The Mayors of the West Midlands and East Midlands have both been confirmed amongst the first tranche of high profile speakers at this autumn’s UK Construction Week Birmingham (UKCW).
Richard Parker and Claire Ward will both be keynote speakers at the UK’s biggest event for the built environment, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC from 1-3 October.
It will be the first time the mayors have spoken together on stage at an event since they were elected to their respective positions in May.
The talk, entitled Mayors’ Round Table: Delivering housing and infrastructure in the regions, takes place on Tuesday 1st October from 11.30am to 12:15pm. The conversation will highlight their dedication to inclusive development, ensuring no one is left behind, and the importance of skills building and investment in the construction sector. Gain insights into how these initiatives are driving growth and development across the Midlands.
With more names to be announced in the coming weeks, the first set of industry leaders and high profile names from the construction sector confirmed for UKCW include:
- George Clarke, Architect, Broadcaster, Writer and Campaigner, Channel 4 and MOBIE
- Richard Cook, Group Director of Development, Clarion Housing Group
- Trudi Sully, UK and Europe Lead – Industrialised Design & Construction, Mott MacDonald
- Robert Candy, Chief Executive, Scaffolding Association
- Ron Lang, Regional Director, AtkinsRealis
- Yetunde Abdul, Head of Climate Action, UK Green Building Council
- Amanda Long, Chief Executive, Code for Construction Product Information (CCPi)
- James Prestwich, Director of Policy and External Affairs, Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH)
- Olivia Jenkins, Senior Associate, Trowers & Hamlins LLP
- Rashida Rajkotwalla, Architectural Consultant, DWIP Consultants & NAWIC
- Nigel Ostime, Partner, Hawkins\Brown
- Edward Jezeph, Senior Manager, Homes England
- Alex Small, Digital Platforms and Innovation Lead, Business & Application Development, TATA Steel
- Brian Glancy, Head of BIM Strategy, Kingspan
- Paul French, Head of Digital Construction, Saint Gobain Interior Solutions
- Kathryn Kelly, Quantity Surveyor, CPCcivils & NAWIC
- Richard Collins, CEO, CSR Accreditation
- Beccy Speight, CEO, RSPB
Officially opened by architect and Channel 4 presenter, George Clarke, the show will be home to a plethora of educational, insightful and interactive areas including the Main Stage, Digital Construction Hub, Live Demo Theatre, Skills & Training Hub and Culture Change Hub; all highlighting the most pressing topics across the sector.
Featuring over 200 exhibitors, 300+ seminars, CPD sessions and workshops, and over 300 thought leaders and keynote speakers, visitors to the multi award-winning show can explore a wealth of specialist areas including:
Onsite On Hire – Co-located with UKCW, Onsite On Hire is a new hire industry showcase designed to show the very best tools, compact plant and equipment exhibitors. Confirmed exhibitors include the likes of Genquip Groundhog, Solar Hybrid Solutions and GaiaGroup UK.
Roofing, Cladding and Insulation Expo – A new area in response to industry demand, this will showcase the latest solutions, host thought leadership debates and discussions, and celebrate the roofing, cladding and insulation industry. The new expo aims to connect tier one contractors, suppliers and the wider industry whilst encouraging collaboration, exchange of innovations and cultivating unparalleled business prospects. Confirmed key partners include the National Federation of Roofing Contractors, Raise the Roof and National Federation of Builders.
Digital Construction Hub – This will delve into the world of digitalisation in the construction industry and explore topics such as building safety, robotics, the future of A.I. and much more.
Live Demo Theatre – An area showcasing live demonstrations of the industry’s newest technology and innovations.
Infrastructure Live – From digitalisation to improving quality and sustainability, this hub will deliver a three-day programme of case studies, debates, networking opportunities and keynote speeches on some of the sector’s most vital issues.
Build X – From house building to commercial projects, Build X will showcase solutions and new products to enhance projects and businesses through live demos and leading seminars. The hub will also provide a great opportunity to network with tier one contracts, SMEs, architects, housebuilders, installers and many more.
Skills & Training Hub – In collaboration with the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board), this hub will address the skills shortage head-on with a three-day programme featuring a plethora of talks and workshops to support skills development within the industry.
Culture Change Hub – With wellbeing, mental health and professional development at its heart, the Culture Change Hub will also explore how we can improve inclusivity within the built environment.
With this year’s theme of ‘Growth’, UKCW Birmingham will examine a wide range of topics over three days of insight, innovation and inspiration across its number of hubs and areas.
Sam Patel, Divisional Director – Construction, commented: “To secure not one but two of the UK’s regional mayors is a major coup for UKCW and we anticipate a lively discussion when they take to the stage.
“With such a diverse cross section of experienced professionals speaking at UKCW Birmingham, visitors are in for one of the most educational and insightful shows yet.“
To find out more and register for UKCW Birmingham for free, visit https://ukcw-birmingham-2024.reg.buzz/cabpr
