Infrastructure Intelligence and Atkins have teamed up to organise a special debate on the key issue of contracting models in the construction industry and whether they need to change to facilitate the industry’s digital transformation.

The event, Is construction’s digital transformation dependent on the introduction of new contracting models?, takes place on Friday 21 May 2021 at 11am and will be chaired by KPMG partner for major projects delivery Lisa Kelvey and feature a panel of four leading industry experts who will debate the issue before a live online audience.

It’s no secret that construction lags behind other industries when it comes to the adoption of digital technology, with a 2015 McKinsey Global Institute analysis finding that the construction industry was among the least digitised industries in the UK economy across assets, usage, and labour. 

This relative lack of progress on digitalisation has had a knock-on effect which as seen productivity in the sector grow at just 1% annually for the past two decades. Limited margins are often cited as reason for this slow adoption of tech, as are the risk and reward models of current contracting models. So, what about those contracting models? Are they an impediment to construction’s digital transformation and do they need to change? Or is it the way that the industry and those that work within it that needs to change? 

The Infrastructure Intelligence/Atkins “The Big Contracts Debate” aims to discuss these issues and find out the answer. Two teams will argue the case for change and discuss the central question: -

"Is construction’s digital transformation dependent on the introduction of new contracting models?"  

Team A – Yes. Construction’s digital transformation is dependent on the introduction of new contracting models. 

Dev Amratia, CEO and Co-Founder, nPlan
Richard Robinson, CEO, Atkins UK & Europe

Team B – No. Construction’s digital transformation isn’t dependant on the introduction of new contracting models. 

Keith Waller, Programme Director, Construction Innovation Hub
Martin Perks, Commercial Programme Director, Highways England 

We are expecting a lively and informative debate at this free event and there will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions of all the panellists. Contracting models and digitalisation are important issues for the construction sector and whether and how contracts need to change is something on which many people working in the sector have a view.

Do contracts need to change, does the industry need to change the way it works or do we need to do something else? Join The Big Contracts Debate and find out!

The Big Contracts Debate
Is construction’s digital transformation dependent on the introduction of new contracting models?
Friday 21 May 2021 at 11am

Chair
Lisa Kelvey, Partner, Major Projects Delivery, KPMG

Panellists
Richard Robinson, UK CEO, Atkins
Dev Amratia, CEO and Co-Founder, nPlan
Keith Waller, Programme Director, Construction Innovation Hub
Martin Perks, Commercial Programme Director, Highways England

Click here to book a place at The Big Contracts Debate.

The Big Contracts Debate event is brought to you in association with Atkins.