Episodes
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What is the sweet spot between digital project delivery and inclusive, diverse collaboration? Digital transformation is a significant player in the field of project delivery improvement and innovation. Sheryl Staub-French, a UBC Civil Engineering professor and 20-year infrastructure and building information modelling veteran, is the perfect spokesperson for its journey. Sheryl joins Evgenia for a conversation that centres changeâboth technological and culturalâfor the betterment of the infrastructure industry. The sector is long (and infamously) plagued by the spectre of over-budget-and-over-time, and Sherylâs research seeks to uncover innovations that can shift this trend. It all starts, she stresses, at a systems level.
In their conversation, Evgenia and Sheryl explore Sherylâs leadership in equity, diversity, and inclusion, including her role as the first Associate Dean of ED&I in UBCâs Faculty of Applied Science and the first female head of her department. Sheryl reflects on the persistent underrepresentation of women and Indigenous students in engineering, the importance of groundbreaking systems and culture change, and why inclusion of all kinds is not separate from project success.
The discussion also burrows deep into the human and technical sides of infrastructure innovation. Pointing to specific successes in other countries, Sheryl argues that digital tools alone will not transform the industry unless owners, teams, and organizations are ready to change how they work together and implement that change at an organizational, not individual, level. Whether discussing BIM, IPD, AI, or engineering education, Sheryl returns to a core idea: better infrastructure delivery depends on better collaboration, better data, and better systems for bringing all voices and expertise into the work.Key takeaways
Why Canadaâs lack of a national digital transformation strategy leaves infrastructure delivery behind its fellow G7 countries;How equity, diversity, and inclusion connect directly to better engineering education and on-the-ground outcomes;Whatâs possible with a true, human-focused, collaborative IPD approach to infrastructure;Why collaboration requires aligned incentives, shared risk, shared reward, and trustânot just new tools;How AI could improve the efficiency and completeness of information commissioning and handover practices.Quote:
âIf people donât feel included, if itâs not diverse, if all voices arenât being heard, itâs not successful.â - Sheryl Staub-FrenchThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/ Follow Sheryl Staub-French: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sstaubfrench/ -
What does it take to bring women into infrastructureâand keep them there? The goal was once simply to get female leaders a seat at the table. Today, this growing demographic in the industry rightfully demands not just an invitation but influence and impact once theyâre there. In this episode, Evgenia and Shormila are joined by Marisa Espinosa (AECOM) and Karla Avis-Birch (Arup) for a thoughtful conversation about what it takes not only to enter the sector, but to stay long enough to shape the future of capital projects.
Both guests bring deep experience in transportation and major programmes, along with distinct paths into the industry. Their conversation explores the leadership qualities required in a sector where technical and human complexity are equally matched. Marisa and Karla discuss the importance of purpose, passion, life experience, and systemized thinking in ensuring teams stay productive and connected. They also reflect on the need for diverse perspectives when building infrastructure that serves real communities.
Opportunity, support, and thoughtful policies all contribute to keeping women coming to and growing within their industry. Both Marisa and Karla play important roles in their local WTS chapters and speak to the need for robust networks both inside and outside the office. They celebrate the relationships that provide both confidence and community, as existing and upcoming generations of infrastructure leaders continue to push the boundaries of whatâs possible.
Why transportation leadership starts with understanding how people actually rely on infrastructure;The essential leadership traits for everyone climbing the ranks in major projects;What womenâs lived experience brings to infrastructure decision-making and project delivery;How non-linear careers, caregiving, and confidence gaps affect womenâs progression in the industry;The role of women-led networks like WTS in building community, credibility, and opportunity.
Key Takeaways:Quote:
âWhatâs your own leadership imprint? Who you are as a leader; how do you want to show up?âŠThatâs importantâ - Marisa EspinosaThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comToronto chapter of the WTS: https://www.wtsinternational.org/chapters/toronto/about Vancouver chapter of the WTS: https://www.wtsinternational.org/chapters/vancouver/about Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/ Follow Marisa Espinosa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-espinosa-a575314/ Follow Karla Avis-Birch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karla-avis-birch-p-eng-a8a8b1152/ -
Missing episodes?
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What can adventures in vibecoding and broadening oneâs understanding of AI models reveal about the future of infrastructure? In this episode, the podcast makes a 180 as Lawrence Rowland turns the microphone on Riccardo. What follows is a wide-ranging and deep-delving conversation about modelling, artificial intelligence, systems thinking, and the role these evolving tools might play in major programmes.
They begin with Riccardoâs development of an International Roughness Index (IRI) prediction model to better understand pavement degradationâan example of using data to challenge linear assumptions and improve infrastructure decision-making. From there, the discussion follows Riccardoâs learning journey through reinforcement learning, coding agents, decision intelligence, reality capture, knowledge graphs, and the future of physical AI. Along the way, Lawrence and Riccardo bring the discussion back to what these tools mean for project leaders: why humans and organizational processes remain the weakest link in adopting new technology, how AI can supportânot replaceâhuman decision-making, and why meaningfully connecting the data is the biggest determinant of success.
The episode also explores the softer but no-less-essential side of major programmes, including relationship complexity, stakeholder power, information asymmetry, and the limits of tools like Gantt charts in representing the real dynamics of project delivery. Finally, Riccardo reflects on what his AI experiments and podcast journey have taught him about his own niche. This conversation covers all the bases: curiosity, humility, and the need to keep rethinking how we understand, manage, and learn from complex infrastructure systems.Key takeaways
The future of LLMs and physical AI in major projects;What old-school video games have to do with building prediction models;How decision intelligence can begin to support, but not replace, project leadership;The difference between complex and complicatedâand why it matters for systems thinking;What delving into AI and its possibilities has taught Riccardo about his niche.Quote
â[In todayâs LLMs], through brute prompting, you can actually get to the answer you wantâŠbut itâs a very convoluted path.â - Riccardo CosentinoThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Riccardoâs spreadsheet âAI Startups in Engineering & Constructionâ: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TCvfRqqd1NzxgMhVoTMbKeL9bOp_1-mn/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=100654060211988607651&rtpof=true&sd=trueRiccardoâs LinkedIn Article âAI Startups in AE&C (Architectural, Engineering and Construction)â: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-startups-aec-architectural-engineering-riccardo-cosentino-bvhrc/Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Lawrence Rowland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerowland/ -
How do you champion an authentic leadership style in a sector thatâs slow to adapt to change? Infrastructure Ontario President and CEO Angela Clayton has traversed this career journey by building a robust network while maintaining a deep dedication to continuing education and an iron-clad work ethic. She joins Riccardo and Shormila for a candid conversation about career growth and what it means (and doesnât mean) to be a woman in leadership in this male-dominated industry.
Angela has seen the benefits of prioritizing community and collaboration in many facets of her career. She reflects on her history of learning on the job and how employer-supported professional development has transformed her trajectory. She and the hosts dig into the practical realities of leadership in major programmes and the mistaken assumption that great individual contributors naturally become great leaders. She also speaks frankly about being the only woman in the room, and how essential trust in hard-earned champions, while it doesnât negate impostor syndrome, certainly puts it into perspective.
The discussion also explores IOâs evolution over time, Angelaâs approach to her transition to CEO, and her future plans for pursuing more impact-driven work. Discover this successful industry innovatorâs take on the shifts leaders must make as they navigate new roles and her thoughtful advice for women aspiring to excel in infrastructure.Key takeaways:
How a strong network creates career opportunities, and why getting the job is only the beginning;The pitfall of assuming technical excellence translates into project and people leadership;How to think about âdiversity hiresâ without tokenismâand what real sponsorship looks like;The culture and mandate evolution of Infrastructure Ontario;The mental shift required when moving from PM issues management to CEO vision and culture development.Quote:
â[Former peers who now report to me are] some of my most trusted advisors. They have the history of the organization, and itâs so valuable to have that institutional knowledge.â - Angela ClaytonThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Angela Clayton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelafclayton/ -
To what extent is leadership success contingent on specific industry expertise? Marcia Medrano began her career in buildings, not transit. Yet, her experience developing and guiding teams, budgets, and procurement projects is proof that people management is not bound by sectorâas long as youâre willing to make the most of the experts around you.
In this episode of Master Builder, Riccardo and Shormila sit down with the Executive Vice President of Capital Projects at Metrolinx to explore what it takes to rise to leadership without pretending youâre an expert in everything. Marcia traces her path from architecture and vertical infrastructure to transit delivery and the core lesson thatâs shaped her career: big infrastructure delivery is fundamentally about peopleâbuilding trust, aligning teams, and getting things done. Marcia doesnât hesitate to push back against conventions and assumptions. Choosing to leverage her parallel expertise rather than be daunted by a new sector, she often asks, âWhy not?â Over and over, she sees the question unlock progress in new and exciting approaches for the infrastructure industry.
The three experts hold a candid discussion about impostor syndrome and women in leadership, the superiority of alliance projects, and the importance of transparency on all sides of a major programme. They call out the danger of blindly following rigid structures and the shifting of the status quo as the Canadian infrastructure industry dives into ever larger and more ambitious projects. Throughout it all, Marcia champions a new understanding of steering the ship, and all the assets that come along with âleading like a woman.â
The relationship-building and human connection that underpin infrastructure delivery success;How transparency drives success, however varied a teamâs expertise and experience; Why incentivizing on-the-ground solutions and cooperation outweighs claims that stall progress at every turn;The importance of updated governance and project-wide empowerment on the owner side of collaborative contracts;Whatâs poised to change for women in infrastructure leadership.
Key takeawaysQuote
âChallenging our own biases of the things that we know and the things that we donât know is part of challenging the status quo.â - Marcia MedranoThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Navigating Major Programmes, Season 2 Episode 6 with Lawrence Rowland: https://navigatingmajorprogrammes.transistor.fm/s2/23 Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Marcia Medrano: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcia-medrano-34a2962a/ -
How is AI poised to transform our workflows and working relationships in the coming months and years? Thereâs no question that large language models have had an enormous impact on our livesâand most of us have barely scratches the surface of what is possible with these powerful tools. In this episode, Lawrence Rowland joins Riccardo to unpack all thatâs changed since his last appearance on the podcast in 2024. Lawrence is a veteran of project management with a laser focus on AI transformation and strategy. Together, he and Riccardo explore numerous angles of working with these inhuman (but increasingly capable) agents on everything from research to reporting to improving coworker interaction.
The conversation stays grounded in practice: the pair drills down on the massive shifts in AI in merely months, why token budgets matter, and the growing ability of programs to self-prompt and think outside the boxes of our requests. Lawrence shares the fascinating way he uses AIâto synthesize methodologies, generate playbooks, pressure-test thinking, and reveal tacit insights missing from current project narratives.
The two AI buffs also confront the human side of the transition, including where accountability falls when work is partially automated and what âtransformative AIâ might mean for careers and organizations. Less about hype and more about adaptation, Lawrence and Riccardoâs conversation hones in the theory on constraints. They remove the rose-tinted glasses and speak to redesigning workflows based on a practical, vital question: where is AI genuinely better, and where are humans still essential?
How agentic AI shifts work from prompting to task-level execution;The reasoning capacity of AI tools based on token budgets and model capability;The concept of underwriting in retaining human liability in AI-dominated workHow theory of constraints and bottleneck thinking helps decide what to automate vs keep human;How AI can improve communication and project alignment by translating complex work for different audiences.
Key Takeaways:Quote:
âEither youâre checking the AI or the AI is checking you, and getting used to that will set you up for the new economy.â - Lawrence RowlandThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Navigating Major Programmes, Season 2 Episode 6 with Lawrence Rowland: https://navigatingmajorprogrammes.transistor.fm/s2/23NBER âEconomics of Transformative AI Workshop, Fall 2025â: https://www.nber.org/conferences/economics-transformative-ai-workshop-fall-2025arXiv âSome Simple Economics of AGIâ by Christian Catalini, Xiang Hui, Jane Wu: https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.20946SSRN PDF âSome Simple Economics of AGIâ: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/6298838.pdf?abstractid=6298838&mirid=1Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Lawrence Rowland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrencerowland/ -
What can a long career in urban transit reveal about collaboration, contracts, and system integration? In this episode, Evgenia and Shormila guide a wide-ranging conversation with transit veteran Ron Aitken. The discussion ties together his nearly five decades of experience in Canadian and international infrastructure projects.
Ron is an expert in what makes complex urban transit work: clarity of requirements, disciplined change control, and the relationships and experience on both sides of the contract. Examples from Vancouver and abroad illustrate the outcomes of effective collaboration, a concept that existed (and succeeded) long before it was being written into the alliance and collaborative contracts presently in vogue. Risk balance, project definition, and synergy have always impacted major programmes.
The industry is evolving, and this conversation doesnât shy away from exploring that. Owners are taking back certain systems integration responsibilities and accepting more risk. Interface and requirements management are becoming more essential, and the adoption of new AI tools is transforming scheduling and delivery across the board. Throughout their broad dialogue, Ron reinforces a simple but oft-overlooked fact: delivery models matter, but the culture and the people matter more.
Why procurement models donât guarantee success;How early automated transit programs forced teams to build delivery capability, not just technology;Why trust and respect must be built quicklyâand why experience on both sides of the contract is non-negotiable;How systems integration drives risk in urban transitâand why âsystems firstâ scheduling and access planning mattersThe approaches that can mitigate and even abolish claims in major projects.
Key Takeaways:Quote:
âI recommend to people just starting their career: get yourself a helmet and boots and find your way out onto the siteâ - Ron AitkenThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/ Follow Ron Aitken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-aitken-a9275468/ -
What would it take to prioritize major programme outcomes over more familiar factors like price and procedural fairness? This is the question posed by Peter Weltman, the guest host on this Uncharted Conversations episode. Peter notes that Canadaâs infrastructure industry is struggling to maintain what it already has, much less build what it needs next. Iterating is likely to fail, so what are the alternatives?
Co-hosts Shormila, David, Melissa, and Riccardo quickly surface the real tension: âoutcomesâ are often harder to define, measure, and defend than costâand public procurement systems are deliberately built for political optics and to avoid the perception of discretionary decision-making. Together, the panel explores why technical merit often fails to meaningfully influence selection and why innovation tends to get squeezed out when projects are seen as fixed scope from the beginning.
From there, the conversation widens beyond RFP mechanics into bigger levers: risk appetite for unsolicited proposals, whether Canada needs an âinfrastructure venture fundâ for ideas, and the value of portfolio thinking. Canada may not be ready to blow up the whole system. However, examplesâincluding new financing entities and development-partner modelsâboth within and beyond infrastructure highlight alternative pathways that are already emerging.
Key Takeaways
The problem with reducing âvalue for moneyâ to competitive pricing in major projects;The difficulty in defining âoutcome-based procurementâ beyond cost;How better technical discrimination can prevent price from dominating âbest valueâ selections;The potential for more rigorous schedule and delivery certainty evaluation through risk analysis;How entities might catalyze more innovative deal structures than classic linear procurements.Quote:
âHow do we create the incentives to build the capacity to do things in a more innovative way, realize more budget, more benefits?â - Peter WeltmanThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Melissa Di Marco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-di-marco/Follow Peter Weltman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-weltman/ -
Behind every major programme is a project managerâbut how do they get there? For a practical and informative conversation on the current PM job market, Riccardo sits down with Mukhtar Kadiri, whose extensive project management experience has culminated in his work as a Program Director and Career Coach, where he helps project management professionals compete for high-compensation roles in the industry.
Though the hiring environment for PMs today varies by niche and region, competition is heavy across the board, and Mukhtar recommends all job searchers have a strategyâthat they approach the search like a project in itself. He and Riccardo explore how candidates can use AI to make the most of their application process and the essential steps to get a foot in the door. Mukhtar has tips for employers and hiring managers, as well.Job searching is a skill, Mukhtar stresses, and this episode offers actionable ideas of how to approach the work intentionally. Specific and backed by plenty of real-world experience, Muhktarâs perspective is essential listening for employees and employers alike, whether theyâre currently on the job hunt or planning to begin searching in the future.
How todayâs PM job market is changing competition, screening, and expectations;The five-part strategy, from application to highest offer, that hones your job search skills;Why you need to pitch differently to recruiters and hiring managers;How to utilize AI beyond asking it to write your cover letter for you;The traits employers should emphasize to win the best candidate.
Key TakeawaysQuote
âJob searching is a skillâ - Mukhtar KadiriThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Mukhtar Kadiri at https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-kadiri/ -
What happens behind the scenes before a project bid is even accepted? The delivery outcome component of major programmes is fascinating, but a lot occurs long before procurement, design, and development get underway. Taking a step back, and behind the curtain, Riccardo, Shormila, and special co-host Evgenia Jilina, Colliersâ Transit Regional Sector Director, dive deep into what happens before the Request for Proposal is published.
The three infrastructure professionals explore the competitive, resource-intensive work that happens upstream: strategic positioning, RFQs and RFPs, partnership decisions, and the internal calculus of whether a proposal is worth the investment of pursuing at all. They break down why âwinningâ a project is rarely about a single submission moment. Preparing a proposal can cost millions, pull top talent off active work for months, and take months or even yearsâa lengthy span of time where assumptions, teams, and even the market can change.
They make the case that capture planning is so much more than paperworkâitâs the training plan behind the goal: the structure that helps organizations choose which opportunities to chase and show up with the right partners and narrative when it counts. Together, the panel tackles the uncomfortable tension at the heart of public procurement. Itâs a system designed to prevent influence, yet meaningful early interactions help clients clarify needs and bidders understand the real problem. In the end, a strategic but authentic engagement approach inevitably weighs into the final decision. Real success is so much more than a lucrative âwinâ: itâs a mutually beneficial relationship where client, bidder, and the public recipients of the infrastructure all triumph.
Key Takeaways:
Why capture planning is essential to success, not a waste of time and money;How organizations decide which pursuits are worth prep that costs millions, months, and their best players;What successful early engagement looks like before an RFQ or RFP is issued;Why early conversations should be reframed as âengagementâ rather than âinfluencingâ;How to build bid teams around strengths and gaps instead of searching for a unicorn.Quote:
âThe stakes are highâŠyouâre expected from day one to start on a project thatâs bigger than the GDP of some small countries.â - Shormila CharterjeeThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/ -
What does it take to become a celebrated leader in infrastructure? With more than four decades of experience in the public and private sectors, Bruce McCuaig is ideally suited to answer this complex question. He joins Riccardo to reflect on leadership, delivery, and building major programmes that âmatter now and one hundred years from now.â
Bruce shares what has shaped his philosophy: an enduring enthusiasm for the legacy of transportation projects, a belief in multidisciplinary teamwork, and a practical approach to collaborative management of risk. He breaks down key qualities of senior leadership: listening and guiding, not seizing control and credit.
Riccardo and Bruceâs conversation explores the recent shift in Canada toward alliance delivery models. True to his leadership style, Bruce argues that while a broad toolkit of procurement and contracting approaches is useful, collaboration is essential to every successful project, whatever the model. He advocates for giving âfearless advice,â supporting teams with training, and empowering them with trust. In the end, a united approach that puts the publicâs best interest front and centre throughout every project ultimately leads to legacies worth building.
Key Takeaways
How a far-ranging career builds judgment, adaptability, and impact across sectors;Why listening is a paramount skill every leader needs to possess;How to develop a culture of collaboration on every major project;Approaching risk as shared and holistic, rather than âours vs. theirs;âThe skills hiring teams should prioritize when filling infrastructure leadership rolesQuote:
âSometimes, there might be a Eureka moment where the senior leader can say âthis is the solution!â, but [more often], itâs about helping the team get to a solution.â - Bruce McCuaigThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Bruce McCuaig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-mccuaig-a1749549/ -
When we view Indigenous communities not as risks to be managed but as partners in building stronger, more sustainable, and more profitable infrastructure projects, what changes? In this episode, Shormila speaks with Matthew Jackson, Hydro Oneâs Vice President of Indigenous Partnerships. Matthew has spent more than a decade working with the Indigenous communities impacted by energy sector projects. He has seen firsthand how that essential mindset shift can unlock both reconciliation and commercial success.
Today, more and more organizations are recognizing how vital Indigenous perspectives are to Canadaâs infrastructure and economic expansion. Many project failures stem from a broken starting point: the assumption that Indigenous communities are an obstacle rather than rights-holders and value-creators. Transitioning from an oppositional to a partner relationship transforms the timelines, governance, and outcomes of major programmes. Today, Hydro One conducts business with Indigenous communities through a 50/50 equity partnership modelâan approach that is rebuilding trust, accelerating decision-making, and reducing environmental and safety impacts.
Shormila and Matthewâs conversation provides practical advice for leaders and teams. While Hydro Oneâs approach cannot be cut and pasted across the industry, key components of their method are transferrable. Matthew encourages teams to engage early, lead with transparency, and be open to a new way of working. Hydro Oneâs marked acceleration of green-lighted projects proves the undeniable positive impact of this approach.
Key Takeaways
How shifting from âIndigenous riskâ to âIndigenous opportunityâ changes project outcomes;The revenue, work safety, and environmental benefits of being willing to try new approaches;The strong Indigenous leadership that led to Hydro Oneâs success;Advice for the new generation of infrastructure professionals pursuing Indigenous relationships;The realities of continuing social segregation, even in recent years.Quote:
âThe future of this country is bright if we can embrace that Indigenous opportunity and that Indigenous value.â - Matthew JacksonThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Matthew Jackson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-jackson-957a3b24/ -
How do you know if youâre a good leader? In engineering, like any profession, leadership is so much more than just getting your team to do what theyâre told. In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo and Shormila shift their focus to a broader topic: people management. Reaching beyond assessments and management styles, the two long-time leaders unpack their experiences so far. They explore the difference between managing contractors and direct reports, the importance of feedback delivery, and the need for empathy that flows in both directionsâup and down the chain of command.
Their conversation winds through self-reflection, organizational structures, and the dearth of training for technical experts thrust into people-management roles as the only path for advancement. Along the way, they discuss how leadership evolves over time (and often through mistakes), why emotional intelligence takes deliberate work, and what makes people management uniquely demandingâespecially when youâre delivering hard news while still remembering thereâs a human on the other end.
They also dig into the realities of leading within complex systems: how to motivate and retain people across generations, why âtone from the topâ shapes culture more than any slogan, and how leaders can adapt their style to the individual in front of them. Therapy, organizational design, and the impact of AI on early-career technical roles all receive their due consideration in a thoughtful, candid episode that recognizes leadership is a lifelong practiceânot a just title.
Key takeaways
The role of empathy in business, relationships, and company culture;Why self-reflection is essential to every leaderâs development;Recognizing when to adhere to and when to throw out the org chart;Navigating disconnection from direct reports in enormous corporations;The negative impact of distilling rational reasoning as decisions descend from the top.Quote
âCreating corporate cultureâŠall starts from the leaderâthe tone from the top.â - Shormilla ChaterjeeThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.comFollow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ -
Canada has long called itself âthe North.â Now is the time to seize the economic opportunities so long unsupported in the countryâs true North: Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. Sima Sahar Zerehi knows first-hand that building relationships is the key to delivering interconnected and impactful major infrastructure projects in Canadaâs North. In this episode of the Master Builders series, the Chief Executive Officer of the Arctic Opportunities Group shares the fortuitous route that led her to leadership in what she considers the countryâs most promising region.
Exuding passionate belief in Canadaâs future, Sima unpacks how Arctic sovereignty conversations and renewed federal funding are shifting the narrative from untethered announcements to real, strategic projects that create jobs, unlock corridors, and signal Canadaâs commitment to expanding âcoast to coast to coastâ. The way to success, however, differs from traditional major infrastructure approaches. Sima emphasizes that Inuit and Indigenous organizations in the North are vital partners from beginning to end, not simple stakeholders. Builders who want to expand into this largely untapped region need to start with relationships, respect that communities have already identified their priorities, and structure partnerships that create direct local benefits, not just revenue they can take with them when they leave.
Riccardo, Shormilla, and Simaâs conversation explores the need for right-sized business models that account for the timeline, cost, and local focus unique to Northern infrastructure projects. The creative and community-driven approach that Sima champions holds enormous promise, for both Canadaâs True North and the provinces to the south.
Key Takeaways
The importance of relationship-building and community consulting when working with Arctic organizations;How the Northâs unique selection criteria keeps the focus on local economic growth;What we can learn from other Arctic nations, like Greenland;The significant impact of Nunavutâs four upcoming infrastructure projects;How shifting our perspective of Indigenous peoples from victims to resilient innovators will elevate Canada as a whole.Quote:
âThe attention to the Arctic is an attention to Canada as a country that expands coast to coast to coast.â - Sima Sahar ZerehiThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.com Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/ Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ Follow Sima Sahar Zerehi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sima-sahar-zerehi-14708520/ -
How do feminine-coded skills and thinking ahead transform the outcomes of major projects? Marilyn Spink uses her experience, expertise, and eloquence to explore this and so much more in this episode of Master Builders. Approaching engineering as a practical force that materially improves how people live has driven Marilynâs professional ventures for much of her impressive career. Sheâs a metallurgical and materials engineer whose career has spanned a wide range of industries. Today, she serves as Executive Director of the Canadian Critical Minerals and Materials Alliance.
Marilyn turns a candid lens on why projects succeed or go sideways, citing delivery and procurement norms she has seen in Canada and around the world. Proudly independent of public oversight, she is unafraid to call out familiar failures. Her thoughtful explanations of why projects fail and how they could avoid pitfalls make a future of prosperous critical minerals projects in Canada feel attainable.
Marilyn and hosts Shormilla and Riccardo discuss how long-term planning and accountability, as well as procurement approaches that consider more than just the lowest bid, make for stronger builds. They examine the need to balance social and environmental considerations with revenue generation. Throughout the conversation, Marilyn shares hard-won insights about advocacy and how the socially conditioned skill sets of women and other underrepresented groups will change the engineering industry as cultures of inclusivity continue to grow.
Key takeaways
The skills and approaches required to make a project actually work in the long term;The meaningful impacts that engineering projects can have on communities;Using beer and food metaphors to highlight the opportunities of midstream minerals processing;The benefits of using a qualification-based selection to identify the best choice during procurement;Why unrealistic budgets and schedules undermine due diligence and set projects up to âfixâ problems later.Quote:
âYou can make money, but you can also do things that are responsible from an environmental and social perspective.â - Marilyn SpinkThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.com Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/ Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ Follow Marilyn Spink: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilyndspink/ -
Thereâs no one path to career success, and technical skills arenât everything. This wide-ranging conversation explores the process of building a major program career you can be proud of, and the lifelong learning that makes it possible. Evgenia Jilina, Colliersâ leader of Western Canada transit sector growth, joins Riccardo to talk about industry and life shifts, and the underdiscussed links between the two.
Their discussion muses over the economic and emotional intensity of Canadaâs 2010s P3 boomâits momentum, pressure, and rapid learning curve. They break down how that era of âget stuff doneâ energy shaped a generation of practitioners and helped set the stage for todayâs alliance-style delivery models. The open and honest conversation also tackles two themes that rarely get discussed with enough transparency. Riccardo and Evgenia delve into pursuing continuing education mid-career and the difficult overlap between peak promotion years and the life stage when many professional women consider having children. Evgenia unpacks the âbroken rungâ dynamic of women in management and her thoughts on the future of leadership in the age of AI. Throughout this companionable dialogue, Evgenia reflects on what it means to stay curious, stretch beyond a job title, and keep learning in an industry that never stops changing.
Key Takeaways
Thinking back on the highs and learning opportunities of the 2010s P3 boom;The road that P3 paved for the development of alliance and collaborative models;The effects of life and work experience when returning to school as a professional;What the unfortunate timing of the average womanâs career peak and parenting windows costs workplaces;AI as a leadership tool, and the very human skills that remain essential.Quote:
âWhen a woman says, âMy priorities have changedâ after having children, letâs not assume theyâve changed [to be] against their ambition or career.â - Evgenia JilinaThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.com Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ Follow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/ -
How is value determined and discussed in infrastructure planning, procurement, and delivery? The Uncharted Conversations panelâShormila Chatterjee, David Ho, and Melissa Di Marcoâtackles a complicated question brought by a new addition: Lisa Mitchell, the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP). What defines the concept of value? The language behind the vital term has shifted in ways that impact how infrastructure projects are approved, designed, and ultimately judged, a significant issue in the countryâs current era of increased building. How do we determine the ârightâ definition when different players are banking on different results, from the government administrators who approve the project, to the private sector that builds it, to the public, who use it?
The four panelists reflect on how âvalue for moneyâ has morphed over the decades, from enduring outcomes to short-term optics, such as cost of capital and debt pricing. Too often, the result is a growing mismatch between what is authorizedâtime and budgetâand what is deemed important in the long term. The conversation asks what it would take to bring outcomes back into focus. Along the way, they float provocative ideasâlike an infrastructure âincubatorâ that funds better concepts upstreamâand give a much-needed nod to an undervalued and less marketable component: maintenance, renewals, and deferred capital repairs that donât come with ribbon cuttings but keep vital public systems functioning.
The factors that have shifted the public and private perceptions of value;How looking at financing as the overarching goal rather than a tool narrows the definition of success;How public-sector objectives and private-sector delivery incentives can misalign without clear benefit stewardship;How âon time and on budgetâ became a placeholder metric that ignores real-world performance;How a public fund that supports big ideas in infrastructure could unlock private innovation as Canada pushes for economic resilience.
Key TakeawaysQuotes:
âI think the concept of outcome has been completely forgotten.â - David HoThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.com Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/ Follow David Ho: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtho-ontario/Follow Melissa Di Marco: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-di-marco/Follow Lisa Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-mitchell/ -
How can underground innovation transform the entire infrastructure industry? In Ontario, every contractor and homeowner is required to âcall before you digâ, so utilities and other owners of buried gas, electric, fibre optic and sewer lines can flag areas for excavators to avoid. Every inquiry is facilitated by Ontario One Call, though today, 95% of people reach out online, rather than by phone. President and CEO Mitch Panciuk and his team have big plans to take their organizationâessential for both safety and uninterrupted servicesâeven further into the digital age.
In this episode, Riccardo and Mitch discuss the inspiration behind Ontario One Callâs ambitious plan to consolidate a province-wide base map. This digital twin, already proven out in places like the UK and Singapore, will reduce the time it takes to complete the million excavation requests Ontario receives each year. Especially as the federal government continues to heavily encourage new infrastructure, an up-to-date, secure, and accessible guide to every underground cable and pipe holds tremendous promise for the future efficiency and cost-savings of major programmes all across Canada.
The potential improvements to accuracy, workload, and project speed promised by a base map of all buried infrastructure;The time-consuming current process of facilitating hundreds of thousands of excavation inquiries;How a widespread, standardized collation of underground asset data could benefit the smallest municipalities;Why better mapping will change the future of planning and growth projections in Ontario;The role AI has to play in the future of excavation workflow automation.
Key TakeawaysQuote
â2026 is the time that we should start harvesting this dataâŠ[and] putting it on a unified base map so that we can use it for generations to come.â -Mitch Panciuk
The conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.com Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ Follow Mitch Panciuk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-panciuk-c-dir-954a2930/ -
How could Canadaâand Ontario in particularâhave done rail transit better? Navigating Major Programmes never shies away from the controversial takes. In this episode, Riccardo takes to the mic with multi-disciplinary rail strategist and longtime industry builder Michael Schabas. Their candid, deeply informed conversation delves deep into what has gone awry in Canadian transit planning and what it would take to get it right.
Michael traces his path from a childhood fascination with trains to a career spanning architecture, transport planning, railway operations, and major infrastructure consulting. Along the way, he helped build and lead rail businesses in the UK and Australia, consistently proving that well-run passenger rail can be both high-performing and financially viable. That global experience shapes his perspective on Ontarioâs railway decisions. He argues that too many projects have suffered from poor technology choices, weak route selection, and procurement strategies that donât match the true complexity of this infrastructure solution.
Throughout his conversation with Riccardo, Michael also reflects on what Canadian builders have learned, the reality of Torontoâs ongoing and overdue electrification project, and why high-speed rail is the answer the country too often avoids. This wide-ranging look at rail infrastructure questions long-held assumptions and challenges decision-makers to never stop learning when it comes to public transportation projects.
Key Takeaways
Recovering from the rushed and ill-informed decision-making that lead to costly transit mistakes;The potential for well-run passenger rail to grow ridership and improve financial performance;How technology, route, and operating strategy choices shape transit outcomes;Why past LRT decisions failed to deliver the speed and rider benefits promised;How greenfield thinking and the right corridor strategy could change the future of high-speed rail in Canada.Quote:
âIf youâve seen one railway, youâve seen one railway. Every railwayâs different.â - Michael SchabasThe conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.com Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ Follow Michael Schabas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelschabas/ Buy Michaelâs book, âThe Railway Metropolisâ: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-railway-metropolis-how-planners-politicians-and-developers-shaped-modern-london/9780727761804.html -
What is it like to navigate the infrastructure industry as a young professional? Finding footing in any field is challenging. Entrants are faced with rapidly changing technologies and processes, hybrid working environments, impostor syndrome, and breaking into existing tight-knit communities. Organizations like Young Leaders in Infrastructure (YLI) strive to help people entering the industry learn, grow, and connect. In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo and Shormilla speak with three members of the Toronto chapter: Mariam Faizal, Ursula Kenkel, and Iris Templo.
The trio details their experiences with the YLI tenets: developing confidence, capability, and community in the industry. They praise beneficial quarterly events, mentorships, and AI advancement, but raise a unanimous call to action for more accessibility. Their unique and unjaded perspectives highlight where expansion and improvement could elevate infrastructure as younger generations continue to transform Canadaâs built environment and the organizations that build it.
Key Takeaways:
How organizations like YLI assist those entering the industry in finding their place;The community-minded motivation that draws graduates from all sectors to public service;The need for more accessibility into the clique of established infrastructure professionals;A fresh perspective on the ever-growing implementation of AI;The ambition of continued collaboration across sectors and specialties.Quote:
â[YLI provides] a good way of relating to my peersâŠbut also having a good example of where my career can take me.â - Iris Templo
The conversation doesnât stop hereâconnect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:
Learn more about Young Leaders in Infrastructure: https://www.pppcouncil.ca/what-do-we-do/fostering-next-generation/yli Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ Read Riccardoâs latest at www.riccardocosentino.com Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/ Follow Mariam Faizal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariam-faizal-003335157/Follow Ursula Kenkel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ursula-kenkel-2b6397173/Follow Iris Templo - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iristemplo/ - Show more
