Former National Infrastructure Commission Chair, Lord Adonis, is set to deliver the keynote address at the 2018 NEC annual seminar in London next month.

The Labour peer will talk about priorities for the sector in front of an audience of public and private sector industry experts at the iconic County Hall on Wednesday, 20 June.

One year on from the launch of the NEC4 suite of contracts at last year's seminar, Lord Adonis is set to discuss priorities for national infrastructure, building a digital society and achieving success through collaboration.

He joins an outstanding programme of expert speakers from across industry and Government, to include opening remarks by Dr David Hancock, Construction Director for the Infrastructure and Projects Authority Cabinet Office, and a talk from David Ferrousatt, Development Procurement Director at Heathrow Airport.

Using case studies of Terminal 5 and Terminal 2, Mr Ferrousatt will discuss how NEC has helped shape Heathrow's contracting journey and inspired greater collaboration and leadership as the airport looks ahead to future expansion.


Kevin Murray, Deputy Director, Crown Commercial Service (CCS), then asks whether amendments to standard forms of contracts are 'a Cure or Curse'?

Discussing findings from a review of contract amendments by central government departments and wider public sector clients, Mr Murray will cover the impact of contract amendments and explain how Crown Commercial Service (CCS) will deal with contract amendments in their new commercial agreements.

The event will also allow NEC's international community to engage directly with a variety of experts and industry leaders from infrastructure and facilities management. The ICE's Project 13 intends to inspire a new long-term, value driven approach to infrastructure as Dale Evans, Director of the @one Alliance and Emma-Jane Houghton, associate director at KPMG, will explain.

Ian Heaphy of the NEC4 Contract Board will then introduce the new NEC4 Alliance Contract (ALC), providing advice on when and why to use it, key aspects of the contract and an insight into NEC's approach to alliancing.

Linda Hausmannis, Chief Executive Officer of the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) will outline the opportunities and challenges faced by the FM sector, provide a guide to choosing the right procurement strategy and discuss the memorandum of understanding signed between NEC and the BIFM.

During the afternoon sessions, attendees will also take part in one of three practical NEC workshops, allowing them to get involved in sharing their own experiences and improving their own knowledge of NEC contracts.

Rekha Thawrani, NEC Global Head, said: "Following ICE'S Project 13 launch, its commitment to driving better value driven infrastructure projects in the UK, I'm sure Lord Adonis's outstanding insight will be of tremendous interest.

"We've been delighted with the industry's response to NEC4 one year on, and the quality of this year's seminar speakers demonstrates the significance of NEC Contracts in the future of UK infrastructure."

For more information on the seminar or the NEC suite of contracts, visit www.neccontract.com

Image: Lord Adonis

(LM)