Civil Engineering Contractors Association Conference 2016
  • About CECA
  • CECA 21: Infrastructure North
    • Speakers
    • Programme
  • Venue
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Speakers
CECA 21: Infrastructure North
Please note the speakers' list is provisional and may be subject to change.
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Alasdair Reisner, Chief Executive, CECA
Alasdair is the chief executive of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA). CECA is the representative body for the UK’s civil engineering contractors, who build and maintain the nation’s critical infrastructure networks in the key sectors of transport, energy, water, waste, and communications. CECA represents over 300 contractors of all sizes, covering approximately 80 per cent of the civil engineering market in Great Britain. CECA members employ close to 200,000 people, deliver work worth around £15 billion every year, and build or maintain infrastructure that provides the basis for economic sustainability and quality of life in communities across the country.

Clair Mowbray, Chief Executive, National college for High Speed Rail
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Clair was appointed as Chief Executive, National College for High Speed Rail, in September 2016. Her involvement with the National College started in 2014 when she joined HS2 Ltd to lead on its development. Since then she has been instrumental in taking the project from concept through to its current stage of development working across stakeholders to achieve buy-in and support for the project. Her roles have included being a Management Consultant at PwC, Project Director at Tribal Education and running her own business. The common thread throughout has been working with organisations dedicated to supporting people through skills development. Her wide experience is an excellent platform for successfully implementing the National College, given its clear mandate to closely link skills development with the economy.  Clair is passionate about promoting the opportunities that the high speed rail sector affords to a wide range of learners through an innovative teaching model.
John Cridland CBE, Chair, Transport for the North
John Cridland CBE joined Transport for the North in November 2015 as the organisation’s independent Chair. He plays a leading role in transforming northern connectivity, working with business leaders and northern transport authorities, along with Highways England, Network Rail, HS2 Ltd and the DfT. Formerly Director-General of the Confederation of British Industries, a post which he held for five years, Mr Cridland has been as a major voice for the business community for over a decade, representing the interests of British business to government, on public platforms and in the media. Mr Cridland was awarded a CBE for services to business in 2006.


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The Rt Hon. the Lord Stunell OBE
The Rt Hon. the Lord Stunell OBE has been a Liberal Democrat Life peer sitting in the House of Lords since 26 October 2015. He previously sat in the House of Commons as MP for Hazel Grove. 
In the past, Lord Stunell has held the position of Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Communities and Local Government) (2010 to 2012) in government. He was Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (2006 to 2007), Shadow Secretary of State (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) (2006 to 2006), Shadow Chief Whip (Commons) (2001 to 2006), Shadow Spokesperson (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) (1997 to 2005) in opposition. Lord Stunell is leading a review the impact of Brexit on the UK construction industry.
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Tobyn Hughes, MD Transport, North East Combined Authority
Tobyn Hughes has been the North East Combined Authority’s Managing Director for Transport Operations since January 2015. In this role he leads Nexus, the public body responsible for providing high quality integrated public transport services through the Tyne and Wear Metro system, Shields Ferry, bus, ticketing and information services. Tobyn is passionate about improving travel for people who live and work in North East England. He has extensive knowledge of the commercial, operational and regulatory environments involved in rail, Metro and local bus services. He also plays leading roles in Rail North, Transport for the North, and the Urban Transport Group where he has recently been appointed the group's Chair.
A Newcastle University graduate, Tobyn has over 20 years’ experience working in aviation, bus and rail transport.  He has recently been invited to become a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
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Sarah Tennison, Technology & Innovation Manager, Tees Valley Combined Authority
Sarah Tennsion is an experienced manager working in low carbon and economic development fields for a Tees Valley Combined Authority. She is currently active in bidding for funding, advising on energy and carbon policy, speaking at international and national conferences, and project managing the development of district heating and industrial CCS in Teesside.  
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​​Alan Hartley, Head of Procurement, Sellafield​
Alan is an accomplished and innovative Procurement Leader/ CPO with a strong track record in the transformation of Procurement, repositioning the function through the creation of business facing results driven high performing procurement teams and functions, which deliver stunning results and a high ROI. Through leveraging excellent leadership, people development, stakeholder management and communication skills, has delivered a step change in culture, control, compliance, risk management and value delivery. Alan boasts experience across many blue chip organisations and industries including Industrial Gases, FMCG, Pharmaceutical and more recently Nuclear, with a particular focus across indirect expenditure including outsourced services, FM, business services, engineering and capital projects.
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Lord Deighton,Chairman, Heathrow
Lord Deighton was appointed as Non-Executive Chairman on 22 June 2016. He is best known for delivering the 2012 London Olympic Games to international acclaim as CEO of LOCOG (London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games), enhancing the UK’s reputation for infrastructure service delivery and generating national pride. More recently, he was Commercial Secretary to the Treasury and was responsible for the UK’s National Infrastructure Plan, focussing on getting major projects built, benefits captured, attracting capital into the UK from across the world and creating the right environment for continued infrastructure investment. Lord Deighton also had a very successful career at Goldman Sachs and will now guide Heathrow through its next phase of development, supporting Heathrow’s vision of giving passengers the best airport service in the world.

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Tanja Smith, Chair, Construction Panel, Institute of Apprenticeships
Tanja works between the UK and Mongolia and so adaptability to change has become integral to her life and what she does. Over the years Tanja has worked in a number of diverse practices and is able to draw from this experience working on a number of significant urban regeneration and master planning projects, which has seen her play and advisory role in Mongolia’s national “Green City” initiative and BIM Mongolia. Tanja is also involved with  NAWIC representing women in construction at regional committee level and is involved with CIAT as an assessor and was the winner of the 2017 ‘Outstanding Woman in Construction’ award.  
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Ana Osbourne, Deputy Director Approvals, Institute of Apprenticeships
Ana has worked in the Civil service for over 13 years in the Civil Service before taking up her role as Deputy Director for Approvals in the Institute for Apprenticeships in April 2017. 
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Sue Cooke, Executive Head of Economic Services, West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Sue is responsible for business support, inward investment and skills services within the Leadership Team of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Region LEP. Sue has led a number of successful City Deal programmes to deliver the ‘NEET-free’ city region ambition. These include the creation of an Apprenticeship Hub Network; the Headstart youth employment programme; a Skills Service and Skills Fund for SMEs; a £79m skills capital programme; and the Enterprise Adviser pilot. Sue established the LEP’s growth hub, which has expanded successfully to offer innovation, resource efficiency and strategic business growth support. Sue led the transition from an inward investment agency into an integrated trade and investment service. A graduate of Durham University, Sue gained her MBA in 1997,is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and member of the Chartered Institute of Management.  

Mark Noonan, Industry Relations Director, CITB
Mark has been with CITB since January 2017 and leads on engagement with industry and federations. He joins from the property and contracting business Simons Group where he was Customer Development and Relationship Director. Before joining Simons, Mark worked in construction for six years for Wates Group in a range of project delivery roles. Prior to that, he spent many years working for the supermarket chain, Safeway, including a key role in their conversion to Morrison’s.

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Mark Thurston, CEO, HS2
Mark joined High Speed Two (HS2) as Chief Executive Officer in March 2017. With more than 25 years’ experience in project and programme management, Mark has worked in both the public and private sectors on some of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects. Previously, Mark was Managing Director for Europe at CH2M and was with the company from June 2008. During his career with CH2M Mark spent a significant amount of time in leadership roles on major programmes, including three years as Strategic Projects Director on Crossrail, leading the Programme Partner joint venture Transcend. Prior to this Mark was Programme Delivery Manager on the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, where he led the Power Lines Under Grounding project and the £500 million Structures, Bridges and Highways programme on behalf of the CLM delivery partner consortium.
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​Eoin O'Neill, Deputy Regional Director, Infrastructure Projects, Network Rail
An experienced Commercial Director, Eoin is passionate about achieving value, improving safety performance and delivering for customers. Practised at engaging Board level stakeholders and delivering successful commercial arrangements that effectively balance cost, quality and risk. HIs leadership experience demonstrates an ability to create, lead and sustain high performing, collaborative teams, both within Network Rail and the broader supply chain. Eoin has been Deputy Regional Director Infrastructure Projects for Network Rail since October 2016..

Chris Jackson, Transport Initiatives Director, Civil Engineering Contractors Association
Chris is a Civil Engineer with a wide range of experience in major infrastructure projects, principally in transportation, with the majority in highways. In recent years he has concentrated on customer and public relations and work winning. Chris was inaugurated as President of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation in June 2009 for the year 2009/10. Chris is a long standing member of CECA NW Region's Executive and member of the national Roads Forum and former Chair of the Transport Group. Having retired from full-time employment with Morgan Sindall, he is undertaking part-time work continuing to represent the interests of contractors in civil engineering.
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Marie-Claude Hemming, Director of External Affairs, Civil Engineering Contractors Association
Marie-Claude Hemming is an experienced communications and policy professional. Having started her career in public affairs consultancy, she moved to a policy role at the Federation of Small Businesses in 2009, before joining CECA as Industry and Public Affairs Manager in 2012, becoming Head of External Affairs in 2014. She leads the team on all policy, public affairs and media relations activity, and also plays a key role in CECA's strategy and business development. In 2017, Marie-Claude was promoted to the position of Director of External Affairs.
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  • About CECA
  • CECA 21: Infrastructure North
    • Speakers
    • Programme
  • Venue