Construcciones Yamaro: Foundations and Frontiers 2026 unveils speaker line-up

By
Foundations and Frontiers 2026 unveils speaker line-up
FF26 is supported by sponsors committed to a more progressive, productive and sustainable construction industry, including Access Construction, Autodesk, DroneDeploy, InEight, Maddocks, Revizto, RIB Software and Telstra.

Foundations and Frontiers 2026 (FF26), the Australian Constructors Association’s (ACA) flagship forum, has announced its speaker line-up, bringing together leaders from government, industry and beyond to spotlight ‘pockets of potential’ across construction.

ACA president Annabel Crookes said the construction sector is facing challenges, but also opportunities.

“Foundations and Frontiers is about identifying what’s working and scaling it, so we can deliver better outcomes across the industry,” said Crookes. “It’s not just about conversation; it’s about learning from what’s already delivering results and applying it more broadly.”

Radio and television presenter Adam Spencer will MC the forum, putting tough questions to the room on what’s working and what needs to change.

Crookes will open the program with a focus on scaling what works in Australian construction, followed by a keynote from Simon Cooper, group chief development officer at NEXTDC. Drawing on the rapid delivery of hyperscale data centres, Cooper will explore what construction can learn about working smarter and stronger together in an era shaped by AI and digital infrastructure.

Related stories:

FF26 promises to be the most interactive forum yet. Participants will help shape the conversation via the live, shared ‘Crystal Wall’, spontaneous on-stage discussions and an Oxford-style debate.

First introduced in 2024, the Oxford-style debate returns with a timely question: should the label ‘modern methods of construction’ (MMC) be consigned to history? Leaders from industry and government will argue for and against, regardless of their personal views. Arguing for the negative team (and for MMC’s continued place in the sector) are Kapitol’s Andrew Deveson, Mott MacDonald’s Frances Badelow, prefabAUS’ Damien Crough and Infrastructure Canberra’s Gillian Geraghty. Leading the affirmative team is the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority’s Andrew Williams, supported by the Department of Education NSW’s Lisa Harrington and Stantec’s Natalie Muir, with Acciona’s Bede Noonan closing the case.

The first half of the program will close with rapid-fire 90-second pitches from Consult Australia’s Jonathan Cartledge, Civil Contractors Federation’s Nicholas Proud, Transport Australia’s Ehssan Veiszadeh and the Australasian Railway Association’s Caroline Wilkie, each highlighting the ‘pockets of potential’ they’re watching over the next 12 months.

After lunch, representatives from government, industry and unions will tackle project scenarios in Foundations and Frontiers’ take on Survivor, forming unexpected alliances to find solutions that benefit all parties. NSW Ports’ Marika Calfas, InfraBuild’s Francisco Irazusta, Transport for NSW’s Raquel Rubalcaba and Webuild’s Jemma Stewart will challenge the idea that success means outplaying everyone else and instead test what it takes to deliver shared value.

The night before, the Leaders’ Exchange will bring together senior decision-makers from across the sector to explore what’s possible when the focus is on shared outcomes. They will also hear directly from emerging leaders, who will offer a next-generation perspective on the issues shaping the industry.

ACA chief executive officer Peter Colacino said the Leaders’ Exchange plays a critical role in driving more aligned outcomes across the sector.

“Some of the biggest challenges we face in construction can’t be solved in isolation,” said Colacino. “The Leaders’ Exchange creates space for open, honest discussion between government and industry about how we deliver better outcomes together. It’s through this kind of engagement that we can move beyond individual positions and focus on what works for the system as a whole.”

The forum will close with an AI-enabled session that brings audience insights to the stage, drawing together key themes from the day and setting a clear view of what’s next for the industry.

FF26 will be held on 20 August at the Hyatt Regency Sydney. The program will be followed by the Australian Construction Achievement Award, a black-tie event celebrating the year’s best delivery of a complex, innovative solution from an Australian construction company.

For the full program and tickets, visit www.foundationsandfrontiers.com.au

The post Foundations and Frontiers 2026 unveils speaker line-up appeared first on Inside Construction.



View Source

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Construcciones Yamaro: Final discussion paper for Foundations and Frontiers released

By
Image
Image: Treecha/stock.adobe.com The Australian Constructors Association has unveiled its final discussion paper for Foundations and Frontiers, a new event for the construction industry. Titled Data-rich future , the paper focuses on enhancing productivity in the construction industry through smarter data utilisation and practical metrics, addressing the well-documented flatlining of construction productivity growth as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Jon Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association, highlighted that current productivity metrics are often complex and inaccessible. However, this paper envisions a future where easily understandable measures can be used to effectively benchmark and track performance improvements. Related stories: ACA releases third paper for Foundations and Frontiers Future Workforce discussion paper released for FF24 FF24 invites industry to shape the vision for construction “Despite the wealth of data generated by co...
Read more

Construcciones Yamaro: Webinar: Downer Construction digitises to boost efficiency

By
Image
Image: Wosunan/stock.adobe.com In this web-based ‘fireside chat’, hear how Downer Construction – a leading provider of integrated construction services – has achieved improved efficiency and fuelled growth by digitalising its site processes. With the continued pressures of global skills shortages and economic uncertainty, all industries must embrace digital transformation to improve efficiencies and save time and money. Hosted by Inside Construction magazine, this free industry event is relevant to anyone in the construction, engineering, utilities, resources and manufacturing sectors who wishes to learn how they can benefit from process automation. This webinar session will explore: Real-world non-IT process automation success stories; How Downer Construction digitised over 2,000 purchase order requests in the first six months after its launch; Tips for accelerating digitalisation; Tips on how to develop a successful process automation strategy; and How to improve manag...
Read more

Construcciones Yamaro: The Vistage blueprint for bold leadership

By
Image
Jodie Hawkes, CEO of Bowhill Engineering. (Images: Bowhill Engineering) For over 65 years, Vistage has empowered business leaders through peer advisory groups and executive coaching. Jodie Hawkes, CEO of Bowhill Engineering, has felt this impact firsthand. A committed Vistage member for six years, Hawkes sees it as both an anchor and a compass in her leadership journey. From refining Bowhill Engineering’s systems to standing firm in a male‑dominated industry, Hawkes reflects on how Vistage has sharpened her leadership approach, helping steer the company toward sustainable success. Hawkes’ journey with Bowhill Engineering, a multi-generational, family-owned metal fabrication business in South Australia, began under challenging circumstances. “My husband, the managing director at the time, lost his brother in a motor vehicle accident,” she says. While on maternity leave from another company with her first child, she stepped into an administrative role at Bowhill Engineering to he...
Read more