A Who’s Who of thought leaders and experts headline the new-look Main Stage at UK Construction Birmingham this autumn (NEC, September 29 to October 1), where high-level, conference sessions will explore a myriad of issues including policy, leadership, major projects, skills, productivity, technology, sustainability and the future direction of construction.
Built around the core themes of Building Better, Building Smarter and Building Responsibly, the Main Stage – one of five theatres at UKCW Birmingham – will welcome an array of leading luminaries, including:
- Jackie Rigby, Assistant Director – Regeneration, Partnerships and Major Projects, Homes England
- Tim Balcon, CEO, CITB
- Sarah-Jayne Pizzie, Construction Deputy Director, Ministry of Justice
- Saul Humphrey, President, Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)
- Emma Osmundsen, Chair, Passivhaus Trust Board
- Alison Nicholl, Head of Constructing Excellence, BRE
- Prof. David Hancock, Construction Director and Infrastructure Practice Lead, His Majesty’s Treasury, Expert Advisory Team & NISTA
- Paul Beeston, Partner – Head of Industry and Service Insight , Rider Levett Bucknall
Main Stage seminar highlights include:
Tuesday 29th September
10.30am – 11.15am
The Construction Reset: What Needs to Change and What Happens if We Don’t? [Build Better]
This session will examine where the industry can unlock growth, improve performance and build a future-ready workforce through innovation, collaboration and new career pathways.
Speakers: Jackie Rigby (Homes England), Saul Humphrey (Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Tim Balcon (CITB)
12.30pm – 1.15pm
Housing at Scale: The Race to 1.5 Million Homes
This session will examine the opportunities created by planning reform, New Towns and strategic growth areas, while exploring whether more scalable delivery models can help increase capacity. With political focus, investment and innovation aligning, the next five years could represent the biggest opportunity for housebuilding in a generation.
Speakers: Ed Griffiths (Barbour-ABI); Emma Osmundsen (Chair, Passivhaus Trust Board)
2.15pm – 2.45pm
Who are the people changing construction for the better? Announcing the UKCW Role Models Winners for 2026
With three categories: Rising Star, Pioneer and Icon, UKCW Role Models recognises outstanding achievement at every stage of a career. This special session will reveal the 2026 winners and celebrate the exceptional leadership, innovation and impact that have earned them recognition as some of the industry’s most inspiring role models.
Presenters: Christina Riley, Senior Planning Manager, Coniston Ltd & Co-Founder, Building Equality; Rebecca Rickwood, CEO, Gement Group
Wednesday 30th September
11.30am – 12.15pm
Constructing the Gold Standard: Choosing the Right Framework for Better Supply Chain Partnerships
This panel will explore how the principles of the Construction Excellence Gold Standard are reshaping procurement, moving beyond lowest-price tendering towards fairer risk allocation, earlier supply chain engagement and longer-term collaborative relationships.
Moderator: Alison Nicholl (Head of Constructing Excellence, BRE & DfE)
Speakers: Prof. David Hancock (Construction Director and Infrastructure Practice Lead, His Majesty’s Treasury, Expert Advisory Team & NISTA); Rob Byrnes (Frameworks Director, Vinci Building UK)
2.30pm – 3.15pm
Net Zero That Pays: Making Commercial Sustainability Work in Construction
An opportunity to examine how whole-life carbon, material choices, energy performance and retrofit strategies are increasingly shaping procurement decisions, project outcomes and competitive advantage.
Speakers: Ste Garlik (Strategic Lead for Decarbonisation & Retrofit, Building Design Partnership & Chief Executive, Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB)); Will Arnold (Head of Sustainable Materials, Useful Simple Trust)
Thursday 1st October
12.30pm – 1.15pm
AI in Construction: Reimagining How Real Applications Deliver Real Results [Build Smarter]
This session will showcase real examples of AI being used to automate repetitive tasks, improve document and data management, accelerate design coordination, enhance project controls and increase productivity across construction workflows.
Speakers: Paul Beeston (Partner – Head of Industry and Service Insight, Rider Levett Bucknall); Meghan Davies (Co-Founder, Cammina)
1.30pm – 2.15pm
The New Industrial Revolution: How Digital-First Construction Can Finally Scale Productivity
How digital-first approaches, combined with standardisation, better data and new ways of working, can help the industry move away from fragmented project-by-project delivery towards more repeatable, efficient and scalable systems.
Moderator: Trudi Sully (Industrialised Construction Director, Mott MacDonald and Co-Chair Building Better: Community of Practice (BB:CoP))
Speakers: Lilian Ho (Associate Director – Digital & BIM, UK+I Architecture + Design , AECOM); George Mokhtar (Director, Turner & Townsend)
Martin Hurn, UKCW Birmingham Editorial Director, commented: “Our theme of The Construction Reset will position UKCW Birmingham as a marketplace and industry meeting point, built around the real challenges, opportunities and partnerships shaping construction today.
“The Main Stage is at the very heart of that, with some of the biggest names in the industry coming together to discuss, debate and help shape the conversations that will define the future of the built environment. From innovation and digital transformation to sustainability, skills and policy, the programme has been designed to provide practical insight, fresh thinking and meaningful discussion for everyone working across the sector.”
Sponsored by Wyre, HotelPlanner and Build Warranty, UKCW Birmingham will feature over
250 leading brands; 200 speakers and over 150 hours of CPD accredited seminars across four stages, alongside a series of built-for-purpose sections. Architect, TV presenter and UKCW ambassador, George Clarke will officially open the show and also host the Main Stage discussions on Day One (September 29th). To find out more and to register free for UKCW Birmingham, visit https://register.visitcloud.com/survey/0hcnqiudc1lrv?actioncode=1000
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