Next month, industry leaders from across infrastructure sectors will gather on 2-3rd December at the London Stock Exchange for the UK Infrastructure Conference and Expo (UKICE). It's the second year for the UKICE event, which has quickly established itself as the main infrastructure event of the year.
It's the infra equivalent of Elton John's annual white tie and tiara ball, in the sense that it attracts the in-crowd of industry heavy-weights, movers and shakers, but without the white ties, tiaras or ball.Attendance is compulsory if you're in an exec and need to know what industry influencers are thinking, and how they're changing up. Go, if you're being kept awake at night by your organisation's ability to thrive in a new world, where political uncertainty, drip-fed projects, and alternative funders, are all now permanent fixtures. Thorny topics such as planning, sustainable infrastructure, competitiveness and sector reforms are all on the agenda, with speakers and panels made up of CEOs, COOs and Partners from a cross section of the industry.
This year, the organisers have added the UK Infrastructure Investors Summit (UKIIS), which takes place on the 3rd December. This is a private gathering of investors and select audience of project sponsors. If you haven't been invited to this, you probably aren't in the top echelons of the investor community. However, one hopes their discussions on topics such as investor attitudes to construction risk, new debt structures, and government guarantees will create enough ripples to eventually improve market conditions.
From a trends and innovation perspective, hearing what project sponsors, investors, contractors and consultants are working on to respond to this new reality is genuinely exciting.
Highlights not to be missed:
- Day 1
Rail Infrastructure – Global Trends – Richard Bowker CBE, Strategic Adviser, EC Harris
Panel Discussion – Developing and Delivering Advanced Transport Infrastructure to Support Accelerated Economic Growth, Chaired by Jason Millett, COO Major Projects and Infrastructure, Mace
Challenges and Solutions for Urban Infrastructure Development – Sir Albert Bore, Leader of the Council, Birmingham City Council
- Day 2
Panel discussion – The Evolution of PPP, PFI and PF2. Challenges Facing Infrastructure Investors Today – Chaired by Alan Goodman, Principal, Fund Management, Pension Protection Fund
The UK Infrastructure Market – Fundraising, Investor Attitudes and Deal Flow Eliot Bradbrook, Managing Director, Preqin Infrastructure
Opportunities for UK Regional Infrastructure Development Peter Pawsey, Chairman, Worcestershire LEP Paul Kehoe, CEO, Birmingham Airport