Why the Environment Agency Is Embracing Conflict Avoidance

Registration and tea from 17.00, event starts at 17.30

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Venue

Mott MacDonald 10 Fleet Place, London, United Kingdom, EC4M 7RB

Programme

5.30: Introduction and Welcome by Host 

5.35 - 6.15: Ten Minute Presentation by each of the 4 panellists addressing these questions?

• Why bother with Conflict Avoidance? 
• Why is it important? 
• What do we do? 
• What are the benefits? 
• What is the effect on cost? Morale? Delivery etc?

6.15-6.40: Audience Q and A

6.40-6.45: Sum up and Vote of thanks (Richard Bayfield Chair CAC)  

Speaker Details

• Host - Richard Patterson – Mott MacDonald
• Client - Veronica Flint Williams – Environment Agency
• Consultant – Geraint Laidlaw Wilson - Binnies
• Contractor – Simon Cresswell – Skanska
• Richard Bayfield Chair CAC 

Speaker bios

Richard Patterson – Mott MacDonald Richard is a chartered civil engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE) and procurement and NEC specialist. He has been with global development, engineering and management consultant, Mott MacDonald for 36 years. Richard was part of the drafting team for NEC4, part of the ICE’s working group on procurement, contracts and carbon/net zero and was one of the four-person team that developed NEC’s recently released secondary option X29, Climate change. Richard leads on NEC for Mott MacDonald and delivers in-house and client training and training for NEC Training, including their 4-day ECC Project Manager accreditation course. Richard is very keen on getting NEC used more widely and has given NEC training in Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Ethiopia, France. Germany, Hong Kong. Ireland, New Zealand, Qatar, Peru, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka and the USA. Richard has contributed to two NEC books, had 7 NEC papers published in ICE’s Proceedings and sat on the Editorial Advisory Panel of the ICE’s journal, Management, Procurement and Law. He is also a frequent contributor to the NEC website and newsletter (80 articles at the last count and ten in 2024!). Most of his articles are linked from his Linked-in page.

Veronica Flint Williams – Environment Agency Veronica joined the Environment Agency in 2010 after more than two decades in the private sector, where she specialized in the water industry’s commercial and contracting divisions. A qualified civil engineer, she brings her technical expertise to the infrastructure and construction sector, ensuring projects deliver sustainable and resilient outcomes. Veronica is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and is passionate about mentoring and inspiring the next generation of professionals. Since joining the Environment Agency, Veronica has played a pivotal role in shaping its commercial strategies across current and future frameworks. As part of the Commercial Centre of Excellence, she sets the standards and best practices for engaging with construction delivery partners. Her work focuses on managing commercial and contractual risk, ensuring a balanced approach that supports successful project delivery through collaborative partnerships.

Geraint Laidlaw-Wilson ChPP PMO Geraint is a Chartered Project Professional and NEC4 Registered Project Manager with over 14 years’ experience delivering major infrastructure, flood risk, aviation, and construction programmes across both public and private sectors. He currently leads the PMO function for Binnies’ Flood & Coast Consultancy business and is seconded to the Environment Agency (EA), where he manages high value Flood Risk Management Schemes through design and construction, and serves as NEC4 ECC Project Manager on additional EA projects. Within Binnies, Geraint plays a key role in expanding the Project and Commercial Management offering for strategic clients including the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and Local Authorities. Earlier in his career, he worked as an Aircraft Engineer in the Royal Air Force prior to roles with both EasyJet and Ryanair.

Simon Cresswell As Commercial Director across both civil engineering and building sectors, including rail, healthcare, defence, water treatment and private commercial buildings, Simon has vast experience with various clients, forms of contract, procurement solutions, construction challenges, risk profiles, manufacturing approached and outcomes. All of which have been instrumental to his key involvement with internal and external improvement projects, systems thinking, keen ethical principles and drive for improvement and collaboration focussed upon improvement for his employers and the wider UK industry. Simon is passionate about improving UK based cross-industry and manufacturing to better drive innovation focussed upon client needs utilising detailed knowledge and skills within UK supply chain, through aligned goals, cutting out waste and maximising use of resources. Close understanding, structured collaboration and Conflict Avoidance are close to his heart. He chairs the CAC conflict avoidance Toolkit refresh project.

Richard Bayfield FICE, FCIArb Richard Bayfield began his career working as a student at the Thames Barrier. He has held a variety of senior roles as a Contractor, Consultant and Client. He is currently a Vice President at the Institution of Civil Engineers (www.ice.org.uk). He is a former Chair and Honorary member of the Society of Construction Law (www.scl.org.uk ). Recent roles include Client Director / Advisor where he helps Client organisations set up processes, communications, contracts and governance that are purposefully designed to achieve collaborative cultures which reduce the risk of project failure. More at www.richardbayfield.com