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Explore every episode of the podcast Navigating Major Programmes

Dive into the complete episode list for Navigating Major Programmes. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Building Better Project Leaders in the Canadian Infrastructure Leadership Academy with Matti Siemiatycki28 Sep 202600:44:15

What balance of academic and in-practice education will turn out the best future infrastructure leaders? That’s what the team behind the Infrastructure Institute are discovering as they prepare to launch the inaugural Canadian Infrastructure Leadership Academy at the University of Toronto. Matti Siemiatycki is leading the charge, and he returns to the podcast to speak further about the inspiration and effort behind the program.

In his conversation with Ricardo, Evgenia, and Shormila, Matti—a U of T professor of urban planning and Director of the Infrastructure Institute—discusses what’s missing in modern infrastructure delivery and what the Academy could mean for the future of an industry so vital to Canada’s continued growth. Matti reflects on years spent as the “coroner of infrastructure,” studying why major projects fail. Over time, he spotted recurring patterns: while individual project management issues matter, many failures point to broader gaps in leadership, organizational capacity, and the human side of delivery.


Inspired by other professional offerings, like the Major Projects Leadership Academy in the UK, the Canadian program is designed for professionals with 10 to 15 years of experience who are ready to move into larger delivery roles. The program will combine academic insight with practical industry expertise, covering the commercial and business skills, as well as the conflict management, required to lead complex projects. 


Keep listening to learn what it will take for the academy to create project management change, in practice, nationally. Matti also discusses why this is the perfect moment to explore and launch a program that focuses on behavioural and relationship best practices and seeks to change the culture of infrastructure delivery as a whole, through an academically rigorous, practically sound approach to creating major projects that succeed.

Key takeaways:

  • Why major project leadership requires more than technical expertise or on-the-job experience alone;
  • How studying project failures reveals recurring gaps in leadership, organizational capacity, and delivery culture;
  • What lessons successful projects like the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station can offer;
  • What needs to happen around the Leadership Academy for it to help shift Canadian project delivery culture;
  • Why future leaders need to learn from a combination of academics and industry experts.

Quote


“I’m becoming much more convinced that the individuals make a huge difference” - Matti Siemiatycki


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How to Grow Your Career Without Quitting Your Job with Jenia Reynolds21 Sep 202600:48:29

What degree of career growth is possible when you remain with one company? If you’re asking Jenia Reynolds, an experienced Partnership Development Manager, the answer is, “a tremendous amount.” In this episode, Jenia joins Shormila and Evgenia to dive into a 17-year career well-paved with pivots, professional development, and promotions—all beneath BC Hydro’s sizeable umbrella.


Starting out at the bottom, as a scheduler just out of business school, Jenia eschewed the project manager path (after receiving her PMP) to redirect her focus on the customer. Today, she recognizes the significance of that shift, that let her hone her love of outward-facing roles and embrace her people-person nature. Today, she focuses on helping new industrial partners understand their power needs, connection options, and the practical steps required to bring large projects online.


The discussion explores what it looks like to pursue career growth through curiosity, internal movement, and upskilling, as well as learning what credentials—such as an MBA—are needed for the roles you want next and avidly pursuing those differentiators. You’ll also hear about the burgeoning AI footprint and limited innovation in the energy industry. As Shormila, Evgenia, and Jenia are all mothers of young children, the episode concludes with a candid discussion about working motherhood and rising up in the ranks as a woman in industries traditionally dominated by men.


Key takeaways:

  • Why energy demand and grid connection are becoming more important considerations for major industrial projects;
  • How to build a successful, milestone-packed career with a single organization;
  • What working motherhood and visible female leadership can teach us about confidence, resilience, and articulating your value;
  • What is keeping the energy sector from leading the charge in technological innovation;
  • How wildfire risk, AI, and changing industrial demand are shaping conversations in the utility sector.

Quote

“If you can articulate the value that you bring to the table with clarity and conviction, the right people will see you.” - Jenia Reynolds


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Where Design Meets Operations: Steering the Train in Major Transit Projects with Lecia Stewart14 Sep 202600:54:13

How do expertise, experience, and expectation combine to make a Master Builder? Lecia Stewart is the founder and principle of The Stewart Group, a consulting firm with a large portfolio of successful major projects. In this episode, she dives into hard-won insights gleaned from more than three decades leading projects from the building, corporate, and government sides of Canadian rail infrastructure. Lecia’s career success can be traced to her unique understanding of the intersection between design, utilization, operations, governance, and delivery.


Helping teams get unstuck by telling the truth and getting to the bottom of problems is Lecia’s bread and butter. She reflects on the difference between advising from outside an organization and trying to drive change from within, as well as how today’s major projects have become weighed down by fragmented accountability and excessive oversight.


Human and cultural dimensions impact the success of major projects as much or more than the technical expertise on the ground. Lecia discusses the importance of political champions, the role of single-purpose entities, and why organizational culture determines whether the tools in a project team’s toolkit will work. She shares her experience as a woman and non-engineer in technical, male-dominated environments. She makes a strong case for building transferable social (aka “soft”) skills that span industry and subject matter; this kind of expertise is proven time and again to bring infrastructure projects to completion and meet the ever-elusive goal of “on time and on budget.”


Key takeaways

  • The need for consultants with experience and confidence to tell truth to power;
  • Why infrastructure delivery has become more burdened by process, oversight, and diffused accountability;
  • How leadership can “clear away the shopping carts” so project teams can do the work they were appointed to do;
  • How political champions, single-purpose entities, and organizational culture shape project success;
  • The impacts of focusing too heavily on gender disparity in the workforce.

Quote


“I’m focused on breaking down those needless barriers of time and process that get in the way from us being able to execute on the commitments that we’re asked to do.” - Lecia Stewart


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The Role of the Unsponsored Perspective in the Future of Canadian Infrastructure07 Sep 202600:42:38

How do you measure the impact of one small, industry-focused podcast? In this co-hosts-only episode, Riccardo and Evgenia step back from the usual format to consider what it means to be showrunners, why the conversations they’re leading matter, and how Navigating Major Programmes has evolved as a platform for public discussion in the infrastructure industry. Evgenia reflects on her journey from listener, to guest, to co-host and the anxieties and adjustments that come with sharing ideas publicly, engaging with knowledgeable guests, and gaining confidence in the perspectives she has developed over 15 years in the industry.

The conversation explores the role of independent, not-for-profit platforms in a sector where large-scale sponsored events can limit the range of viewpoints being shared. Riccardo and Evgenia discuss whether the podcast has a large enough platform to make a difference and the impact of guest selection and frequency on audience growth. They also reflect on the challenge of scaling the podcast without compromising its independence.


The hosts also make time to tackle the broader development of major project leadership in Canada. Riccardo shares the original impetus behind the podcast, which has since evolved into the Canadian Major Projects Leadership Academy at the University of Toronto. The industry experts acknowledge and break down the gap between technical infrastructure expertise and the demands of leading major and mega projects, where so-called “soft” skills become increasingly critical. Riccardo and Evgenia’s final consensus won’t surprise loyal listeners: Navigating Major Programmes is a forum for practical ideas, meaningful connections, and ongoing conversations that help shape the future of infrastructure delivery.


Key Takeaways

  • How hosting a podcast builds confidence in and validation for industry perspectives;
  • The opportunity for independent platforms to create space for more diverse, real-world conversations about infrastructure;
  • The potential of the new Canadian Infrastructure Leadership Academy to fill a sector-wide leadership and business operations gap;
  • How organizations like the Future of Infrastructure Group (FIG) help turn conversations into action;
  • The reasons behind the unique skill set required for major project management.

Quote


“FIG really turbocharged the amount of ground that can be covered by the initiative.” - Riccardo Cosentino

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Building the Future of Dual-Use Technology for the Canadian Armed Forces with Dina Tzirakos-Hawker31 Aug 202600:50:09

As Canada increasingly champions self-sufficiency, what does the future look like for dual-use technologies and the country’s defence manufacturing? Shormila and Evgenia go to the source to explore this timely question. Dina Tzirakos-Hawker is the Managing Director of Barrie’s Sandbox Centre, Ontario’s newest regional innovation centre. She is immersed in the country’s varied innovative pursuits and the policies and frameworks that both stymie and support it. Though new to the military industry, Dina has spent the last two years fervently learning from experts and devising her own innovative strategies for building bridges. Her goal: help companies with potential dual-use products understand what it actually takes to move from innovation to procurement in this complex, compliance-heavy sector.


The conversation explores the difference between simply having technology with defence applications and building a company that is truly ready to operate in the space. Dina points to AI, quantum, advanced communications, and drone systems as having great potential, but also stresses the less glamorous realities that determine success: manufacturing capacity, testing sites, cybersecurity infrastructure, compliance, clearances, procurement knowledge, and long sales cycles. For founders, the opportunity is significant, but it requires strategy, sector knowledge, and a realistic understanding of the customer and process—knowledge often gatekept from burgeoning companies. 


Through her conversations with all sides, Dina has identified a need for better coordination between government, industry, accelerators, municipalities, suppliers, and infrastructure partners. She explains the information-sharing concept behind a recent “Defence 101” event that filled a significant gap by offering more than 150 companies from around the world practical guidance on entering the sector. Dina sees this moment as both a massive opportunity and a major turning point for Canada, but dual-use innovation will not scale through technology alone. It will require collective support, practical infrastructure, patient capital, and a shared commitment to helping Canadian companies thrive in this self-sufficient future.


Key Takeaways

  • Why the “unsexy” side of defence tech—manufacturing, testing, compliance, cybersecurity, and infrastructure—matters so much;
  • How Canada can create stronger on-ramps between innovation, procurement, and defence readiness;
  • What roadblocks smaller suppliers may face when navigating long procurement cycles and thin margins;
  • Why Canada’s defence innovation push may require both public support and private investment;
  • How a collaborative “village mentality” can help Canadian companies thrive in a growing defence ecosystem.

Quote: 

“I don’t think we have a choice but to make this succeed. When you invest in your own defence capabilities…we almost make a recession-proofed business.” - Dina Tzirakos-Hawker

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From Scarcity to Precarity: What Canadians Want from Nation-Building Projects with Oksana Kishchuk24 Aug 202600:47:22

What can market research reveal about Canadians’ true thoughts on infrastructure? When making decisions about lengthy construction projects, taking the public temperature is vital. But sometimes, it’s hard to know which questions to ask. In this episode, Shormila speaks with Oksana Kishchuk, VP of Insights at Abacus Data, about how market research can reveal the Canadian mindset—and what that means for major programmes, public policy, and infrastructure delivery. 


After spending nearly a decade listening to Canadians across sectors, including resources, healthcare, education, and public affairs, Oksana is the ideal spokesperson for data collection: how it helps bridge the gab between decision-makers and voters by showing not only what people think, but why they think it. The conversation explores how the public’s priorities have shifted from the scarcity mindset of the pandemic to a present-day sense of precarity. Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a lens, Oksana explains that most people are focused on financial security, rising costs, and instability in the wider world. 


The research suggests Canadians agree, in general, about the problems, even though the impacts of those problems vary across generations. Now, they’re looking to their leaders for solutions that will stabilize our national foundation. This context impacts public views on everything from defence and pipelines to healthcare, energy, and long-term infrastructure projects, and it opens a unique opportunity for leaders in both government and infrastructure: prove you are listening to Canadians, and Canadians will place their trust in the stability solutions you present.

Key Takeaways

  • How market research helps leaders understand not just what Canadians think, but why they think it;
  • What the voting public’s expectations of progress mean for governments and major project leaders;
  • Why Canadians may be more open than usual to long-term, nation-building solutions;
  • How public sentiment has changed around healthcare, defence, pipelines, and other major sectors;
  • Why we need timely stakeholder communication, not just expert assumptions.

Quote:

“It’s a really great moment…the public is actually aligned in what I would say is a fairly rare opportunity to create nation-building, big projects.” - Oksana Kishchuk

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How Nuclear Financing Opened the Door to a Passionate Career Transition with Riccardo Cosentino17 Aug 202600:57:15

How can an intentional career trajectory help you create your ideal job? In the thought leadership pieces he has published on LinkedIn for years, Riccardo Cosentino has been transparent about the hard work that has led to his success, as well as the burnout and failures along the way. This episode provides a peek behind the publishing curtain: Mikaila Kukurudza, who writes those well-read pieces based on conversations with Riccardo, takes her insightful interviewing process on the record. The probing behind-the-scenes conversation with Riccardo explores his recent transition into the role of SVP of Nuclear Financing at AtkinsRéalis. The two cover emerging opportunities—both cultivated and circumstantial—and shine a light on the way major programmes ties into the changing needs of this resurging industry.


Riccardo reflects on why nuclear became the clear next step in his career and how the demands of financing these energy endeavours compare to transit projects. The conversation also goes beyond the technical to examine the personal questions underneath: how to learn at a senior level, how to create opportunities that did not previously exist in pursuit of purpose, and how to manage burnout. Riccardo is open about what this transition has taught him about motivation, leadership, failure, and returning to the kind of major programmes work that energizes him the most.


Key Takeaways

  • What makes financing nuclear projects different from financing other major infrastructure;
  • Why nuclear power has re-entered the conversation around energy sovereignty and long-term infrastructure planning;
  • Why creating your own opportunity can require curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to hit dead ends;
  • How senior leaders continue learning when stepping into new industries or highly specialized roles;
  • What the career roadmap can teach about leadership, empathy, and impact.

Quote: 


“All the things I’ve done since 2019…I was looking for a purpose." - Riccardo Cosentino

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Financing Nuclear: The Risk and Capital in Securing Canada’s Energy Future with Chris Keefer10 Aug 202601:04:21

How do we finance nuclear power plants in Canada? In this episode, Riccardo applies his experience financing large infrastructure projects to a deep-dive discussion with Chris Keefer. The Toronto physician and the President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy has excellent questions about the renaissance of this energy source and the process of funding these vast, costly, and promising initiatives. Riccardo explains why nuclear has historically depended on sovereign balance sheets, public utilities, and government-backed financing—and why the long-tail construction risk of the sector makes private lenders wary.


The conversation compares nuclear to other major infrastructure and energy assets, from hydroelectric projects and bridges to combined-cycle gas turbines. Along the way, Chris and Riccardo unpack key financing concepts and why construction certainty is such a major determinant of cost of capital. The discussion explores existing projects, such as Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C, the Thames Tideway Tunnel, and Ontario’s nuclear context to show how risk is assigned, priced, and sometimes pushed back onto governments or ratepayers.

Ultimately, the episode highlights that there is no universally good or bad financing model. The right structure depends on policy objectives, owner capability, risk appetite, market conditions, and whether the project can attract private capital without driving up the long-term cost of electricity. For Ontario and other jurisdictions considering new nuclear, the central challenge is not simply whether to use public or private money, but how to bring the right capital into the project while keeping the cost of that capital low.

Key takeaways

  • Why public interest infrastructure often requires more than a simple public-versus-private financing debate 
  • The benefits of public-sector or sovereign-backed financing for nuclear projects;
  • Why transferring risk to the private sector can make electricity more expensive;
  • What select UK nuclear power plants reveal about different nuclear financing models;
  • Why Ontario’s experienced nuclear owner position may shape how future projects are financed.

Quote:

  • “Project finance is asset-agnostic." -Riccardo Cosentino

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What It Takes to Be a Systems Leader with Robert Siegel03 Aug 202601:04:40

What does it take to excel as a systems leader in our rapidly changing modern landscape? Robert Siegel is the ideal guest to speak to this inquiry. The Stanford management professor, venture capitalist, and author of “The Systems Leader” joins Riccardo and Evgenia for a conversation about what our increasingly complex world requires of leaders and how these expectations tie in to major projects. Drawing on decades of experience across diverse fields, Robert explains why leaders today are requiring more varied skill sets than ever before to navigate the vast ecosystems they operate within. 


Large infrastructure projects are an excellent example of complex adaptive systems, where leaders must manage technical delivery while staying alert to shifting stakeholders, market conditions, social expectations, and organizational pressures. From local and global dynamics to balancing ambition and stewardship, Robert outlines the cross-pressures facing individuals pursuing leadership in infrastructure and beyond. 


Charging managers with continuous learning and the development of diverse traits, from gravitas to getting their hands dirty, Robert speaks to the leadership mindset and what may be a hard truth to swallow: accepting change and questioning how things have “always been done” are not nice-to-haves when it comes to leadership. Ultimately, he makes the case that leaders are defined by their ability to see the system, stay grounded under pressure, and remain adaptable within an ever-evolving future.


Key takeaways:

  • Why great leaders need breadth as well as depth—and what happens when specialists stay in their silos;
  • The traits great leaders do and don’t possess;
  • The five cross-pressures today’s leaders must navigate;
  • Why systems leadership requires the courage to challenge the status quo;
  • How and why leaders need to adjust their approach for younger generations and emerging technologies.

Quote:


“Whatever function you’re in or how senior you are, you’ll be able to be better at your job if you understand the issues of the broader system.” - Robert Siegel

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Beyond the AI Hype: What Infrastructure Needs for Transformation27 Jul 202600:48:18

Where does the infrastructure industry currently sit in the adoption of AI-driven technologies? In this episode of Uncharted Conversations, Shormila flips the tables on Riccardo to pick his brain about one of the most discussed—and most misunderstood—topics in the future of work today: artificial intelligence. A long-time watcher and learner on this innovative subject, Riccardo has followed the progress of AI for decades. Drawing on his well-rounded knowledge, Shormila guides an exploration of his perspectives on what AI actually means in practice for infrastructure and why the current hype often skips over the harder questions of value, cost, data, and implementation.


As frustrating as they may be for those in the industry embracing AI, there are good reasons why infrastructure has been slower to adopt these technologies than other sectors. Riccardo points to a fragmented project-based environment, tight contractor margins, and limited reinvestment in digitalization. Most importantly, the industry suffers from a widespread lack of structured data, which AI systems need to be effective and efficient. 


Rather than treating AI as either a job-killing threat or a guaranteed revolution, Riccardo upholds it as a tool—one with significant potential, but only when embedded thoughtfully into real processes. He talks through an intriguing AutoCAD parallel, uncertain economics, the limits of digital twins, and where infrastructure may see more practical value, such as scheduling and project analysis. AI may transform infrastructure one day, but only if the industry as a whole takes on the difficult work of digitalizing, structuring data, and integrating the ever-evolving roster of tools into industry-wide workflows.


Key takeaways:

  • The primary reasons the infrastructure industry is behind in AI adoption;
  • How the AI of the early 2000s became the AI we know today;
  • AutoCAD and AI: tools that change work, not overwrite it;
  • Why AI value depends on truly structured data, not just more project information;
  • Where AI holds the most promise for the future of infrastructure management and project delivery.

Quote: 


“Robotics is what the construction industry needs…and robotics is just not there.” - Riccardo Cosentino

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How Team Coaching Changes Major Project Outcomes with Christi Mertens20 Jul 202600:58:18

What is team coaching, and is it more than just an expensive, touchy-feely extra on major projects? How we behave and perform under pressure is one of the less visible parts of any infrastructure undertaking, but the fact remains: people and leaders are behind every aspect of every project. In this episode, Riccardo and Evgenia are joined by Christi Mertens, the founder of Invisible Discipline. Their probing conversation on human behaviour and how it impacts outcomes addresses the skepticism that so often surfaces when coaching is suggested.

Major programmes bring together strangers from multiple organizations and expect timely success under the pressure of huge deliverables and billions of dollars, all despite different corporate cultures, incentives, habits, and assumptions. Drawing on her background in behavioural science, strategic planning, and organization team coaching, Christi’s work today focuses on project teams across the full lifecycle. From development and procurement through handover and asset management, she helps them understand and act on how the people around them actually communicate, collaborate, and follow through. Christi explains why motivation is not enough, and how team coaching helps build awareness at three levels: the individual, the team, and the broader operating system they are working within.


The discussion doesn’t shy away from the industry’s ingrained resistance. It tackles why owners and project leaders often question the value of coaching, why vulnerability can be difficult for senior specialists, and why collaborative aims need discipline, habits, and tools to be realized. Before she’s done, Christi offers up practical advice for directors forming project bid teams for the first time. This episode highlights what is really behind projects that finish on time, on budget, and without a stack of hostile claims on file. Lasting success depends on reflection, feedback, alignment, and an intentional culture that helps people solve shared problems together.


Key takeaways

  • How team coaching works across the “me,” the “we,” and the broader project operating system;
  • Why motivation is not enough without discipline, habits, and tools for changing behaviour;
  • The difference between coaching short-term project and long-term organizational teams;
  • Whether or not a true collaborative contract is required for successful collaboration;
  • The risk and reality of trying to be part of a high-performance team.

Quote:

“Motivation doesn’t get you very far…Without discipline and habits and tools for changing behaviour, it’s really had to see follow-through.” -Christi Mertens

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Better Data, Stronger Teams: Rethinking the Humanity of Infrastructure Delivery with Sheryl Staub-French13 Jul 202600:58:23

What is the sweet spot between digital project delivery and inclusive, diverse collaboration? Digital transformation is a significant player in the field of project delivery improvement and innovation. Sheryl Staub-French, a UBC Civil Engineering professor and 20-year infrastructure and building information modelling veteran, is the perfect spokesperson for its journey. Sheryl joins Evgenia for a conversation that centres change—both technological and cultural—for the betterment of the infrastructure industry. The sector is long (and infamously) plagued by the spectre of over-budget-and-over-time, and Sheryl’s research seeks to uncover innovations that can shift this trend. It all starts, she stresses, at a systems level.  

In their conversation, Evgenia and Sheryl explore Sheryl’s leadership in equity, diversity, and inclusion, including her role as the first Associate Dean of ED&I in UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science and the first female head of her department. Sheryl reflects on the persistent underrepresentation of women and Indigenous students in engineering, the importance of groundbreaking systems and culture change, and why inclusion of all kinds is not separate from project success. 


The discussion also burrows deep into the human and technical sides of infrastructure innovation. Pointing to specific successes in other countries, Sheryl argues that digital tools alone will not transform the industry unless owners, teams, and organizations are ready to change how they work together and implement that change at an organizational, not individual, level. Whether discussing BIM, IPD, AI, or engineering education, Sheryl returns to a core idea: better infrastructure delivery depends on better collaboration, better data, and better systems for bringing all voices and expertise into the work.

Key takeaways

  • Why Canada’s lack of a national digital transformation strategy leaves infrastructure delivery behind its fellow G7 countries;
  • How equity, diversity, and inclusion connect directly to better engineering education and on-the-ground outcomes;
  • What’s possible with a true, human-focused, collaborative IPD approach to infrastructure;
  • Why collaboration requires aligned incentives, shared risk, shared reward, and trust—not just new tools;
  • How AI could improve the efficiency and completeness of information commissioning and handover practices.

Quote: 


“If people don’t feel included, if it’s not diverse, if all voices aren’t being heard, it’s not successful.” - Sheryl Staub-French

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Women in Transportation: Leadership and Opportunity at Every Level with Marisa Espinosa and Karla Avis-Birch06 Jul 202601:00:40

What does it take to bring women into infrastructure—and keep them there? The goal was once simply to get female leaders a seat at the table. Today, this growing demographic in the industry rightfully demands not just an invitation but influence and impact once they’re there. In this episode, Evgenia and Shormila are joined by Marisa Espinosa (AECOM) and Karla Avis-Birch (Arup) for a thoughtful conversation about what it takes not only to enter the sector, but to stay long enough to shape the future of capital projects. 


Both guests bring deep experience in transportation and major programmes, along with distinct paths into the industry. Their conversation explores the leadership qualities required in a sector where technical and human complexity are equally matched. Marisa and Karla discuss the importance of purpose, passion, life experience, and systemized thinking in ensuring teams stay productive and connected. They also reflect on the need for diverse perspectives when building infrastructure that serves real communities.


Opportunity, support, and thoughtful policies all contribute to keeping women coming to and growing within their industry. Both Marisa and Karla play important roles in their local WTS chapters and speak to the need for robust networks both inside and outside the office. They celebrate the relationships that provide both confidence and community, as existing and upcoming generations of infrastructure leaders continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.


Key Takeaways:

  • Why transportation leadership starts with understanding how people actually rely on infrastructure;
  • The essential leadership traits for everyone climbing the ranks in major projects;
  • What women’s lived experience brings to infrastructure decision-making and project delivery;
  • How non-linear careers, caregiving, and confidence gaps affect women’s progression in the industry;
  • The role of women-led networks like WTS in building community, credibility, and opportunity.

Quote:


“What’s your own leadership imprint? Who you are as a leader; how do you want to show up?…That’s important” - Marisa Espinosa

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Rethinking Infrastructure Through AI and Human Decision-Making29 Jun 202601:05:56

What can adventures in vibecoding and broadening one’s understanding of AI models reveal about the future of infrastructure? In this episode, the podcast makes a 180 as Lawrence Rowland turns the microphone on Riccardo. What follows is a wide-ranging and deep-delving conversation about modelling, artificial intelligence, systems thinking, and the role these evolving tools might play in major programmes. 

They begin with Riccardo’s development of an International Roughness Index (IRI) prediction model to better understand pavement degradation—an example of using data to challenge linear assumptions and improve infrastructure decision-making. From there, the discussion follows Riccardo’s learning journey through reinforcement learning, coding agents, decision intelligence, reality capture, knowledge graphs, and the future of physical AI. Along the way, Lawrence and Riccardo bring the discussion back to what these tools mean for project leaders: why humans and organizational processes remain the weakest link in adopting new technology, how AI can support—not replace—human decision-making, and why meaningfully connecting the data is the biggest determinant of success.


The episode also explores the softer but no-less-essential side of major programmes, including relationship complexity, stakeholder power, information asymmetry, and the limits of tools like Gantt charts in representing the real dynamics of project delivery. Finally, Riccardo reflects on what his AI experiments and podcast journey have taught him about his own niche. This conversation covers all the bases: curiosity, humility, and the need to keep rethinking how we understand, manage, and learn from complex infrastructure systems.

Key takeaways

  • The future of LLMs and physical AI in major projects;
  • What old-school video games have to do with building prediction models;
  • How decision intelligence can begin to support, but not replace, project leadership;
  • The difference between complex and complicated—and why it matters for systems thinking;
  • What delving into AI and its possibilities has taught Riccardo about his niche.

Quote


“[In today’s LLMs], through brute prompting, you can actually get to the answer you want…but it’s a very convoluted path.” - Riccardo Cosentino

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Women in Leadership: Defying Tokenism and Embracing Authenticity with Angela Clayton22 Jun 202600:54:53

How do you champion an authentic leadership style in a sector that’s slow to adapt to change? Infrastructure Ontario President and CEO Angela Clayton has traversed this career journey by building a robust network while maintaining a deep dedication to continuing education and an iron-clad work ethic. She joins Riccardo and Shormila for a candid conversation about career growth and what it means (and doesn’t mean) to be a woman in leadership in this male-dominated industry. 

Angela has seen the benefits of prioritizing community and collaboration in many facets of her career. She reflects on her history of learning on the job and how employer-supported professional development has transformed her trajectory. She and the hosts dig into the practical realities of leadership in major programmes and the mistaken assumption that great individual contributors naturally become great leaders. She also speaks frankly about being the only woman in the room, and how essential trust in hard-earned champions, while it doesn’t negate impostor syndrome, certainly puts it into perspective.


The discussion also explores IO’s evolution over time, Angela’s approach to her transition to CEO, and her future plans for pursuing more impact-driven work. Discover this successful industry innovator’s take on the shifts leaders must make as they navigate new roles and her thoughtful advice for women aspiring to excel in infrastructure.

Key takeaways:

  • How a strong network creates career opportunities, and why getting the job is only the beginning;
  • The pitfall of assuming technical excellence translates into project and people leadership;
  • How to think about “diversity hires” without tokenism—and what real sponsorship looks like;
  • The culture and mandate evolution of Infrastructure Ontario;
  • The mental shift required when moving from PM issues management to CEO vision and culture development.

Quote:


“[Former peers who now report to me are] some of my most trusted advisors. They have the history of the organization, and it’s so valuable to have that institutional knowledge.” - Angela Clayton

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Alliance Delivery in Practice: Building High-Trust Teams in Infrastructure with Marcia Medrano15 Jun 202600:53:36

To what extent is leadership success contingent on specific industry expertise? Marcia Medrano began her career in buildings, not transit. Yet, her experience developing and guiding teams, budgets, and procurement projects is proof that people management is not bound by sector—as long as you’re willing to make the most of the experts around you.


In this episode of Master Builder, Riccardo and Shormila sit down with the Executive Vice President of Capital Projects at Metrolinx to explore what it takes to rise to leadership without pretending you’re an expert in everything. Marcia traces her path from architecture and vertical infrastructure to transit delivery and the core lesson that’s shaped her career: big infrastructure delivery is fundamentally about people—building trust, aligning teams, and getting things done. Marcia doesn’t hesitate to push back against conventions and assumptions. Choosing to leverage her parallel expertise rather than be daunted by a new sector, she often asks, “Why not?” Over and over, she sees the question unlock progress in new and exciting approaches for the infrastructure industry.


The three experts hold a candid discussion about impostor syndrome and women in leadership, the superiority of alliance projects, and the importance of transparency on all sides of a major programme. They call out the danger of blindly following rigid structures and the shifting of the status quo as the Canadian infrastructure industry dives into ever larger and more ambitious projects. Throughout it all, Marcia champions a new understanding of steering the ship, and all the assets that come along with “leading like a woman.”


Key takeaways

  • The relationship-building and human connection that underpin infrastructure delivery success;
  • How transparency drives success, however varied a team’s expertise and experience; 
  • Why incentivizing on-the-ground solutions and cooperation outweighs claims that stall progress at every turn;
  • The importance of updated governance and project-wide empowerment on the owner side of collaborative contracts;
  • What’s poised to change for women in infrastructure leadership.

Quote


“Challenging our own biases of the things that we know and the things that we don’t know is part of challenging the status quo.” - Marcia Medrano

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Adapting to the Next Wave of AI in Major Project Management with Lawrence Rowland08 Jun 202601:07:13

How is AI poised to transform our workflows and working relationships in the coming months and years? There’s no question that large language models have had an enormous impact on our lives—and most of us have barely scratches the surface of what is possible with these powerful tools. In this episode, Lawrence Rowland joins Riccardo to unpack all that’s changed since his last appearance on the podcast in 2024. Lawrence is a veteran of project management with a laser focus on AI transformation and strategy. Together, he and Riccardo explore numerous angles of working with these inhuman (but increasingly capable) agents on everything from research to reporting to improving coworker interaction.


The conversation stays grounded in practice: the pair drills down on the massive shifts in AI in merely months, why token budgets matter, and the growing ability of programs to self-prompt and think outside the boxes of our requests. Lawrence shares the fascinating way he uses AI—to synthesize methodologies, generate playbooks, pressure-test thinking, and reveal tacit insights missing from current project narratives.


The two AI buffs also confront the human side of the transition, including where accountability falls when work is partially automated and what “transformative AI” might mean for careers and organizations. Less about hype and more about adaptation, Lawrence and Riccardo’s conversation hones in the theory on constraints. They remove the rose-tinted glasses and speak to redesigning workflows based on a practical, vital question: where is AI genuinely better, and where are humans still essential?


Key Takeaways:

  • How agentic AI shifts work from prompting to task-level execution;
  • The reasoning capacity of AI tools based on token budgets and model capability;
  • The concept of underwriting in retaining human liability in AI-dominated work
  • How theory of constraints and bottleneck thinking helps decide what to automate vs keep human;
  • How AI can improve communication and project alignment by translating complex work for different audiences.

Quote:


“Either you’re checking the AI or the AI is checking you, and getting used to that will set you up for the new economy.” - Lawrence Rowland

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Building Major Urban Transit Systems That Work with Ron Aitken01 Jun 202600:52:15


What can a long career in urban transit reveal about collaboration, contracts, and system integration? In this episode, Evgenia and Shormila guide a wide-ranging conversation with transit veteran Ron Aitken. The discussion ties together his nearly five decades of experience in Canadian and international infrastructure projects.


Ron is an expert in what makes complex urban transit work: clarity of requirements, disciplined change control, and the relationships and experience on both sides of the contract. Examples from Vancouver and abroad illustrate the outcomes of effective collaboration, a concept that existed (and succeeded) long before it was being written into the alliance and collaborative contracts presently in vogue. Risk balance, project definition, and synergy have always impacted major programmes.


The industry is evolving, and this conversation doesn’t shy away from exploring that. Owners are taking back certain systems integration responsibilities and accepting more risk. Interface and requirements management are becoming more essential, and the adoption of new AI tools is transforming scheduling and delivery across the board. Throughout their broad dialogue, Ron reinforces a simple but oft-overlooked fact: delivery models matter, but the culture and the people matter more.


Key Takeaways:

  • Why procurement models don’t guarantee success;
  • How early automated transit programs forced teams to build delivery capability, not just technology;
  • Why trust and respect must be built quickly—and why experience on both sides of the contract is non-negotiable;
  • How systems integration drives risk in urban transit—and why “systems first” scheduling and access planning matters
  • The approaches that can mitigate and even abolish claims in major projects.

Quote:


“I recommend to people just starting their career: get yourself a helmet and boots and find your way out onto the site” - Ron Aitken

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Beyond Price and Fairness: Rethinking Outcomes in Canadian Infrastructure Procurement25 May 202600:56:37

What would it take to prioritize major programme outcomes over more familiar factors like price and procedural fairness? This is the question posed by Peter Weltman, the guest host on this Uncharted Conversations episode. Peter notes that Canada’s infrastructure industry is struggling to maintain what it already has, much less build what it needs next. Iterating is likely to fail, so what are the alternatives?


Co-hosts Shormila, David, Melissa, and Riccardo quickly surface the real tension: “outcomes” are often harder to define, measure, and defend than cost—and public procurement systems are deliberately built for political optics and to avoid the perception of discretionary decision-making. Together, the panel explores why technical merit often fails to meaningfully influence selection and why innovation tends to get squeezed out when projects are seen as fixed scope from the beginning.


From there, the conversation widens beyond RFP mechanics into bigger levers: risk appetite for unsolicited proposals, whether Canada needs an “infrastructure venture fund” for ideas, and the value of portfolio thinking. Canada may not be ready to blow up the whole system. However, examples—including new financing entities and development-partner models—both within and beyond infrastructure highlight alternative pathways that are already emerging.


Key Takeaways

  • The problem with reducing “value for money” to competitive pricing in major projects;
  • The difficulty in defining “outcome-based procurement” beyond cost;
  • How better technical discrimination can prevent price from dominating “best value” selections;
  • The potential for more rigorous schedule and delivery certainty evaluation through risk analysis;
  • How entities might catalyze more innovative deal structures than classic linear procurements.

Quote:


“How do we create the incentives to build the capacity to do things in a more innovative way, realize more budget, more benefits?” - Peter Weltman

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Job Searching as a Skill: The Project Manager's Playbook with Mukhtar Kadiri18 May 202600:41:56

Behind every major programme is a project manager—but how do they get there? For a practical and informative conversation on the current PM job market, Riccardo sits down with Mukhtar Kadiri, whose extensive project management experience has culminated in his work as a Program Director and Career Coach, where he helps project management professionals compete for high-compensation roles in the industry.


Though the hiring environment for PMs today varies by niche and region, competition is heavy across the board, and Mukhtar recommends all job searchers have a strategy—that they approach the search like a project in itself. He and Riccardo explore how candidates can use AI to make the most of their application process and the essential steps to get a foot in the door. Mukhtar has tips for employers and hiring managers, as well.

Job searching is a skill, Mukhtar stresses, and this episode offers actionable ideas of how to approach the work intentionally. Specific and backed by plenty of real-world experience, Muhktar’s perspective is essential listening for employees and employers alike, whether they’re currently on the job hunt or planning to begin searching in the future.


Key Takeaways

  • How today’s PM job market is changing competition, screening, and expectations;
  • The five-part strategy, from application to highest offer, that hones your job search skills;
  • Why you need to pitch differently to recruiters and hiring managers;
  • How to utilize AI beyond asking it to write your cover letter for you;
  • The traits employers should emphasize to win the best candidate.

Quote


“Job searching is a skill” - Mukhtar Kadiri

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Winning the Bid: Preparing for a Successful Infrastructure Proposal11 May 202600:45:30

What happens behind the scenes before a project bid is even accepted? The delivery outcome component of major programmes is fascinating, but a lot occurs long before procurement, design, and development get underway. Taking a step back, and behind the curtain, Riccardo, Shormila, and special co-host Evgenia Jilina, Colliers’ Transit Regional Sector Director, dive deep into what happens before the Request for Proposal is published. 


The three infrastructure professionals explore the competitive, resource-intensive work that happens upstream: strategic positioning, RFQs and RFPs, partnership decisions, and the internal calculus of whether a proposal is worth the investment of pursuing at all. They break down why “winning” a project is rarely about a single submission moment. Preparing a proposal can cost millions, pull top talent off active work for months, and take months or even years—a lengthy span of time where assumptions, teams, and even the market can change. 


They make the case that capture planning is so much more than paperwork—it’s the training plan behind the goal: the structure that helps organizations choose which opportunities to chase and show up with the right partners and narrative when it counts. Together, the panel tackles the uncomfortable tension at the heart of public procurement. It’s a system designed to prevent influence, yet meaningful early interactions help clients clarify needs and bidders understand the real problem. In the end, a strategic but authentic engagement approach inevitably weighs into the final decision. Real success is so much more than a lucrative “win”: it’s a mutually beneficial relationship where client, bidder, and the public recipients of the infrastructure all triumph. 


Key Takeaways: 

  • Why capture planning is essential to success, not a waste of time and money;
  • How organizations decide which pursuits are worth prep that costs millions, months, and their best players;
  • What successful early engagement looks like before an RFQ or RFP is issued;
  • Why early conversations should be reframed as “engagement” rather than “influencing”;
  • How to build bid teams around strengths and gaps instead of searching for a unicorn.

Quote:


“The stakes are high…you’re expected from day one to start on a project that’s bigger than the GDP of some small countries.” - Shormila Charterjee

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Essential Leadership Qualities for Legacy Infrastructure Outcomes with Bruce McCuaig04 May 202600:42:12

What does it take to become a celebrated leader in infrastructure? With more than four decades of experience in the public and private sectors, Bruce McCuaig is ideally suited to answer this complex question. He joins Riccardo to reflect on leadership, delivery, and building major programmes that “matter now and one hundred years from now.”


Bruce shares what has shaped his philosophy: an enduring enthusiasm for the legacy of transportation projects, a belief in multidisciplinary teamwork, and a practical approach to collaborative management of risk. He breaks down key qualities of senior leadership: listening and guiding, not seizing control and credit. 


Riccardo and Bruce’s conversation explores the recent shift in Canada toward alliance delivery models. True to his leadership style, Bruce argues that while a broad toolkit of procurement and contracting approaches is useful, collaboration is essential to every successful project, whatever the model. He advocates for giving “fearless advice,” supporting teams with training, and empowering them with trust. In the end, a united approach that puts the public’s best interest front and centre throughout every project ultimately leads to legacies worth building.


Key Takeaways

  • How a far-ranging career builds judgment, adaptability, and impact across sectors;
  • Why listening is a paramount skill every leader needs to possess;
  • How to develop a culture of collaboration on every major project;
  • Approaching risk as shared and holistic, rather than “ours vs. theirs;”
  • The skills hiring teams should prioritize when filling infrastructure leadership roles

Quote:


“Sometimes, there might be a Eureka moment where the senior leader can say ‘this is the solution!’, but [more often], it’s about helping the team get to a solution.”  - Bruce McCuaig

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The Indigenous Imperative in Canada’s Infrastructure Future with Matthew Jackson27 Apr 202600:39:18

When we view Indigenous communities not as risks to be managed but as partners in building stronger, more sustainable, and more profitable infrastructure projects, what changes? In this episode, Shormila speaks with Matthew Jackson, Hydro One’s Vice President of Indigenous Partnerships. Matthew has spent more than a decade working with the Indigenous communities impacted by energy sector projects. He has seen firsthand how that essential mindset shift can unlock both reconciliation and commercial success. 


Today, more and more organizations are recognizing how vital Indigenous perspectives are to Canada’s infrastructure and economic expansion. Many project failures stem from a broken starting point: the assumption that Indigenous communities are an obstacle rather than rights-holders and value-creators. Transitioning from an oppositional to a partner relationship transforms the timelines, governance, and outcomes of major programmes. Today, Hydro One conducts business with Indigenous communities through a 50/50 equity partnership model—an approach that is rebuilding trust, accelerating decision-making, and reducing environmental and safety impacts.


Shormila and Matthew’s conversation provides practical advice for leaders and teams. While Hydro One’s approach cannot be cut and pasted across the industry, key components of their method are transferrable. Matthew encourages teams to engage early, lead with transparency, and be open to a new way of working. Hydro One’s marked acceleration of green-lighted projects proves the undeniable positive impact of this approach.


Key Takeaways 

  • How shifting from “Indigenous risk” to “Indigenous opportunity” changes project outcomes;
  • The revenue, work safety, and environmental benefits of being willing to try new approaches;
  • The strong Indigenous leadership that led to Hydro One’s success;
  • Advice for the new generation of infrastructure professionals pursuing Indigenous relationships;
  • The realities of continuing social segregation, even in recent years.

Quote:


“The future of this country is bright if we can embrace that Indigenous opportunity and that Indigenous value.” - Matthew Jackson

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Engineering Leadership: Empathy and Self-Reflection in Tech Management20 Apr 202600:51:40

How do you know if you’re a good leader? In engineering, like any profession, leadership is so much more than just getting your team to do what they’re told. In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo and Shormila shift their focus to a broader topic: people management. Reaching beyond assessments and management styles, the two long-time leaders unpack their experiences so far. They explore the difference between managing contractors and direct reports, the importance of feedback delivery, and the need for empathy that flows in both directions—up and down the chain of command.


Their conversation winds through self-reflection, organizational structures, and the dearth of training for technical experts thrust into people-management roles as the only path for advancement. Along the way, they discuss how leadership evolves over time (and often through mistakes), why emotional intelligence takes deliberate work, and what makes people management uniquely demanding—especially when you’re delivering hard news while still remembering there’s a human on the other end.


They also dig into the realities of leading within complex systems: how to motivate and retain people across generations, why “tone from the top” shapes culture more than any slogan, and how leaders can adapt their style to the individual in front of them. Therapy, organizational design, and the impact of AI on early-career technical roles all receive their due consideration in a thoughtful, candid episode that recognizes leadership is a lifelong practice—not a just title.


Key takeaways

  • The role of empathy in business, relationships, and company culture;
  • Why self-reflection is essential to every leader’s development;
  • Recognizing when to adhere to and when to throw out the org chart;
  • Navigating disconnection from direct reports in enormous corporations;
  • The negative impact of distilling rational reasoning as decisions descend from the top.

Quote


“Creating corporate culture…all starts from the leader—the tone from the top.” - Shormilla Chaterjee

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Unlocking the Economic Potential of Canada’s North with Sima Sahar Zerehi13 Apr 202600:56:56

Canada has long called itself “the North.” Now is the time to seize the economic opportunities so long unsupported in the country’s true North: Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. Sima Sahar Zerehi knows first-hand that building relationships is the key to delivering interconnected and impactful major infrastructure projects in Canada’s North. In this episode of the Master Builders series, the Chief Executive Officer of the Arctic Opportunities Group shares the fortuitous route that led her to leadership in what she considers the country’s most promising region.


Exuding passionate belief in Canada’s future, Sima unpacks how Arctic sovereignty conversations and renewed federal funding are shifting the narrative from untethered announcements to real, strategic projects that create jobs, unlock corridors, and signal Canada’s commitment to expanding “coast to coast to coast”. The way to success, however, differs from traditional major infrastructure approaches. Sima emphasizes that Inuit and Indigenous organizations in the North are vital partners from beginning to end, not simple stakeholders. Builders who want to expand into this largely untapped region need to start with relationships, respect that communities have already identified their priorities, and structure partnerships that create direct local benefits, not just revenue they can take with them when they leave.


Riccardo, Shormilla, and Sima’s conversation explores the need for right-sized business models that account for the timeline, cost, and local focus unique to Northern infrastructure projects. The creative and community-driven approach that Sima champions holds enormous promise, for both Canada’s True North and the provinces to the south.


Key Takeaways

  • The importance of relationship-building and community consulting when working with Arctic organizations;
  • How the North’s unique selection criteria keeps the focus on local economic growth;
  • What we can learn from other Arctic nations, like Greenland;
  • The significant impact of Nunavut’s four upcoming infrastructure projects;
  • How shifting our perspective of Indigenous peoples from victims to resilient innovators will elevate Canada as a whole.

Quote:


“The attention to the Arctic is an attention to Canada as a country that expands coast to coast to coast.” - Sima Sahar Zerehi

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The Soft Skills that Build Lasting Infrastructure with Marilyn Spink06 Apr 202600:54:06

How do feminine-coded skills and thinking ahead transform the outcomes of major projects?  Marilyn Spink uses her experience, expertise, and eloquence to explore this and so much more in this episode of Master Builders. Approaching engineering as a practical force that materially improves how people live has driven Marilyn’s professional ventures for much of her impressive career. She’s a metallurgical and materials engineer whose career has spanned a wide range of industries. Today, she serves as Executive Director of the Canadian Critical Minerals and Materials Alliance. 


Marilyn turns a candid lens on why projects succeed or go sideways, citing delivery and procurement norms she has seen in Canada and around the world. Proudly independent of public oversight, she is unafraid to call out familiar failures. Her thoughtful explanations of why projects fail and how they could avoid pitfalls make a future of prosperous critical minerals projects in Canada feel attainable. 


Marilyn and hosts Shormilla and Riccardo discuss how long-term planning and accountability, as well as procurement approaches that consider more than just the lowest bid, make for stronger builds. They examine the need to balance social and environmental considerations with revenue generation. Throughout the conversation, Marilyn shares hard-won insights about advocacy and how the socially conditioned skill sets of women and other underrepresented groups will change the engineering industry as cultures of inclusivity continue to grow.


Key takeaways

  • The skills and approaches required to make a project actually work in the long term;
  • The meaningful impacts that engineering projects can have on communities;
  • Using beer and food metaphors to highlight the opportunities of midstream minerals processing;
  • The benefits of using a qualification-based selection to identify the best choice during procurement;
  • Why unrealistic budgets and schedules undermine due diligence and set projects up to “fix” problems later.

Quote:


“You can make money, but you can also do things that are responsible from an environmental and social perspective.” - Marilyn Spink

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Learning, Leaping, and Leadership in Infrastructure with Evgenia Jilina30 Mar 202600:56:55

There’s no one path to career success, and technical skills aren’t everything. This wide-ranging conversation explores the process of building a major program career you can be proud of, and the lifelong learning that makes it possible. Evgenia Jilina, Colliers’ leader of Western Canada transit sector growth, joins Riccardo to talk about industry and life shifts, and the underdiscussed links between the two. 


Their discussion muses over the economic and emotional intensity of Canada’s 2010s P3 boom—its momentum, pressure, and rapid learning curve. They break down how that era of “get stuff done” energy shaped a generation of practitioners and helped set the stage for today’s alliance-style delivery models. The open and honest conversation also tackles two themes that rarely get discussed with enough transparency. Riccardo and Evgenia delve into pursuing continuing education mid-career and the difficult overlap between peak promotion years and the life stage when many professional women consider having children. Evgenia unpacks the “broken rung” dynamic of women in management and her thoughts on the future of leadership in the age of AI. Throughout this companionable dialogue, Evgenia reflects on what it means to stay curious, stretch beyond a job title, and keep learning in an industry that never stops changing.


Key Takeaways

  • Thinking back on the highs and learning opportunities of the 2010s P3 boom;
  • The road that P3 paved for the development of alliance and collaborative models;
  • The effects of life and work experience when returning to school as a professional;
  • What the unfortunate timing of the average woman’s career peak and parenting windows costs workplaces;
  • AI as a leadership tool, and the very human skills that remain essential.

Quote: 


“When a woman says, ‘My priorities have changed’ after having children, let’s not assume they’ve changed [to be] against their ambition or career.”  - Evgenia Jilina

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Income vs. Outcome: Defining Infrastructure Value and Investing in Innovation23 Mar 202600:48:43

How is value determined and discussed in infrastructure planning, procurement, and delivery? The Uncharted Conversations panel—Shormila Chatterjee, David Ho, and Melissa Di Marco—tackles a complicated question brought by a new addition: Lisa Mitchell, the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). What defines the concept of value? The language behind the vital term has shifted in ways that impact how infrastructure projects are approved, designed, and ultimately judged, a significant issue in the country’s current era of increased building. How do we determine the “right” definition when different players are banking on different results, from the government administrators who approve the project, to the private sector that builds it, to the public, who use it? 

The four panelists reflect on how “value for money” has morphed over the decades, from enduring outcomes to short-term optics, such as cost of capital and debt pricing. Too often, the result is a growing mismatch between what is authorized—time and budget—and what is deemed important in the long term. The conversation asks what it would take to bring outcomes back into focus. Along the way, they float provocative ideas—like an infrastructure “incubator” that funds better concepts upstream—and give a much-needed nod to an undervalued and less marketable component: maintenance, renewals, and deferred capital repairs that don’t come with ribbon cuttings but keep vital public systems functioning.


Key Takeaways

  • The factors that have shifted the public and private perceptions of value;
  • How looking at financing as the overarching goal rather than a tool narrows the definition of success;
  • How public-sector objectives and private-sector delivery incentives can misalign without clear benefit stewardship;
  • How “on time and on budget” became a placeholder metric that ignores real-world performance;
  • How a public fund that supports big ideas in infrastructure could unlock private innovation as Canada pushes for economic resilience.

Quotes:


“I think the concept of outcome has been completely forgotten.” - David Ho

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Digging Deeper: Ontario's Underground Mapping Revolution with Mitch Panciuk16 Mar 202600:38:31

How can underground innovation transform the entire infrastructure industry? In Ontario, every contractor and homeowner is required to “call before you dig”, so utilities and other owners of buried gas, electric, fibre optic and sewer lines can flag areas for excavators to avoid. Every inquiry is facilitated by Ontario One Call, though today, 95% of people reach out online, rather than by phone. President and CEO Mitch Panciuk and his team have big plans to take their organization—essential for both safety and uninterrupted services—even further into the digital age.


In this episode, Riccardo and Mitch discuss the inspiration behind Ontario One Call’s ambitious plan to consolidate a province-wide base map. This digital twin, already proven out in places like the UK and Singapore, will reduce the time it takes to complete the million excavation requests Ontario receives each year. Especially as the federal government continues to heavily encourage new infrastructure, an up-to-date, secure, and accessible guide to every underground cable and pipe holds tremendous promise for the future efficiency and cost-savings of major programmes all across Canada. 


Key Takeaways

  • The potential improvements to accuracy, workload, and project speed promised by a base map of all buried infrastructure;
  • The time-consuming current process of facilitating hundreds of thousands of excavation inquiries;
  • How a widespread, standardized collation of underground asset data could benefit the smallest municipalities;
  • Why better mapping will change the future of planning and growth projections in Ontario;
  • The role AI has to play in the future of excavation workflow automation.

Quote

“2026 is the time that we should start harvesting this data…[and] putting it on a unified base map so that we can use it for generations to come.” -Mitch Panciuk


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Where Canada Went Wrong on Rail with Michael Schabas09 Mar 202600:45:37

How could Canada—and Ontario in particular—have done rail transit better? Navigating Major Programmes never shies away from the controversial takes. In this episode, Riccardo takes to the mic with multi-disciplinary rail strategist and longtime industry builder Michael Schabas. Their candid, deeply informed conversation delves deep into what has gone awry in Canadian transit planning and what it would take to get it right.


Michael traces his path from a childhood fascination with trains to a career spanning architecture, transport planning, railway operations, and major infrastructure consulting. Along the way, he helped build and lead rail businesses in the UK and Australia, consistently proving that well-run passenger rail can be both high-performing and financially viable. That global experience shapes his perspective on Ontario’s railway decisions. He argues that too many projects have suffered from poor technology choices, weak route selection, and procurement strategies that don’t match the true complexity of this infrastructure solution.


Throughout his conversation with Riccardo, Michael also reflects on what Canadian builders have learned, the reality of Toronto’s ongoing and overdue electrification project, and why high-speed rail is the answer the country too often avoids. This wide-ranging look at rail infrastructure questions long-held assumptions and challenges decision-makers to never stop learning when it comes to public transportation projects.


Key Takeaways

  • Recovering from the rushed and ill-informed decision-making that lead to costly transit mistakes;
  • The potential for well-run passenger rail to grow ridership and improve financial performance;
  • How technology, route, and operating strategy choices shape transit outcomes;
  • Why past LRT decisions failed to deliver the speed and rider benefits promised;
  • How greenfield thinking and the right corridor strategy could change the future of high-speed rail in Canada.

Quote:


“If you’ve seen one railway, you’ve seen one railway. Every railway’s different.” - Michael Schabas

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Young Leaders in Infrastructure: Building a More Accessible Industry02 Mar 202600:51:32

What is it like to navigate the infrastructure industry as a young professional? Finding footing in any field is challenging. Entrants are faced with rapidly changing technologies and processes, hybrid working environments, impostor syndrome, and breaking into existing tight-knit communities. Organizations like Young Leaders in Infrastructure (YLI) strive to help people entering the industry learn, grow, and connect. In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo and Shormilla speak with three members of the Toronto chapter: Mariam Faizal, Ursula Kenkel, and Iris Templo. 

The trio details their experiences with the YLI tenets: developing confidence, capability, and community in the industry. They praise beneficial quarterly events, mentorships, and AI advancement, but raise a unanimous call to action for more accessibility. Their unique and unjaded perspectives highlight where expansion and improvement could elevate infrastructure as younger generations continue to transform Canada’s built environment and the organizations that build it.


Key Takeaways:

  • How organizations like YLI assist those entering the industry in finding their place;
  • The community-minded motivation that draws graduates from all sectors to public service;
  • The need for more accessibility into the clique of established infrastructure professionals;
  • A fresh perspective on the ever-growing implementation of AI;
  • The ambition of continued collaboration across sectors and specialties.

Quote:

“[YLI provides] a good way of relating to my peers…but also having a good example of where my career can take me.” - Iris Templo


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The Challenges and Rewards of Prioritizing Benefit Realization on Major Projects23 Feb 202600:45:03

The Uncharted Conversations series tackles the tough and sometimes controversial questions of the infrastructure industry. This time, Riccardo, David, and Melissa set sail toward benefits realization—why is this seemingly vital component of major programmes so often eclipsed by an overarching focus on time and budget? Shouldn’t the real measure of social project success be the benefits to the public, long after the project is over?

Projects in transit and other asset classes are becoming more complex and interprovincial. The panel considers the need for benefit realization to stay front and centre—superseding capital budget adherence. It is, after all, the outcome least likely to change over often decade-long planning and execution. They look at public reaction to finished projects and consider how that reaction might change should cost–benefit analysis play a larger role from the beginning. Can delivery teams call a project a “win” simply because it’s operational? 


This episode explores the trade-offs decision makers need to weigh (signal priority, car-centric constraints, political palatability, affordability) and how those choices shape the end user experience and media narrative. Along the way, the panel touches on how better incentive design, clearer decision architecture, and more connected suite-of-projects thinking may be necessary over long build lifecycles, in the face of ever-shifting expectations and populations.

Key Takeaways:

  • Aligning bidding and design decisions with cost–benefit outcomes to unlock innovation beyond lowest-capital-cost thinking;
  • The industry’s struggle to challenge major social infrastructure operating models;
  • The vital role of the project sponsor in the balance between intended benefits and inevitable trade-offs;
  • The potential for public dissatisfaction regardless of a project’s original business case and outcome;
  • How delays, population growth, and rising expectations can erode public tolerance—even if an asset meets its original targets.

Quote:

“Aligning based on the cost–benefit of the project can allow for a little bit more innovation when it comes to bidding on these projects.” - Melissa Di Marco


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The Positive Impact of External Legal Counsel on Major Projects with Sahil Shoor16 Feb 202600:37:38

How do proactive dispute resolution pathways improve infrastructure project success? Every major programme has its share of disputes, big or small, and addressing these issues with level heads benefits every party on every project. In this episode, Riccardo sits down with Sahil Shoor, a partner at Gowling WLG who serves as external counsel on a wide range of construction projects. Together, they unpack the role lawyers play in the lifecycle of a project—and why that role is increasingly shifting from “claims at the end” to “resolution during the work.” 


Sahil acknowledges that many disputes aren’t born from bad faith or failed contract drafting—they come from unresolved issues that quietly compound. When teams avoid hard conversations early, the same friction points can echo throughout the project, creating domino effects in schedules, costs, and relationships. Sahil argues that the best results come when projects build credible pathways for raising issues and making timely decisions before situations become adversarial.


Riccardo and Sahil’s conversation digs into governance tools that support dispute avoidance rather than dispute denial: structured “early warning” approaches, clear escalation routes, and dispute boards that introduce neutral expertise before technical problems become existential. The takeaway is clear: the success of any project depends on how proactively risk is managed and disagreements are handled from the outset.


Key Takeaways

  • Why unresolved issues cause more conflict than bad drafting or bad faith;
  • The nip-in-the-bud benefits of the neutral, expert input of dispute boards;
  • Where internal counsel and external counsel add different value during execution;
  • The danger of split focus when ignoring disputes until a project is completed;
  • How resolution pathways reduce overreliance on “contractual entitlement” thinking.

Quote:

“It is not about avoiding risk but managing risk and managing it intelligently…project counsel is central to that effort.” - Sahil Shoor


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Montreal’s REM Project: Accepting Risk, Owner Expertise, and Accountability (Part 2 of 2)11 Feb 202600:46:48

In part two of this deep dive, Riccardo, Emily Moore, Pouya Zangeneh, and Rob Pattison continue unpacking Montreal’s REM (Réseau express métropolitain)—this time zooming in on what the project’s risk decisions reveal about long-term infrastructure delivery.


The group digs into a key point that often gets lost in public conversations about mega-projects: risk doesn’t disappear, it just shifts hands. CDPQ Infra’s willingness to absorb ridership and cost-overrun risk prompts a broader discussion about what it means to plan on a decades-long horizon and why “designing for the bad years” may be a defining feature of resilient infrastructure.


They also discuss the role of regulation and professional judgment: whether success comes from pushing limits or from rethinking policies that no longer serve their intended purposes. They explore how contract structures, interface management, and invested technical expertise on the owner side can influence outcomes more than any single procurement model.


Finally, the panel returns to the big question raised in part one: Is the REM model replicable? The answer requires examining the enabling conditions, including trust, governance, political courage, and public tolerance.


Key Takeaways:

  • Why absorbing risk isn’t unique but long-horizon thinking is;
  • What happens to contingency planning when owners accept the inevitability of “bad years”;
  • The important difference between pushing the limits and reconsidering the rules;
  • How looking beyond a single capital line item toward lifecycle outcomes secures project success;
  • Why the “stupid owner” model has a tendency to fail and how successful project owners avoid it.

Quote:

“The ​problem ​around ​the ​world…​is ​the ​stupid ​owner ​movement: ‘Pass ​all ​the ​risk ​to the ​contractor. ​Call ​me ​when ​you're ​done.’ It doesn’t work. You ​need ​invested ​experts ​on ​the ​owner ​side.” - Robert Pattison


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Exploring CDPQ Infra’s REM Playbook: Financing, Risk, and Delivery (Part 1 of 2)09 Feb 202600:46:02

In the first of this two-part conversation, Riccardo is joined by a familiar trio—Emily Moore, Pouya Zangeneh, and Rob Patterson—for a wide-ranging and refreshingly candid unpacking of Montreal’s REM (Réseau express métropolitain) project and the structure behind it.

The REM is a modern driverless transit system, but that’s not where its innovation lies. Rather, the panel suggests, what’s unique is its governance and financing model: CDPQ Infra (a subsidiary of CDPQ, Quebec’s largest pension fund) acts as developer and financier for the multi-billion-dollar, revenue-backed public transit asset. The three infrastructure experts explore what makes this arrangement so unusual, what conditions were required for it to work, and whether it’s replicable outside Quebec’s distinctive political, legal, and trust environment.

The conversation digs into the often-overlooked “plumbing” of mega-project delivery: who holds accountability, who makes decisions, how consultation is structured, and why separating operations from development can change outcomes dramatically. Come back next week for part two, which delves into the long-horizon decisions behind the REM and how risk, regulation, and ownership shape mega projects.

Key Takeaways:

  • The governance and legislative conditions that helped set the REM up for speed and results;
  • Why the trust factor may be the silent enabler that makes this model politically viable;
  • Why CDPQ Infra’s role as developer raises new questions about public vs. private delivery;
  • What “risk” means when a pension fund is behind a project (and what happens if things go badly);
  • Why project success often depends on the separation of owners and operators from developers.

Quote:

“Success comes from splitting the money from the project from the operational program, and I think they’ve done that really, really well.” - Rob Pattison

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Breaking Down Government Budget Decisions for Major Projects with Peter Weltman02 Feb 202601:03:21

What actually goes into major project budgeting at the government level—and what does it mean to take a calculated risk with public dollars? In this episode, Riccardo and Peter Weltman explore how public infrastructure decisions get made behind the scenes. 

A former Financial Accountability Officer for Ontario and veteran of the Treasury Board of Canada, Peter has decades of experience in cost estimation, defence procurement, and parliamentary budgeting. He provides illuminating explanations of how funding decisions are influenced by factors like confidence intervals, political priorities, and strategic tradeoffs. Together, he and Riccardo take a look at the budgetary pressures facing all levels of government and what “over budget” really means. This episode offers a frank perspective on implementing a shift from reactive fixes to proactive planning and the financial and political mechanisms that could make that possible.


Key Takeaways

  • How the Treasury Board of Canada makes decisions around government spending on infrastructure;
  • The political side of deciding on major project budgets;
  • How the Canadian Infrastructure Council is researching their report;
  • Asking questions that help secure budget decision accountability;
  • The benefits of financial incentives for infrastructure maintenance.

Quote:

“Really, the best investment [for Canadian infrastructure] right now is investing in making the stuff we already own work better.” - Peter Weltman

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 Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat. 

Leading Through Change in Infrastructure with Jennifer Quinn26 Jan 202600:39:56

How do you build an intentional and rewarding career while still allowing life and shifting roles to take their course? Jennifer Quinn is no stranger to route adjustments on her career path. Her willingness to adjust, accept, and constantly learn has enabled her to soar through the ranks, building supportive and impactful teams along the way. The CEO of Nieuport Aviation, the terminal owner and operator of Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport, Jennifer’s long career in infrastructure, on both the public and private sides, has given her a unique and nuanced perspective on the industry.

In her discussion with Riccardo and Shormilla, Jennifer shares transparent and thoughtful insights into the transitions that led to her current infrastructure leadership position. She reflects on how her foundational goals and values have always guided her decisions—in both her career shifts and her leadership approach. Her experience as a female, queer C-suite executive comes with unique challenges and rewards. But Jennifer has navigated it all with well-honed discernment and self-awareness—characteristics that unquestionably mark her as a true Master Builder.

Key Takeaways:

  • The reward of balancing the unplanned and the strategic in a career trajectory;
  • The impact of prioritizing strong, lasting relationships with clients and employers;
  • Navigating the decision-making processes essential to job transitions;
  • The progress made and changes still needed around inclusivity in the industry; 
  • The “right” time to begin pursuing board appointments.

Quote:


"All the cliches are true. ​It's ​lonely ​at ​the ​top, ​and ​you ​feel ​all ​the ​accountability—​it ​is ​all ​true, ​very ​much ​so. ​And ​that ​being ​said, ​I ​also ​feel ​great ​about ​it. I love…leading our vision and…driving a culture shift.” - Jennifer Quinn

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Building an Engaging Infrastructure Podcast from the Ground Up19 Jan 202601:07:50

What’s going on off-mic for the Navigating Major Programmes podcast team? Riccardo kicks off Season 4 with a behind-the-scenes conversation with Mikaila (writing and marketing) and Mary (podcast production). The three experts from across the communications spectrum join forces to unpack all that happens before the interview begins and after the recording stops. 

Thoughtful preparation meets natural curiosity to deliver a show that so many people in the industry and beyond now tune into every week. In this episode, the trio delves into how Riccardo sources guests, the difficulty of scheduling around the busy timelines of professionals, and how both Riccardo’s workflow and confidence have advanced over more than 80 episodes. The back-and-forth becomes a friendly debate over the benefits and drawbacks of AI in writing and podcasting, from audio cleanup and title generation to voice cloning. The team recognizes that authenticity, emotion, and human effort are all in flux as automation continues to dominate our workflows.

On the heels of a milestone season, the fourth installment of Navigating Major Programmes will bring a fresh cohort of insightful professionals—both those newer to infrastructure and well-established—with the goal of further elevating the industry, one conversation at a time.


Key Takeaways

  • Breaking down all the legwork required before and after recording an episode.
  • The role of podcasting in building confidence and public speaking ability.
  • How post-production enhances a show without removing its humanness.
  • The controversial use of AI in each step of show creation.
  • Where they’ve been and what’s to come in Season 4.

Quote:

 “If you have something interesting to say, my platform is your platform.” - Riccardo Cosentino

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Leadership, Courage, and Alignment in Major Projects15 Dec 202500:09:33

In Season 3, Navigating Major Programmes expanded the podcast’s primary goal—to go beyond the tools and frameworks of program delivery into the humanity behind it—with amazing results. In this wrap-up episode, Riccardo reviews the past year, celebrating the panelists, guests, and listeners who make the show possible. He highlights salient points from Uncharted Conversations and Master Builders, points that truly capture the breadth and depth these collaborators have achieved, both behind the mic and every day in their roles as leaders and innovators.

With nearly twice as many episodes and double the weekly listeners from Season 2, the 2025 season gave Riccardo and his co-hosts and guests so many opportunities to explore both the big picture thinking and practical applications that are shaping—and shaking up—the industry today. In January 2026, Navigating Major Programmes will return for season 4 with even more inspiring stories, game-changing ideas, and disruptive conversations about the future of program management.

Disclaimer: Navigating Major Programmes believes in adapting with technological advances. This episode was narrated by an AI-generated voice of the program host.

Key Takeaways:

  • What this season taught the hosts about what you—the listener—want to hear;
  • Riccardo’s favourite episodes, to listen back on during the break;
  • What to expect in season 4, including a brand new series.

 Quote:

“The future of this industry will be built by those who lead with humanity.” - Riccardo Cosentino

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Systems Engineering: From Contract Requirements to Project Realization with Jared Theriault08 Dec 202500:45:16

How do you break a massive system down into manageable parts—and make sure it all still works together in the end? Much of this responsibility falls to the systems engineer, a vital if underdiscussed position in the major programme ecosystem. In this episode, Jared Theriault joins Riccardo to demystify systems engineering and clarify why it’s an essential discipline in any construction undertaking. 

Four years ago, Jared graduated from Queens University with a degree in electrical engineering and signal processing. His transition into systems engineering was unexpected, but today he is a passionate proponent for future progress in the practice. Jared’s role involves ensuring every component of an infrastructure project—communications, controls, safety plans, and more—is accounted for, integrated, and doing what it’s supposed to do. Together, he and Riccardo explore the specialized tools and processes that keep long-term projects on the rails. It’s a data-heavy role, and AI and LLMs can’t be ignored. The two take a look at what the future holds for this multifaceted component so essential to the design, construction, and validation of infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

  • The many-pronged approach to systems management;
  • The similarities between systems data management and social media networks;
  • The distinction between relational and graph databases;
  • How robust database software keeps long-term projects organized and efficient;
  • How AI and automation are reshaping the role of systems engineers and the industry as a whole.

Quote:

“That was one of the cooler things I had done. Gathering all the requirements in one place, seeing how many we actually did have at the end. And yeah, I think it was in the tens of thousands, easily.” - Jared Theriault

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Cross-Sector Applied Learning in Major Programme Management with Tim Fitch01 Dec 202501:06:45

What correlations can we uncover when we extend construction and infrastructure concepts beyond the industry? Exploring high-stress railway builds to supply chain and project management parallels with fashion design, this episode of Navigating Major Programmes is packed with sector-spanning insights. Riccardo sits down with one of his mentors, Tim Fitch, to reflect on the enduring patterns that emerge when delivering major outcomes under tight timelines. 

Tim is a veteran director of building development, a market strategist, and this year’s Master of the Worshipful Company of Constructors in London. Through intriguing stories from decades working in diverse roles, Tim shares how early lessons in modular design, safety, and worker wellness continue to inform his work today. He also explores the fascinating history of his livery and London, England’s other Worshipful Companies that support industry camaraderie and higher education in the trades throughout the city. Together, these industry experts take a look back, as well as ahead, to the future of professional leadership in the built environment.

Key Takeaways:

  • How the mindset of project delivery applies across industries;
  • The lessons that strategic consulting in infrastructure can borrow from parallel industries
  • Why modular construction is essential for infrastructure that must stay operational;
  • What high-pressure projects teach us about burnout, resilience, and boundaries;
  • The fascinating history of livery companies in England.

Quote: 

“You think you're the king of the world because you've done all this innovative stuff and you take a bite too much and then you spent about six months digesting it, with a lot of Alka Seltzer required. So that was a really important lesson that it's very easy to get carried away with success.” - Tim Fitch

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The Future of the Infrastructure Conversation: 2026 and Beyond24 Nov 202500:54:11

How can the infrastructure industry encourage more open discussions between diverse sectors? In the final Uncharted Conversations episode of the year, Riccardo, Shormila, and David come together to look back at 2025 and ahead at what’s to come, reflecting on the themes, tensions, and unanswered questions of the season.

This year saw murky decision-making persist despite infrastructure’s growing prevalence in every Canadian industry. This characteristically honest and envelope-pushing roundtable teases apart the challenges of navigating building and public sector leadership in this economic reality. The group digs into the impact and barriers that risk-averse and unwieldy systems erect against innovative Canadian ideas and efficient project management. They propose new lines of inquiry—including public finance, ideal delivery model selection, and fundamental government mechanics—for the coming year. The pirates also share their personal experiences recording free and unscripted conversations about an industry whose hatches are so tightly battened down with technicality and precision. This episode is part retrospective, part provocation, and a clear invitation to keep the conversation going.

Key Takeaways:

  • The podcast's role in building a community of thought and practice;
  • The vital importance of conversations that span all sectors of the industry;
  • How we’ve overcomplicated government decision-making processes, and the resulting implications;
  • Why generalized indecision is the greatest risk facing public project delivery;
  • The fraught reality—and future potential—of hybrid private finance and alliance contracts.

Quote:

“I feel that now, speaking from a private sector lens, the indecision is a real dampener for my optimism and enthusiasm for how we’re going to tackle some big challenges.”- David Ho

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The Risk, Cost, and Advisory Roles of the Project Control Manager with Mohammed “Moody” Saad17 Nov 202500:40:23

Where does project control exist in the hierarchy of major programme management? This important role is far more than just financial reporting, providing oversight, or raising all the red flags—it's serves as the critical support function that enables project managers to see clearly and act decisively. In this episode, Mohammed “Moody” Saad joins Riccardo to clear up the common misconceptions around project controls. Moody is the VP of Project Delivery at AtkinsRéalis and a sessional lecturer for Toronto Metropolitan University’s Masters of Project Management program. 

The project controls manager is a trusted advisor and data wizard who connects the many moving parts of every infrastructure venture. Moody draws on his decades of experience to outline what sets high-performing professionals in his industry apart, including their ability to analyze problems, ask the right questions, and circumvent misplaced emotional or reactive decisions. He and Riccardo also explore the need for early integration of project controls and how the right tools and leadership culture are essential for every programme’s success.

Key Takeaways:

  • What project control management is—and what it definitely is not;
  • What great project control managers have in common across sectors and roles;
  • The essential tools and leadership culture that set them up for success;
  • The three critical questions every project control manager should be able to answer;
  • How to begin your project control journey.

Quote: 

“One ​thing ​that ​is ​often ​overlooked ​in ​organizations ​is ​a ​project ​management ​culture. And ​that's ​where ​I ​think ​a ​lot ​of ​organizations ​struggle. ​Because ​if ​you ​don't ​have ​that ​buy ​in ​from ​executive ​leadership ​in ​an ​organization ​to ​drive ​that ​project ​management ​culture, then ​you ​are ​not ​setting ​up ​the ​project ​management ​and ​project ​controls ​personnel ​for ​success.” - Mohammed “Moody” Saad

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The Promise and Imperfections of Canada’s Infrastructure Industry with Damian Joy10 Nov 202500:49:56

How has the rise of P3s in major infrastructure programmes impacted Canada since their adoption? In the past 30 years, the country has seen a significant transformation in the industry, from the rise of public-private partnerships, to the creation of governance like the Infrastructure Ontario Act, to the more recent implementation of alliance and collaborative models. Riccardo’s guest, Damian Joy, has seen this development from its early stages. 

Damien’s journey through what he calls his three careers—working with contractors on mega projects around the world, settling in Canada as a director at Balfour, and consulting with Ernst & Young—offers an excellent vantage point. With his wide-ranging knowledge and eagerness to continue growing his expertise, Damian is perfectly positioned to provide a well-rounded SWOT analysis.

In this episode, the two civil engineers identify and break down the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of past and future social infrastructure projects in Canada. Their insightful and unfiltered exploration highlights the external impacts and internal sticking points that are carrying the country through its burgeoning building renaissance.

Key Takeaways

  • The origin and development of P3 across Canada;
  • The importance of strong leadership and proactive governance in the success of mega projects;
  • How P3 and UK knowledge transfer benefited contractors in Canada;
  • The factors that affect a programme’s success above and beyond the delivery format;
  • The impact technology is having on infrastructure data management.

Quote:

“[P3s and alliance models] both have a role to play. I think there’s benefits of both and the problem is not the model, it’s when the model is used in the wrong place at the wrong time.”- Damian Joy

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Innovating for Infrastructure from the Ground Up with Teresa Gonzalez Rico03 Nov 202500:43:00

How do we build innovation before we begin to build infrastructure? When it comes to planning and launching major infrastructure projects, rushing to the construction phase too quickly has proven disadvantages. Navigating Major Programmes takes it down to the studs with Teresa Gonzalez Rico, the London-based Associate Director of AtkinsRéalis. She joins Riccardo to talk about innovation and development as a safeguard for stability while those projects are still just ideas.

Teresa was a part of the early stages of the UK’s Catapult Network, a government-funded initiative that supports innovation across high-growth sectors. Through real-world case studies and insights from her experience leading cross-sector collaborations, she expounds on the wide-ranging benefits of gathering diverse players—startups, researchers, educational institutions, and big tech—to test-run solutions to complex problems, at scale, right from the start. She and Riccardo discuss striking a balance between human-centred and commercial gain, and they explore the impact funding models have on success and public perception. Teresa also dives into the industry’s need for smart digitization to address the messy realities of major infrastructure projects.

Key Takeaways

  • How projects combining disparate interests deliver widespread research and development benefits;
  • The importance of effectively implementing and scaling up with new technologies;
  • Why requiring publicly funded organizations to raise capital can send mixed messages;
  • Digitization across the full life-cycle of built environment projects;
  • The innovative mission of the Catapult Network in the UK.

Quote:

“I ​think ​one ​interesting ​aspect ​of ​the ​catapult ​network ​is that they were ​set ​up ​as ​not ​for ​profit ​private ​companies. ​Their ​commercial ​model ​is ​that ​they ​receive  ​funding ​from ​that ​core ​funding, ​but ​then ​they ​would ​have ​to ​supplement ​that ​funding. So ​actually ​in ​some ​way, ​while ​there ​is ​a ​lot ​of ​activity ​that ​is ​powered ​through ​that core ​funding ​coming ​from ​the ​government, ​there ​is ​also ​a ​big ​drive ​to ​find ​opportunities ​and ​find partners ​and other to ​collaborate ​with ​and ​draw ​in ​investment.” - Teresa Gonzalez Rico

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Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

Fast‑Track or Bottleneck? The Pros and Cons of Canada’s New Major Projects Agencies27 Oct 202500:35:04

The federal government recently announced the Major Projects Office and Build Canada Homes agencies designed to administer funds and accelerate infrastructure—but will they streamline or weigh down progress with bureaucracy? Riccardo, Melissa Di Marco, and David Ho pull up chairs to a roundtable discussion of this timely and complex topic. In this episode of Uncharted Conversations, they explore the often default solution of agency development when issues arise and whether those at the helm are genuinely equipped to solve these particular problems. 

Questions of risk aversion and fragmented decision-making prompt skepticism from both private infrastructure bodies and Canadian citizens. The three seasoned experts unpack the structural and political realities that influence how agencies perform, reflecting on past examples, and consider whether the present country-wide urgency might push leaders to act differently this time.

The conversation poses an essential question: Are these agencies being created to lead, or just to manage? Infrastructure in Canada today faces overlapping jurisdictions, unclear mandates, and high public expectation. Success will depend on more than just good intentions—it will require clarity of purpose, empowered leadership, and swift execution within a narrowing window of opportunity.

Key Takeaways

  • The challenge of clearly defining what problem an agency is meant to solve;
  • How funding concerns can block and distract from forward progress;
  • The sometimes murky relationship between provincial and federal in major programme delivery;
  • The risk of adding bureaucracy instead of leadership in moments of urgency;
  • The opportunity for optimism in the face of Canada’s infrastructure crisis.

Quote:

“I think if somebody tried to create a new version of a provincial infrastructure agency today [like Infrastructure Ontario], they would be burdened with expectations of fixing almost everything, and I think might be quite unfair.” -David Ho

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Human-Specific Skills vs. AI in Major Project Controls with Dale Foong20 Oct 202500:44:11

What impact has the AI evolution had on the role of the project controller? Project controls is a lesser-known but essential component in the delivery of any large infrastructure venture. In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo brings in Dale Foong, a seasoned specialist in the digital side of project controls and PMO leadership. Dale reframes this multifaceted career path as equivalent to a rally co-driver or golf caddy—someone to guide the project leader through inevitable complexity. Success calls for a combination of risk interpretation, blind spot highlighting, and dynamic decision-making.

Dale and Riccardo’s conversation unpacks how AI and advanced integrated data systems are reshaping what’s possible in major programmes. Despite this constant advancement, Dale is confident that the ability to tell the story behind the data will always protect the human side of project controls. He champions a future where innovation is embraced, not feared— where those who can harness new tools while keeping their communication skills sharp will lead the way.

Key Takeaways

  • Why “project controller” might be the wrong name for this information management role;
  • Some of the newest AI-based technologies transforming the project controller toolbox;
  • How to tackle the issues of using a linear interaction tool to map a complex major program;
  • The most vital skill required by a project controller, regardless of tech advancements;
  • The cognitive pitfalls of mindlessly engaging with LLMs.

Quote: 20:13-21:20

Pull quote options:
“We know we deliver far more complex projects than we’d like and we know there’s many different ways to deliver those projects. So my challenge to that way of thinking is, why do we only have one version of how to deliver that project?” (20:25)

“In the short term, or even the medium term, AI will not replace the project controller. Project controllers who know how to use AI and know what technology is out there will replace those that don’t.” (41:15)

The most important skill that I think is required for the project controller…regardless of technology, AI, or any tools advancing, is still going to remain communication skills.” (24:18)

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Self-Improvement and Strategic Leadership in Infrastructure with Annie Ropar13 Oct 202500:50:02

Where can your career take you when you’re open to learning more? In this episode of the Master Builders series, Annie Ropar—the CFO of the UK’s National Wealth Fund (formerly the UK Infrastructure Bank)—joins Riccardo and Shormila for a candid conversation about lifelong learning, leadership humility, and how a start in finance has evolved into purpose-driven management in infrastructure. 

Annie’s dedication to curiosity and building great teams is a throughline in her career. A transition from the private to public sector reshaped Annie’s understanding of success—shifting from rapid execution to long-term and varied stakeholder impact. She outlines their different approaches, with the latter’s focus extending beyond amassing revenue to providing lasting social value. With humour and realism, Annie speaks to numerous industry motifs, including the senior-level gender gap and the demands of executive leadership. Her perspective highlights why today’s major programmes demand a special kind of master builder—one who can leave their ego behind and lift the whole team forward.

Key Takeaways

  • Why never assuming you’re the smartest person in the room is an essential leadership skill
  • How a recalibration of expectations plays into the transition between sectors and industries;
  • The caring imperative of leadership, and the challenge of setting boundaries;
  • Why joining boards isn’t the only possibility for women looking to advance their careers;
  • The unexpected innovation of Canada’s infrastructure industry.

Quote options:

“I ​really ​have ​a ​fundamental ​care ​for ​not ​just ​my ​box ​or ​whether ​it's ​a ​small ​box, ​big ​box, ​but ​also ​about ​the ​people ​around ​me, ​even ​if ​they ​work ​in ​different ​parts ​of ​the ​business, ​et ​cetera. ​I ​always ​look ​at ​it ​from ​the ​perspective ​of, ​I'm ​an ​owner ​of ​this ​organization. ​I ​may ​not ​have ​shares, ​I ​may ​not ​have ​a ​stock ​certificate, ​but ​I ​am ​responsible ​for ​everyone ​in ​this ​organization.” - Annie Ropar

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Stewards of the Public Good: Defining Project Sponsorship with Andrew Antinucci and Carol Deveney06 Oct 202500:54:27

What is the role of the sponsor in planning and delivering major projects? When it comes to public transit infrastructure, on time and on budget is only part of the story. In this episode of Navigating Major Programs, Andrew Antinucci and Carol Deveney—seasoned sponsorship and governance experts at CPCS—join Riccardo in a layered and comprehensive conversation exploring what it really means to ensure not just completion but the benefits of every major programme.

The three self-professed transit geeks unpack this evolving role in Canada. The sponsor is critical, but often misunderstood, responsible not just for justifying cost and schedule, but for identifying and defending monetizing and non-monetizing benefits throughout a project’s lifecycle—for the communities the build will employ, serve, and exist within. From the business case to resisting scope adjustments to navigating multi-layer funding in a changing political climate, project sponsors are quietly shaping the success of the country’s most ambitious projects.

Key Takeaways

  • Why the project sponsor is a champion of public benefits, not just project outputs;
  • The importance of post-evaluation for recognizing the short- and long-term benefits;
  • What Canada can learn from the UK’s more mature sponsorship practices;
  • How clear accountability reduces risk and speeds decision-making;
  • What it takes to support scope, governance, and expectations at every phase.

Quote:

“When ​we're ​spending ​public ​money, ​I ​think ​all ​of ​us ​would ​agree ​we've ​got ​an ​absolute ​duty ​to ​say ​that ​we're ​spending ​it ​wisely ​because ​these ​things ​are ​expensive. ​There's ​never ​enough ​money ​to ​go ​around, ​not ​just ​our ​sector, ​but ​all ​the ​sectors. ​So ​the ​focus ​on ​cost ​should ​always ​be ​there. ​But, ​I ​think ​benefits ​are ​more ​difficult ​to ​explain ​because ​a ​lot ​of ​the ​time, ​especially ​in ​major ​projects, ​people ​get ​money, ​they ​understand ​what ​cost ​is, ​but ​the ​benefits ​are ​sometimes ​more ​nuanced.” - Carol Deveney

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Powering Our Planet: the Promise of Major Nuclear Energy Projects with Julianne den Decker29 Sep 202500:46:25

What does our society—and our country—need to know to embrace nuclear as the answer to the global energy situation? Riccardo sits down with the SVP of CANDU Energy at AtkinsRéalis, Julianne den Decker, in this intricate and important conversation. Julianne is the perfect spokesperson to clarify the history and impressive comeback of nuclear energy, a once-maligned and feared innovation. 

A lifelong advocate for the science, safety, and societal benefits of this baseline power source, Julianne explains with detail and passion how the decarbonization movement, security concerns, and AI’s unprecedented energy demands make nuclear a no-brainer for uninterrupted electricity around the world. She and Riccardo unpack the misunderstood safety record and strategic advantages of the made-in-Canada nuclear solution, as well as the practical importance of major project best practices in ensuring the success of complex nuclear infrastructure builds. This episode presents insights on the future of energy that make a compelling case for why nuclear matters now more than ever.

Key Takeaways

  • The factors behind the global nuclear renaissance;
  • What history got wrong, and how public perception of nuclear risk has evolved;
  • What sets CANDU reactors apart, including fuel flexibility to medical isotope production;
  • How the Darlington refurbishment succeeded through collaborative project management and realistic planning;
  • What the global future of nuclear looks like—and why Canada is well-positioned to lead.

Quote:

“It gets back to fundamental project management. With power ​generation, ​we ​are ​dealing ​with ​a ​very ​sophisticated ​customer ​that ​not ​only ​runs ​a ​big ​fleet ​of ​reactors, but they’re not new to major project execution. There was a lot of thought put into how are we going to run this kind of a major project and how are we going to listen to those who have been around the block and then do this project differently. There’s not one silver bullet you can point to, but many many things we’ve done correctly.” - Julianne den Decker

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Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.

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