Constructive Conversations: How industry and universities can work together

Professor Jacqueline Glass FCIOB FCABE SFHEA

Vice Dean Research at University College London

Jacqui is Chair in Construction Management, at The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, in University College London and Vice Dean Research for the Bartlett Faculty. She is Principal Investigator of the Transforming Construction Network Plus, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an investment supported by the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF). Jacqui has published over 150 papers, managed more than £10m of funding for R&D in construction innovation, and supervised more than 20 doctoral students to completion. In so doing she has attended to research spanning strategy, procurement, standards, values, and accounting for sustainability. In 2018 she was named in the Top 100 Corporate Modern Slavery Influencers.

You can follow her updates on Twitter: @profjacquiglass

Dr Diana Montgomery

Chair at ISCF TCC Board

Dr Diana Montgomery was appointed Chief Operating Officer of the Construction Products Association in May 2019, having successfully led the CPA as chief executive from 2012. In her role, Diana continues to champion the importance of UK construction product manufacturing and distribution to policy makers and the wider construction industry.

Diana joins us for this event in her role as Chair of the Transforming Construction Challenge Advisory Board. She is a key figure in a number of government and industry groups, including those implementing the Industrial Strategy and Sector Deal for Construction, as well as Chair for the ISCF TCC Board, Diana is a member of the Industry Board for the Construction Innovation Fund, and a board member for the Active Buildings Centre’s SPECIFIC project.

Before joining the Construction Product Association, Diana was Deputy Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association where she raised the profile of chemical manufacturing in the UK and established its pivotal role in the delivery of the UK government’s sustainability targets. Previously she headed the sustainability agendas in companies including Centrica, the AA and Johnson Wax.

Diana also chairs the board of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. Diana has degrees from Oxford University and Imperial College in Chemistry and Environmental Management.

Karen Elson

Major Projects Consultant at Co.Cre8 Limited

Karen is a chartered engineer and certified knowledge manager with 25+ year’s experience of major projects in construction and infrastructure.   Karen has led the implementation of innovative and award winning learning legacy programmes across the construction industry including the Olympics, Crossrail and the Major Projects Association knowledge hub, more recently developing the continuous learning and innovation strategy for the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal programme and the HS2 Learning Legacy.   Karen is a co-founder of Co.Cre8 an SME focusing on delivering improvements in major projects through focus on Knowledge, Networks and Behaviours.  Karen is also a keen volunteer and is currently a trustee of her local Museum of Dartmoor Life.

Andy Mitchell CBE

Chief Executive Officer at Tideway

Andy was previously Programme Director and board member at Crossrail.  Andy has managed a number of high profile projects both in the United Kingdom and overseas.  After 12 years working in the United Arab Emirates, France and South Africa and on major developments such as Hong Kong Airport and the Hong Kong West Rail, he joined Network Rail in 2001. He was Project Director for Network Rail’s Southern Power Upgrade project, and was also the Major Programme Director of the Thameslink Programme.  Andy is a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, former Chair of the Infrastructure Industry Innovation Platform (i3P), and the Infrastructure Client Group (ICG) and since 2018 has been Co-chair of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC).  He was awarded the CBE for his services to Civil Engineering.

Dr Jennifer Schooling OBE

Director, Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction at University of Cambridge

Dr Jennifer Schooling OBE is Director of the Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC), at the University of Cambridge. Jennifer is passionate about changing the way the infrastructure and construction industries view data, to become a vital asset in its own right, and as an engineering tool for tackling the key challenges facing our industry, including climate change, resource constraint and resilience. She is a member of the UK’s Digital Framework Task Group (DFTG) and the Infrastructure Client Group’s Digital Transformation Task group (DTTG).