss. Resources Draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement Heathrow's H7 2026 plans Heathrow's H8 plans Heathrow expansion plans Interview with Heathrow COO Javier Echave Infrastructure Policy Advancement

September 21, 2026Episode 18032 min

Gas to decarbonise with James Earl

In this episode we focus on the UK’s challenge to accelerate its energy transition and in particular the role that our world-class gas infrastructure can play. To discuss this issue I am joined by James Earl, chief executive of Future Energy Networks, the relatively new industry voice which is supported by network owner National Gas, and the four Gas Distribution Networks – Cadent Gas, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities.. James’ background in the economics of energy make him well placed to explain how investment in the UK gas network can help to transform the way we decarbonise, transport and store the growing amounts of power needed to run the nation. It is an interesting and under-discussed topic. As the UK accelerates toward its Net Zero targets, the conversation around our energy future is often dominated by talk of wind turbines, solar panels, and total electrification. And while electrification is certainly critical to our decarbonised future, soaring demands due to new technologies like AI data centres, and geopolitical pressures are squeezing European energy supplies. The message from the industry is clear: a secure, affordable, and resilient energy transition cannot rely on electricity alone. Fortunately we have a mature gas network infrastructure literally beneath our feet really and waiting with the potential as a critical resource to support and boost the resilience of supplies, as a key energy storage asset and as a resource to spearhead the use of a new green gases. Lots to chat through with James as we get our heads around the potential of a whole-systems approach to energy future – let’s crack on Resources Future Energy Networks website The Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) Cooking on gas - Onward report into gas infrastructure National Energy System Operator’s report on Biomethane Hybrid heating systems

September 14, 2026Episode 17941 min

Powering our digital future with Javier Cavada

In this episode we focus on the challenge of meeting the growing global demand for power. The arrival of Andy Burham as Prime Minister and the latest ministerial reshuffles certainly does not undermine the government’s desire to invest in the infrastructure needed to bolster the UK’s energy supply. But it is also clear that the acceleration of artificial intelligence, and the growth in the data centres powering the technology, has triggered a new and growing clash between the needs and aspirations of digital tech and our ability to power the reality. My guest this week is Javier Cavada, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Power for the EMEA region , someone who is without question at the heart of creating and delivering the technology that is capable of bridging this widening power gap. And he knows all too well the dilemma - while so-called hyperscalers are racing to construct gigawatt-scale data centre campuses within 18 to 36 months, delivery of the high-voltage transmission lines, substations, and generation assets required to energize these facilities often takes 5-to-10-year infrastructure planning cycles. We therefore face an escalating "infrastructure debt"; a systemic deficit where regional grid capacity, regulatory queues, and aging distribution networks are lagging way behind the relentless power demands of modern computing. This means that the data sector can no longer rely solely on traditional public power grids for their survival. Instead, navigating this bottleneck requires a fundamental transition toward a resilience-first mindset, one that fuses rapid network reinforcement and grid-enhancing technologies with on-site, so-called “behind-the-meter” generation and intelligent load balancing. From hydrogen-ready gas turbines and large-scale battery storage to digital plant optimization and industrial heat management, the technology is there to bridge the gap. But how will it be financed and how will it be delivered at pace? Resources Mitsubishi Power website JAC-series gas turbines capable of using hydrogen blends TOMONI® digital solutions platform Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) UK government drive to net zero DESNZ: UK government energy policy The World Economic Forum: data centres stats Javier Cavada Linked In Wärtsilä, Finnish decarbonisation specialist Highview Power

September 7, 2026Episode 17843 min

Bringing Hospital 2.0 to life with Emma Whigham, Martin John and James Britt

In this episode are back with the latest in our series exploring the New Hospital Programme (NHP), the single largest investment in NHS infrastructure in recent decades. Hopefully you have caught the first two episodes on the programme published last February and December in which we explored the immense scale of this massive national endeavour and set out how the supply chain is gearing up to support the ambitious £37bn Hospital 2.0 industrialised delivery programm. Since our last podcast in February this year, ten delivery partners have been announced to work on the eleven projects in wave one of the programme which will be completed by 2033. In total three project delivery waves will see the huge programme stretch out to the mid 2040s. Today, we are stepping into the operational reality of how these state-of-the-art facilities will actually be delivered on the ground and how this bold Hospital 2.0 Alliance will actually work in practice. So lots to talk through and to unpack and to do that I am joined by a panel representing one part of the new Hospital 2.0 Alliance: Emma Whigham, the NHP Hospital 2.0 Alliance Director, Martin John, Strategic Director for Kings Lynn and James Paget hospital trust, and James Britt, Programme Director at construction partner, Skanska. Some context – historically, and as explained in our last two podcasts, NHS hospitals were built individually by autonomous trusts under a fragmented approach that frequently led to budget overruns and timeline delays. The new (H2A) Hospital 2.0 Alliance Framework aims to completely rewrites that playbook. By replacing traditional, often adversarial procurement with a 12-year collaborative ecosystem, NHP is backing an industrialised approach, leveraging standardisation, off-site manufacturing, and repeatable designs to speed up construction and drive value. But moving from theory to practice is highly complex. It demands an entirely new culture of transparency, shared risk, and collective resilience. So let’s dive in with the folk on the front line and explore how this radical approach actually is set to change things for frontline clinical staff, deliver consistent long term value for taxpayers and crucially, improve patient outcomes. Resources New Hospital Programme: Plan for Implementation Government hospital investment press release Hospital 2.0 Alliance Episode 143 - Hospital 2.0 Episode 152 - The Hospital 2.0 Alliance Supplier Guide. Skanska website Kings Lynn and James Paget hospital trust Queen Elizabeth Hospital trust Egan review 1998 Latham review 1994

August 31, 2026Episode 17740 min

Unlocking UK potential with Paul Reilly

In this episode I am joined by Paul Reilly, President & Managing Director for the UK & Ireland at global consulting giant WSP. There is plenty to chat through with Paul today. We are halfway through the parliamentary term and have a new Prime Minister in the shape of former Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. His administration continues to place infrastructure delivery at the heart of its national economic strategy. And with NISTA, the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, now fully embedded in its second year, the focus has shifted sharply from strategic vision to the execution of an unprecedented £718 billion public and private investment pipeline. Achieving this vision, alongside the mandate to deliver 1.5 million new homes and meet critical net-zero carbon targets, presents a transformative opportunity for the infrastructure sector. Unlocking this potential requires overcoming deep-rooted, systemic hurdles: embedding digital technology into legacy supply chains, industrialising construction through modern methods, and closing an alarming deficit of 100,000 workers annually. Businesses like WSP have a key role to play in achieving the required delivery transformation. As one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services consultancies, with 12,000 specialists across the UK and Ireland and a global network of over 83,000 professionals, Paul leads a team capable of rethinking the way we turn ambition into delivery. Resources WSP website NISTA UK Infrastructure Pipeline 10 year infrastructure strategy

August 24, 2026Episode 17642 min

An OBR for infrastructure with Sir John Armitt

In this episode discuss how the new Burnham administration can use host public debate to accelerate its plans for infrastructure investment and actually start to turn ambition into reality. My guest is Sir John Armitt , arguably one of the most prominent, knowledgeable and influential figures when it comes to setting and delivering UK infrastructure policy. As former longstanding chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, a past president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, former boss of Network Rail and contractor Costain, and the leader of high-profile infrastructure projects such as the 2012 Olympics, Medway Crossing and the Channel Tunnel High Speed Rail Link, he really needs no further introduction. Sir John is now chair of the new Public Private Partnership Commission which aims to overhaul how the UK selects, funds, delivers, and operates infrastructure. In a recent Financial Times editorial, John and the Commission advocates for a new Office of Budget Responsibility for Infrastructure, designed to, as he puts it, shield major investments from political interference and move decisions away from the so-called "Treasury brain." Lots to unpack there. Infrastructure investment is, as we continue to hear, critical to the government’s plans to devolve power, accelerate growth and drive living standards up across the whole of the UK. But despite huge amounts of ambition, delivery remains challenging. Decades of short-term policy pivots and inflated project delivery costs have hampered our ability to turn great visions into reality. This has to change. With a £725billion+ infrastructure investment strategy slated over the next decade, split evenly between the taxpayer and private markets, delivering long-term growth hinges on restoring investor confidence and operational stability. So let’s hear how political leaders like Andy Burnham can better navigate our 5-year electoral cycles and actually unlock the vast amounts of private capital ready and willing to rebuild the nation's delivery capability. Resources The Public Private Partnership Commission FT article "We need and OBR for infrastructure" Bradshaw Advisory website NISTA website Ten year infrastructure plan UK infrastructure pipeline