2025 Speaker Panel

UK Construction's Strategic Crossroads: Doing More with Less

Is the UK construction sector at an inflection point? Margin pressure continues, productivity is stuck, talent is in demand, the supply chain is volatile; and insolvency risk is still relatively high — could the sector’s maturing approach to technology and data be a driver of strategic change to ease these pressures. This opening session sets the strategic context for the day, making an assessment of where the sector stands and, drawing on lessons from the US market, where it can go next. We explore how construction-native technology and connected data move companies from firefighting to foresight, And what is truly takes to turn ambition into momentum.

The Morning Review

Stabilising Construction Businesses Beyond Finance

Surviving a difficult period is one thing, but building a business that never returns to that place is another challenge entirely. For many of us, the last few years have been defined by crisis management - survival mode. This goes beyond financial pressure; it fragments teams, erodes trust, and creates governance gaps that can quietly grow into future problems. This is for those who are out of survival mode but are asking the harder questions: How do we never come back?

What Your Business Needs Before Technology Can Deliver

Construction continues to lag on industry level technological advances, but someday argue that there aren't many platforms specific to the industry & challenges. We all know the offers and features, but there still seems to be a disconnect between the true value and the need for it. In this session, we'll discuss the realities of finding the right tech for you and your business, alongside the business requirements that need to be in place for the tech to come in - it's a two way street.

From Recovery to Reputation: Building Commercial Trust That Lasts

In an industry where financial distress is more common than liked, businesses that survive aren't just the ones that fix their numbers - but the ones that win back the trust of the people they work with. This session goes beyond the balance sheet to explore the commercial dimension of rebuilding trust to shaping the narrative around the business recovery. Because in construction right now, credibility is currency.

The Developers View: How Can We Reduce Risk

Join this session to break down the reality of what banks, lenders, and investors are looking for beyond the numbers. As we know, investment is more than just money. With an increased eye on the governance, management, and workflow predictability, finance leaders are more responsible than just collating the report. It's crucial to have transparency and dip your fingers into operations, commercial, and so much more to effectively assess investment viability.

Scaling Without Breaking

Scaling at the wrong moment, or in the wrong way, doesn't just slow down business but could break it entirely. Growth can happen in many ways before it's externally seen to the industry. This session is for those looking for the "green flags" and understanding if you truly are ready for scaling.