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EVA 34 returns with a one day and optional dinner event. As ever at the Armourers’ Hall Moorgate 81 Coleman Street EC2R 5BJ London
Forget AI for the minute or at least put it in the toolkit until you've decided what you want it to do for you. Now think about High Performance Resourcing. And the people doing the work. Where are they? How well are they doing? What can you do to help them? Do you know what they are working on. Do you know what they did today? How do connect the people not just on one project but all the people on all the projects. How's the whole organisation doing? How could AI help? Really help or just automate chaos? Is it about Controls or Skills? Or both?
EVA presents a review and discussion of subjects related to the improvement of the processes and people involved in the delivery of project programmes and portfolios, ultimately delivering better value for taxpayer stakeholder and shareholder alike as well as improving the quality and wellbeing of working life for individuals and organisations. Audience and speakers are drawn from middle to very senior practitioners in government industry audit and academia.
The unprecedented and unexpected adjustments of operating through a global crisis; the challenges of the current economic climate; these are, and have been, truly turbulent times in recent years. And now we have an American President who trumps everything. But there is much to celebrate, nonetheless, in the world of project controls, with innovations and successes born out of this very turbulence.
Speakers
Steve Wake
Founder and Curator of EVA events
Steve Wake founded the EVM and the PMC Sigs in the Association of Project Management (APM) and was the Chairman of APM who led it to chartered status. He is now a member of the Guild of Educators, has set up a working party to develop a GCSE in Project Skills and is Chair of the British Standards Institution M/S 2 committee with responsibility for national standards in project programme and portfolio management. He is leading the development of BS202001 Project Controls in which MOD is a participant and working closely with PsACE community harmonising estimating practice in government and its supply chain. Also he represents BSi on ISO WG12 developing an Implementation guide to EVM and is Strategy Director of the Association of Cost Engineers, helping to shape its future.
Iain Minns
Global Service Expert for Project Controls, Arcadis
GenerAItional Change? Now or Never, Good, Bad or Indifferent? How do we make our industry attractive to the brightest and best so that we can reinvent before we are reinvented out? It is a sad fact that construction as an industry has not innovated or evolved at the same pace as others. Is it because there are no Ubers or Teslas in our industry? When was the last major transformational change in construction? Where are the disrupters and how do we harness them as a positive force to unleash the creativity of Gen Z and Gen Alpha to finally transform our industry? Those who refuse to change, die (Kodak, Blackberry, Nokia….?) but that doesn’t seem to permeate into the construction of infrastructure. How do we make our industry attractive to the brightest and best so that we can reinvent before we are reinvented out?
Head of Programme Controls
Sizewell
Tommy Clarke
The Hidden Control: Why Behaviour, Clarity and Inclusion Matter as Much as Process. Tommy Clarke is a Senior Project Controls Director at Amentum and currently serves as Head of Programme Controls for Sizewell C. He is passionate about transforming schedule, cost, and risk data into clear insight that drives confident, outcome focused decisions. With over 20 years’ experience across major programmes in Oil & Gas, Water, Roads, and now Nuclear, Tommy brings a blend of straight talking energy, practical know how, and strategic perspective to his talks and presentations.
Ed Davey
Reasons for Hope How to drive positive global action on climate and environment Edward Davey is Head of WRI Europe's UK office, where he represents WRI (including its 70 UK-based staff) to the UK government, philanthropies, private sector, NGOs, and WRI's Royal Patron, HM King Charles III. Edward also serves as a Senior Advisor (previously Country Director and Partnerships Director) to the Food and Land Use Coalition, and as an Advisor to the New Economy for the Amazon and Congo Basin. He worked on secondment for the UK Government's Cabinet Office on COP26, including the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use, and as an Advisor to the UAE COP28 Presidency on the COP28 Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action. Prior to WRI, Edward worked for The Prince of Wales' International Sustainability Unit as a Senior Programme Manager and speechwriter, and for the Colombian Presidency as a Lead Adviser on Environment. He started his career at Oxfam and the UN Human Development report, and also worked for the AMAR Foundation — a humanitarian organization in the Middle East — and the London-based children's charity, Kids Company. Edward lives in Lewes in SE England with his wife Davina and young children, Oli and Lara. He is an enthusiastic amateur choral singer, keen football player, and author of the book 'Given Half a Chance: Ten Ways to Save the World'.
Head, World Resources Institute Europe UK Office; Senior Advisor, Food and Land Use Coalition; Advisor, New Economy for the Amazon and Congo Basin
Matt White
Clearstar Group
Service Thinking: High performing organisations in complex and changing environments A Case Study in how the Ministry of Defence is transforming itself from being project and programme focused to being organised around portfolios of services to enable itself to adapt and respond to the rapidly changing face of modern warfare. Matt White Matthew is the co-founder and Director of Clear Star and leads the Organisational Design and Development function, specialising in transformations at enterprise scale and complexity. With over 25 years’ experience of implementing large and complex (multi-million pound) transformation programmes. His knowledge and skills have helped organisations to become more adaptable, responsive and resilient within the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments they operate within. He has supported C-Suite executives and senior leadership teams to deliver new enterprise operating models and the adoption of new cultural behaviours and processes that radically bring a focus on maximising value at the lowest possible costs.
Head of PMO Operations
Sizewell C
Peter Gardiner
co-founder and Director of Clear Star
Peter is a co-founder and Director of Clear Star and leads the company’s Practice function. His focus is on helping organisations to become service, product and value-oriented, focused on customer value and cost (value for money), unlocked through people first approaches built around empowerment and delegated decision-making authority. He is a specialist in lean (service) portfolio management, Lean Startup innovation, and product and service thinking.
Jack Penter
The Hidden Control: Why Behaviour, Clarity and Inclusion Matter as Much as Process. Jack Penter is the Head of PMO Operations at Sizewell C. He has worked at Sizewell C since 2021 and supported the development of the cost and risk estimate taking this through HMG and investor due diligence. In his role as Head of PMO Operations he is responsible for the effective and efficient running of the PMO including driving the right behaviours and culture across the 200 strong team. Prior to Sizewell C, Jack worked within the Sustainable Infrastructure practice of a management consultancy gaining experience across roads, utilities and central government.
Tammy Watchorn
The Original Change Ninja
Don't be a hungry tiger You can't stop being hungry. But you can choose your approach to getting fed. Tammy Watchorn is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and creator of the APMG-accredited 4 Day Ninja Challenge. She learned the hard way of how difficult change can be inside large, complex organisations, spending years battling blockers, navigating resistance, and watching time and energy disappear into activity that delivered little real impact. Determined to find a better way, Tammy developed a human-centred, neuroscience-informed approach to change that focuses on behaviour, engagement, and genuine adoption within teams. Her work helps leaders understand how the brain responds to uncertainty, why resistance is natural, and how small shifts in everyday behaviour and approaches to change lead to successful outcomes. She is the author of The Change Ninja Handbook, The Change Ninja Returns, and The Change Ninjas vs Zombies. Books that blend storytelling, practical tools, interactive games and real-life insight to make change feel accessible and achievable. Through keynote speaking, writing, and immersive learning experiences, Tammy helps organisations move beyond process-driven change and create transformation that people not only accept, but actively choose.
Sirish Parekh
Head of Estimating & Benchmarking NISTA, Co-Chair PsACE, Co-Chair BSi Estimating workgroup
Quantified Latent Exposure (QLE). Getting to know the unknown unknowns. The true impact of unknown unknowns that emerge during project delivery are elusive and by definition cannot be quantified, specifically. A proposed approach, Quantified Latent Exposure (QLE), seeks to address this challenge by using historical projects, emerging project specific indicators and statistical analysis to estimate the probable exposure associated with the 'unknowables' that plague many projects. While individual unknown unknowns cannot be predicted or measured directly, their collective effect can be quantified through evidence-based modelling. This provides a more robust and transparent basis for contingency setting, improves confidence in forecasts and aims to reduce the frequency and magnitude of project overruns. Previousy he was at National Highways as a Commercial Intelligence Manager and Estimating Manager, with experience in Cost Estimating & Modelling, Risk and Uncertainty management and Project Controls. He held various positions in Rolls-Royce as a Programme Manager on implementing Single Source Contract Regulations (SSCR), an Estimating Specialist, Supportability Engineering Manager and Whole Life Cost Engineer. He is currently developing intelligence reporting using historical data and introducing a career learning journey for the estimating profession. Sirish is Co-Chair of PsACE (Public Sector Advisory Community for Estimating), a group with 40 UK government departments and arms length bodies. As a member of the BSI MS/2 Committee, he also Co-Chairs the development and publication of a new Estimating British Standard. Using his current roles, experience and network, Sirish aspires to introduce consistency in estimates across government projects and improved benchmarking to achieve better value for money and project outcomes.
Paul Lyalls
EVA Poet in Residence
Paul has over 20 years’ experience as a jobbing poet, and has worked and performed with Will Self, Kate Tempest, John Hegley, Miranda Hart, Roger McGough, John Cooper Clarke, Andrea Leavy, RastaMouse, George Best and yes, Michael Rosen. He was 2013/2014 Poet in residence at the Roald Dahl Museum, 2008 Poet for the London Borough of Brent and an official 2012 Olympic ‘Shake the Dust Poet’. Paul’s work is funny, fast-moving, hip, accessible, rhythmic, clever and real. Paul has gigged many unusual places including Arsenal FC’s dressing room, opening act for ‘The Libertines’ and appearing on the national news, as a result of a scheme to bring poetry to the masses in which Paul performed on a regular working No73 bus as it wound its way through central London to Oxford St.
Kate Fox
Neurodivergent advocate, stand-up poet, spoken word artist and broadcaster
Joy as Resistance: Happiness, masking and the working day. Most of us are quite good at looking happy at work. Some of us are extremely good at it- and being extremely good at it is exhausting. Drawing on that research and on twenty years of writing about not fitting the shape, Kate looks at what difference is, how you’d recognise the real thing on a Tuesday afternoon, why it beats a satisfaction survey, and what would have to change for people to stop performing. In this closing set of stand-up poetry she asks the question sitting underneath the happiness question: are people actually happy at work, or are they doing a very convincing impression of it- and if so what does that cost? 'Kate Fox is a neurodivergent advocate, stand-up poet, spoken word artist and broadcaster. She is a regular contributor to Radio 4's spoken word cabaret “The Verb”, has made two comedy series for Radio 4, was a judge for the 2023 Forward Prizes for poetry, been Poet in Residence for Glastonbury Festival and completed a PhD in stand-up comedy. Kate recently published a book about The Sycamore Oak. ‘The Sycamore Gap’.
Robin Ince
Award-winning comedian, author, and science communicator
Finding our true voice and how we use it and may also include stories of why he walked away from a hugely successful radio show after 16 years. Highly acclaimed English stand-up comedian, actor, author, and broadcaster, best known for his work in popularising science and blending it with comedy Most recognised as the co-creator and co-host of the award-winning BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage alongside Professor Brian Cox, a role he held for 16 years until 2025. As a "becardiganed polymath," Ince focuses on scientific curiosity, skepticism, and human behaviour. He created the annual "Nine Lessons and Carols for Curious People" (originally "for Godless People") show. Awards: He has won three Chortle Awards, including Best Compere and the Time Out Outstanding Achievement in Comedy Award. Writing & Broadcasting: He has written several books, including The Importance of Being Interested, I'm a Joke and So Are You, and the bookshop-tour chronicle Bibliomaniac. Media Appearances: He has appeared on shows such as Mock the Week and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, and has written for programmes like The 11 O'Clock Show. Personal Life and Education Education: Ince studied English and Drama at Royal Holloway, University of London, graduating in 1991. Diagnosis: In 2021, at age 52, he was diagnosed with ADHD, which he explored in his 2025 memoir, Normally Weird and Weirdly Normal. Advocacy: He is a prominent atheist and a supporter of the Rationalist Association and Humanists UK. In late 2025, Ince announced his resignation from The Infinite Monkey Cage, stating he faced pressure from BBC executives to censor his views on topics like Donald Trump
Martin Chong
Senior Audit Manager, Transport, National Audit Office
HS2 2026 Reset While the attention around the HS2 reset has focused on the expected cost overruns and schedule delays, a key part of the programme reset is around ensuring that it has the capability, leadership, governance and culture to effectively support the delivery of the railway. This talk explores the National Audit Office’s HS2 2026 reset report and how recovering major projects is a significant people and organisational challenge. Martin is a qualified accountant and experienced value for money auditor. Over a 20 year career, he has audited major projects and spend on a wide variety of topics, including defence, justice, the BBC, education and transport. He has been leading our rail major project work for the last five years. Mugshot (TBC)
Jussi Toivonen
EG Silverbucket
Capacity Truth: From Trusted Resource Data to Better Project Decisions Project organisations have mature methods for controlling cost and schedule. Their view of future capacity is often less dependable because resource data is fragmented, out of date or still based on assumptions. This session introduces Capacity Truth: the extent to which an organisation’s view of future delivery capacity matches current operational reality. It shows how reliable resource data and Confirmed Availability support better decisions across projects and portfolios. Confirmed Availability separates an assumed allocation from a commitment that has been checked against timing, skills and competing demand. The session follows the chain from how resource data is produced and maintained, through shared visibility, to the strategic decisions leaders make about capacity. It also addresses governance: who owns the data, who can confirm a commitment and who resolves conflicts between projects. Better resource data can reduce unnecessary replanning, shorten coordination meetings, reveal skills gaps earlier and support more reliable customer commitments. AI can speed up analysis. Its value still depends on the quality and timeliness of the underlying resource data. Where those foundations are weak, automation may lead to faster replanning rather than better control. Attendees will leave with practical language and questions they can use within project controls, PMOs and delivery organisations. Jussi Toivonen, MSc (Business Administration), is a SaaS and technology professional with international experience across the UK, continental Europe and North America. At EG Silverbucket, he works with engineering, construction and consulting organisations on resource management, capacity forecasting and portfolio visibility. Earlier in his career, Jussi worked in international manufacturing, improving processes across distributed operations and contributing to IP-led business strategy. He later worked on B2B and B2C customer experience programmes, helping organisations use customer feedback to improve day-to-day operations and customer retention. Jussi writes and speaks on strategic capacity, resource data quality and project controls, and created the Confirmed Availability Index. His work focuses on the governance behind reliable resource data: who owns it, how it is maintained and how it supports decisions from bid through delivery.
Andy Brown
Strategic Purpose Consultant and Chair of the BSI Committee on Purpose Driven Organisations
How is the new international standard for purpose driven organisations, ISO 37011, relevant for projects? This new international standard, based on the current BSI PAS 808, is out for public consultation. We will explore the worldviews of a purpose driven organisation, the practices that the standard proposes and the relevance to the governance of major projects, as well as organisations and wider systems. Andy is a thought leader on sustainability, is at the forefront of the purpose driven business movement and now runs his own company supporting organisations to embed and operationalise purpose. He has worked within Government and the private sector for the last 30 years, leading on the natural environment, climate change, place-based regeneration, measuring the value of environmental and social prosperity and embedding purpose. In his last full time role as Group Chief Sustainability Officer for Anglian Water, he worked with the board to oversee the delivery of their purpose, “to bring environmental and social prosperity to the region we serve”. This was embedded through a change to their articles of association in 2019 and since then he led the development of their six capitals investment decision making framework and a new Purpose Impact Assessment, which tracks the absolute value of the impacts and benefits Anglian Water has on the environment and society. He has worked closely with BSI to lead the development of the UK’s first standard for Purpose Drive Organisations (PAS 808, published in 2022) and now chairs the BSI National Committee on this subject which has successfully engaged the International Standards Organistion to develop a similar international standard (ISO 37011). Links ISO 37011 LinkedIn Group BSI PAS 808 LinkedIn Group
Ben Fitzgerald
Good for Project, Good for Business. Standing on Common Ground.
Ben Fitzgerald is a Fellow of the Controls and Skills Authority (FCaSA) and Certified Professional and a project controls practitioner with experience in complex infrastructure programmes
Graeme McNaught
Campaign Manager – Directed Energy Leonardo UK Ltd.
DragonFire Update – The UKs sovereign Laser Directed Energy Weapon Graeme qualified as an Electronic Engineer, designing electronic circuits, sub-systems and systems. His career has covered engineering design, technical sales and project management & planning in industries such as defence, manufacturing, automation and test, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, Research & Development, academia. Mid career, he was been part of the design and deploy team for an Integrated Business System, specialising in Project Management & Planning modules. In recent years Graeme has been an Engineering Manager on major defence contracts covering radars and electro-optics. Graeme’s current role is Business Development for next generation Electro-Optical and Infra-Red systems for Leonardo UK Ltd. A next generation technology project to help protect frontline troops and key assets around the world. The world of Laser Directed Energy and the challenges of developing new technologies and the staff and skills required to run this kind of project.
Agenda
DAY 1
Wednesday 14th October
08:30
Doors open and Coffee Conversation
09:15
Welcome
Steve Wake & Paul Lyalls EVA Poet in Residence
09:20
Iain Minns, Global Service Expert for Project Controls, Arcadis
GenerAItional Change? Now or Never, Good, Bad or Indifferent?
How do we make our industry attractive to the brightest and best so that we can reinvent before we are reinvented out?
09:50
Martin Chong,
Senior Audit Manager, Transport, National Audit Office
HS2 2026 Reset
10:20
Jussi Toivonen,
Market Development, EG Silverbucket
Capacity Truth: From Trusted Resource Data to Better Project Decisions
10:50
Coffee Conversation
11:10
Tommy Clarke, Head of Programme Controls.
Jack Penter , Head of PMO Operations
Sizewell C
The Hidden Control: Why Behaviour, Clarity and Inclusion Matter as Much as Process
11:40
Andy Brown,
Strategic Purpose Consultant and Chair of the BSI Committee on Purpose Driven Organisations
How is the new international standard for purpose driven organisations, ISO 37011, relevant for projects?
12:10
Ed Davey, Head, World Resources Institute Europe UK Office; Senior Advisor, Food and Land Use Coalition; Advisor, New Economy for the Amazon and Congo Basin
Reasons for Hope
How to drive positive global action on climate and environment
12:40
Lunch Networking
13:20
Tammy Watchorn,The Original Change Ninja
Don't be a hungry tiger You can't stop being hungry. But you can choose your approach to getting fed.
14:00
Ben Fitzgerald
Good for Project, Good for Business. Standing on Common Ground.
14:30
Sirish Parekh Head of Estimating & Benchmarking NISTA, Co-Chair PsACE, Co-Chair BSi Estimating workgroup
Estimating for High Performance Resourcing
15:00
Matt White
Peter Gardner
Clearstar Group
Service Thinking: High performing organisations in complex and changing environments
15:30
Tea
15:50
Speaker tbc
16:20
Graeme McNaught, Campaign Manager – Directed Energy Leonardo UK Ltd.
Dragon Fire Update – The UKs sovereign Laser Directed Energy Weapon
16:50
Kate Fox, Neurodivergent advocate, stand-up poet, spoken word artist and broadcaster
Joy as Resistance: Happiness, masking and the working day.
17:30
Drinks Social
18:30
Dinner Social
20:00
Chat drinks social.
21:00
Carriages.
Sponsorship Packages
Sponsors will each be allocated a clear space, power supply and either a table or stand space on the networking area where delegates gather between sessions in the pre-conference, mid morning, lunch and afternoon breaks and during the break out sessions.
Main and Gold sponsors may erect suitable stands. Sponsors will be able to distribute brochures to all delegates. Erection of stands will be early morning on the day of the event or previous day by arrangement.
Every sponsor’s logo will appear on all marketing and event documentation produced by the organisers.
Supporters
We always welcome support from organisations which cannot sponsor but can offer help in kind. We are happy to enter into contra agreements for mutual benefit.
Main Sponsor
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Presentation opportunity each day
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Short address opportunity at dinner
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Stand space within the networking area
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Delegate list provided
- 8 tickets for both days and dinner
- PM Channel interview
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Advertising literature available to delegates
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Logo and advertising content in conference materials
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Special less than advertised ticket rate for employees and authorised customers
£6,000 + VAT
Pre-Conference Senior networking event drinks and dinner (Conversation Club)
Host a networking dinner for 50–70 in an exclusive venue that gathers together senior decision makers from the controls community. A year’s prospecting in an evening with guaranteed follow-ups.
The Conversation Club currently numbers 458 senior Project and Programme directors along with Government (NISTA, PsACE and major departments) National Audit Office and Academics.
As host your organisation has exclusive access to this audience for this event.
Itinerary:
16:00 Tea and Networking
17:00 Discussion, Tuned to your requirement.
18:00 Drinks and networking
19:00 Dinner and networking.
£5,000 + VAT
