Last week we had the pleasure of co‑hosting the Project Controls Industry Event 2026 with Mott MacDonald and Strategic Planning Co. The room brought together people from across the project controls community for a thoughtful discussion on how we plan, govern, and deliver major programmes in Aotearoa.
Graham Darlow set the scene with his reflections on current government spend, and why sudden shifts in direction can be detrimental to long‑term infrastructure outcomes. He also encouraged everyone to read the book “How Big Things Get Done”, by Prof. Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner – offering practical lessons on why major projects succeed or fail and why disciplined controls matter.
From there we heard real project experiences and sector insights from Stenin Francis, Glen Twining, and Louise Jordaan, as well as a look at the growing role of digital tools and data in project delivery from Annamalai (Andy) Alagappan, Maria Mingallon, Reuben Morris, and Brevin Buckley.
A huge thank you to our speakers and to everyone who joined us. It was great to reconnect, share what we’re seeing across the industry, and keep building capability together.
