Navigating Major Programmes

What does it mean to build infrastructure that goes beyond causing or just avoiding friction with the policy side of the table? In this episode, David Ho—former lawyer, infrastructure strategist, and seasoned capital program and project manager—joins Riccardo to discuss how major projects are shaped not only by procurement models but by the complex, nuanced world of policy-making.

David has experience in helping stakeholders underst...

In engineering today, more and more people are choosing the generalist route, often pivoting off that solid, multi-faceted educational foundation into different fields. But what happens when you take the opposite route, honing in to pursue an aspect of your work that truly drives your passion?

In today’s episode of Navigating Major Programmes, hosts Riccardo Cosentino and Shormila Chatterjee speak with a Master Builder who did just ...

How can teams take the concept of collaboration beyond lip service and virtue signalling to create stronger, more successful projects? 

We know that collaboration is the cornerstone of alliance contracting models, but countless research shows us that when it comes to behavioural cohesion, teamwork, and empathy, the type of contract is immaterial—collaborative teams across industries and contract type perform better, see greater succ...

It can be easy to forget just how much seemingly unrelated skills and wisdom can inform the work we want to do. Impostor syndrome so often steps in, leaving us doubting our expertise because it doesn’t fit precisely with the knowledge we imagine a new position demands and holding us back from pursuing what we really want to achieve.

In this episode of Master Builders, Ricccardo and Shormila sit down with Salima Rawji, the President ...

What if the construction industry is on the brink of a transformation as significant as the rise of the internet? With construction representing a massive portion of global GDP and a growing demand for infrastructure, how can innovation meet the challenge of a shrinking skilled labor force?

In this episode, Patric Hellermann and Shub Bhattacharya, co-founders of Foundamental and voices behind the Practical Nerds podcast, sit down wi...

In this Master Builders episode of Navigating Major Programmes, hosts Riccardo Cosentino and Shormila Chatterjee challenge the mindset around alliance contracts with Jane Ogilvie, the Alliance Director of Toronto’s East Harbour Transit Hub Alliance and a 20-year veteran of major projects management in her home country of Australia. 

Jane shares the details of this collaborative approach—one that has long been popular in certain indu...

Host Riccardo Cosentino sits down with Luigi La Corte, CEO and Co-Founder of Provision, a Toronto-based AI construction technology company. Luigi recounts his journey from working alongside his father’s contracting business to a role in P3 (Public-Private Partnerships) at Plenary, where he observed firsthand the mounting costs of construction disputes and claims. 

Driven by a desire to create positive change, Luigi launched Provisio...

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino and co-host Shormila Chatterjee sit down with Melissa DeMarco, a seasoned construction and infrastructure leader with a PhD in construction management. With over 15 years of industry experience, Melissa has led projects across industrial, institutional, mining, and infrastructure sectors. Currently a partner at Accuracy, a boutique consulting firm, she has played a ...

Riccardo Cosentino welcomes Ali Mafi, an industry veteran whose career spans construction, automotive, and consultancy. Ali shares his journey from site engineer at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 4 to leading transformative project management practices at Balfour Beatty, where he introduced innovative methodologies like critical chain management and lean principles. Drawing comparisons with the automotive sector, Ali emphasizes how be...

In this Master Builders episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino and co-host Shormila Chatterjee sit down with previous colleague and friend Chantal Sorel, a seasoned leader whose 30-year career spans architecture, project management, and executive roles across industries including infrastructure, mining, and social infrastructure. With extensive international experience and a commitment to delivering value throug...

Welcome back to Navigating Major Programmes and welcome to season 3 of our podcast! In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino launches the third season by reflecting on the podcast’s journey and setting the stage for an exciting year ahead. From embracing the challenges of imposter syndrome to exploring transformative industry trends, Riccardo shares his vision for 2025 and how the podcast will continue to ...

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino wraps up season two by revisiting the key themes and groundbreaking insights that defined the season. From the transformative power of AI in project management to the essential role of human collaboration, Riccardo explores how major programmes are evolving and shares his vision for the future.

This season featured distinguished guests who brought fresh perspectives ...

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino sits down with Alan Mosca, CTO and Co-Founder of nPlan, to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and project management. Alan shares his journey, from founding nPlan in 2017 to transforming how major programmes forecast and mitigate project risks using AI-powered tools.

Alan dives deep into the technicalities of nPlan’s innovative approach to project sc...

In this special Master Builders episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino and co-host Shormila Chatterjee are joined by Marianne Smith, a distinguished partner at Blakes National Infrastructure Group, to celebrate her remarkable career and pay tribute to Judy Wilson, a trailblazer in Canada’s infrastructure industry. Judy, a world-renowned procurement lawyer and a champion for diversity, left an indelible mark on t...

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino sits down with Mikaila Kukurudza to explore the significance of thought leadership—and some of the biggest mistakes professionals make on LinkedIn.

Mikaila Kukurudza, founder of Colada Marketing Ltd., has been instrumental in helping both people and brands tell their stories, including working with Riccardo over the last three years. If you’ve come across any of Ricc...

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino sits down with Annie Goodchild, a passionate advocate for inclusivity in major projects. As a trans, non-binary professional in the infrastructure industry, Annie shares insights on industry resilience, stakeholder management, and the value of diverse perspectives in shaping successful projects. The duo discusses all this, plus the role of public inquiries in major ...

In this episode of Mastering Major Projects, Riccardo Cosentino and co-host Shormila Chatterjee sit down with Marni Dicker, a dynamic and bilingual senior executive recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers in the country. Marni’s accolades include the General Counsel Award for Business Achievement and the Premier’s Award of Excellence from the Province of Alberta for h...

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino dives into an engaging conversation with AI visionary Dev Amratia, uncovering how AI is revolutionizing the infrastructure industry. Together, they explore the game-changing potential of harnessing data from over 760,000 global projects to forecast outcomes with precision, drastically improving risk management and efficiency. Dev reveals the untapped possibilities o...

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino sits down with Vickie Turnbull, a trailblazer in infrastructure finance with over 35 years of experience in the banking industry. Vickie shares her unique journey from corporate banking to becoming a key figure in infrastructure finance, shedding light on her extensive work with leading Canadian banks like TD Securities and RBC. Now, in what she calls "Vickie 2.0," ...