Business Secretary Vince Cable to address construction leaders
NFB to host annual conference for its Principal Contractors’ Group ‘UK CONSTRUCTION: EMBRACING CHANGE’
Thursday 21 November 2013
The Grand Connaught Rooms
61 – 65 Great Queen Street
London, WC2B 5DA
10.00am – 4.00pm
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) is to hold its annual conference for its larger members, the Principal Contractors’ Group (PCG), on Thursday 21 November 2013 in association with CITB.
Delegates will hear from special guest the Rt. Hon Vince Cable MP, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills alongside keynote speakers Lord Heseltine and Chloe Smith MP, Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform, the Cabinet Office. Peter Hansford, the Government’s Chief Construction Adviser; David Philp, Head of the BIM task force; Richard Threlfall, UK Head, Infrastructure, Building and Construction, KPMG LLP and Sally Collier, UK Government Deputy Chief Procurement Officer and Executive Director of Government Procurement Policy and Capability, the Cabinet Office will also address delegates on the day. The event is to be hosted by broadcaster and journalist Anthony Hilton.
Central to the challenges we face as an industry is the issue of access to finance, a key theme at this year’s conference. We are still living with the realities of a disastrous banking collapse and five years on, many successful construction companies continue to find it difficult to raise short and long-term capital. Lord Heseltine and Chloe Smith MP will both give their thoughts on this issue before a panel session on how to overcome these challenges with Richard Threlfall from KPMG, Irene Graham from the British Bankers’ Association and Noble Francis from the Construction Products Association.
The PCG is made up of the largest contractor members of the NFB, with a combined turnover of £3.3 billion. This year’s conference, entitled ‘UK Construction: Embracing Change’ will be taking a positive approach to the changes afoot for the industry. From the need to be BIM (building information modelling) ready by 2016, to EU procurement legislation and winning work at home and in Europe, our speakers and audience will have the chance to discuss how, as an industry, we embrace these changes and contribute to the route back to growth.
Julia Evans, Chief Executive of the NFB said: “This conference is a great opportunity for large and small construction businesses to network and meet valuable contacts, whilst enjoying the busy and thought-provoking agenda. The conference will bring together high profile speakers, leading industry players, decision-makers and experts to look at the changes ahead for our industry and how, together, we can embrace these to steer the industry’s fortunes in a positive direction.”
