Infrastructure conversations
creating change
The Infrastructure Podcast is powered by Antony Oliver Consulting
A series of conversations with some of the key leaders and influencers from across the UK infrastructure sector, produced and hosted by journalist and commentator Antony Oliver.
Latest episode
The Infrastructure Podcast: Episode 63
Guest: Charlie Hodgson, Executive Managing Director, Transport & Infrastructure, WSP
Designing for economic growth
In today's podcast we ask how designing better infrastructure can help to really grow the UK economy.
Now we hear constantly about the vital role that investment in infrastructure projects must play in driving economic growth across the nation and across the regions of the UK – be that investment in transport; in energy systems; in water treatment and supply; and in communications.
And it is clear that without this investment the nation simply will not remain globally competitive; our living standards are likely to fall; and we will struggle to meet the decarbonisation challenge and to ensure we are resilient to climate change.
But what can actually be done by infrastructure professionals to accelerate this investment. How do we navigate the constantly shifting national and local government policy shifts; overcome the hold ups in planning; the delays in delivery and the delivery cost over runs ?.
And once constructed, how do we avoid failing to create the kind of social, economic and environmental outcomes that were promised at the outset.
It’s a tough conundrum but one that an army of infrastructure design and planning professionals stand ready to solve – ready to leverage their collective skills and experience to design and deliver better infrastructure – infrastructure capable of truly kickstarting and sustaining the economy and of fundamentally making lives better.
So what stopping them?!
To discuss this issue, my guest today is Charlie Hodgson, Executive Managing Director, Transport & Infrastructure, WSP, one of the largest consultancies in the UK. While Charlie is now responsible for the strategic direction and delivery of WSP’s infrastructure and engineering teams, he started his career as an economist so perhaps more than most really understands the links between investment and outcomes and what can be done strengthen them.
Subscribe to the Infrastructure Podcast at your favourite host
Also available at:
Podcast Index | TuneIn + Alexa | Podcast Addict | Podchaser | Pocket Casts
Deezer | Listen Notes | Player FM | Overcast | Castro | Castbox | Podfriend | Goodpods
Listen to all every episode of the Infrastructure Podcast here
The Infrastructure Podcast
All episodes
The power behind The Infrastructure Podcast
Antony Oliver Consulting
Editorial consultancy services for the infrastructure sector
Antony works with a range of clients across the infrastructure sector, helping to boost their communication and marketing strategies and delivery so as to stimulate discussion and action in the industry.
This work includes:
- editorial support and creation
- event organisation, preparation and delivery
- round table discussion hosting and workshop/team facilitation
- video and podcasting
He has spent the last 30 years working as a journalist and editor across the infrastructure sector. Having joined New Civil Engineer magazine in 1994, he edited the title for 14 years until 2013, expanding NCE from a traditional paper magazine to deliver live events and conferences and then embrace the expanding world of multi-media digital delivery.
In 2014 he left NCE to create and launch Infrastructure Intelligence, a new digital-first publication for the sector, and for two years led and developed this ground-breaking media brand for the Association for Engineering and Consultancy.
He is a chartered civil engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, having started his career with Owen Williams and Partners and Balfour Beatty. He is committed to driving change across the UK infrastructure sector and is a Trustee of the Built Environment Trust and a Director of the Building Centre in Store Street, London.
antony@antonyoliver.com
The next episode of
The Infrastructure Podcast will be published on Monday 6th May.
