In this episode of First Site, Construction News Deputy Editor Ben Vogel is joined by MHA’s Atul Kariya and Lloyds Bank’s Max Jones to unpack the latest CN100 index of the UK’s top construction contractors. With profits and margins rebounding to pre-pandemic highs, how sustainable is this recovery? How are firms managing cash, risk, and resilience? The discussion also looks into the future of contracting models and whether the £725bn infrastructure pipeline will deliver long-term strength or new financial pressures. Find out more about a CN Premium Subscription which will enable you to compare and contrast previous CN 100s here: https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/subscribe/

In this edition, we ask if the government’s £725bn infrastructure strategy will deliver on time and on target? And is £725bn enough to boost the UK’s attractiveness as an investment destination? Joining CN’s features editor, Matt Davies, to discuss the infrastructure pipeline, spatial planning, regionalisation and the involvement of the private sector are Jonathan Willcock, Managing Director for Transportation at Costain and Rachel Skinner, Executive Director at WSP.

To coincide with CN’s Life Sciences & Research Clusters event, we look into the factors behind life science construction growth, the state of the market and the near-term outlook. CN Deputy Editor Ben Vogel is joined by Lee Hutchinson, regional director of life science at Sisk UK, and Nick Abbey, Director of Operations at Mace for Public Sector and Life Sciences.

Construction News editor Colin Marrs is joined by Faye Allen, director at J.S. Held, to talk about her new book exploring how improving the situation of women in the industry can also help men.

Mark Fenton, carbon lead at Sizewell C and Matt Pygott, head of net zero at Speedy, join CN deputy editor Ben Vogel to discuss the PAS 2080 standard for carbon management. Why does it matter, and how can contractors and the supply chain practically align with it?    

In this episode of First Site, we delve into the government’s response to the Grenfell Inquiry’s final report – and its implications for contractors and the broader construction sector. CN deputy editor Ben Vogel is joined by Michael O’Connor, partner at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys; Amanda Long, chief executive of the Code for Construction Product Information;  and Professor Stuart Green of the University of Reading’s School of Construction Management and Engineering.

What kind of pipelines can contractors expect from a new generation of New Towns? CN features editor Charlotte Banks speaks to Hugh Ellis, policy director at the Town and Country Planning Association, and Rico Wojtulewicz, head of policy and market insight at the National Federation of Builders  

CN deputy editor Ben Vogel speaks to industry insiders at Speedy Hire’s Live Sustainability about what’s fuelling the race to net zero on construction sites, and what’s on the horizon. He also sits down with an expert panel to discuss what contractors should do to crack down on modern slavery. 

In a special end-of-year episode of First Site, the CN editorial team looks back at the most significant stories that made the headlines in 2024, and takes a look ahead to 2025. CN deputy editor Ben Vogel is joined by editor Colin Marrs, news editor Chris Smith and senior reporter Josh Stein.

Are rules requiring contractors to quantify their carbon footprints fit for purpose? CN deputy editor Ben Vogel is joined by Geraint Rowland, group environmental director, Costain and James Low, group sustainability director, Mace.

Is the construction industry doing enough to attract, retain and progress women? CN editor Colin Marrs is joined by with Clare Francis, head of recruitment at Willmott Dixon, Angela Hughes, ESG manager at Speedy and Jennifer McNab, people Transformation Business Partner at Speedy Services.

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry delivered its final report in early September. Construction News editor Colin Marrs discusses the findings and the potential impact of the inquiry's recommendations on the construction sector with Tom Thurlow, partner at law firm Weightmans and Gill Hancock, head of technical content at the Association for Project Management.  

What can contractors glean about their future pipelines after the Labour government’s first month in power? CN editor Colin Marrs is joined by former-Mace-executive-turned-MP Mike Reader MP and Viral Desai, planning, environmental consenting and communities practice director at consultant AtkinsRéalis.

Social value and construction recruitment How can a social value approach to attracting new workers into construction help to deal with the industry's well known labour and skills shortage? To look into this issue, CN deputy editor Ben Vogel is joined by Amelia Woodley, ESG director of Speedy Hire, and Emma Grigson and Liz Squire, two experts from the Social Recruitment Advocacy Group.

CN First Site talks to the Mace chief executive and chairman about governance changes at his company, his role at the Construction Leadership Council and what the construction industry needs from government.

In this month’s episode of the CN First Site podcast, sponsored by Speedy Hire, deputy editor Ben Vogel is joined by two legal experts dive into the new Joint Contracts Tribunal suite, in particular the Design and Build family. What’s new about it and how does it help contractors to navigate the various potential issues that can cause project costs to rise? Commenting on these and other aspects of JCT are Charles Pacey, senior associate in Mayer Brown’s construction team and Sasha Pirbhai, partner in the construction team at Devonshires.

AI is set to revolutionise the way businesses operate across every global sector - and construction is no exception.But how should the construction sector harness AI? What are the best use cases? To explore these and other aspects of the topic, CN deputy editor Ben Vogel sat down with Lee Daggatt, group IT director Speedy Hire and Richard Potter, chief executive of Peak AI, at the Speedy Expo 2024 in Liverpool.

Has MIPIM shed its testosterone-fuelled image to become more welcoming to women? And has the long-running built environment jamboree successfully recovered after Covid? Venturing to Cannes, First Site discusses these issues with Rachel Bell, director of Women in Property and gets to know Caroline Compton-James, the recently-appointed deputy chief executive of framework provider SCAPE.

In recent years, two-stage tenders have become an increasingly popular choice for contractors and clients in the construction sector. But what are the pros and cons of two-stage tendering, and will it remain popular in the current market environment? CN deputy editor Ben Vogel explores these and other questions with Rob Bradley, a consultant and ex-CEO of Bouygues UK, and Edd Burton, head of advisory services – infrastructure at Aecom

Construction News editor Colin Marrs delves into the skills challenge posed by the decarbonisation agenda with Derek Horrocks, chair of the National Home Decarbonisation Group, Keith Bottomley, chair of London’s Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce and Speedy Hire’s ESG director Amelia Woodley.