Strengthening infrastructure planning: what can the UK learn from governments around the world to avoid costly mistakes?

Prof Jim Hall

Prof Jim Hall is a trustee of the ICE and until recently, held the carbon and climate portfolio.

He’s a professor of climate and environmental risks at the University of Oxford.

His research specialises on risk analysis for water resource systems, flooding and coastal engineering, infrastructure systems and adaptation to climate change.

Prof Hall is a member of the UK prime minister's Council for Science and Technology and is a commissioner of the National Infrastructure Commission.

He was a member of the UK independent Committee on Climate Change Adaptation from 2009 to 2019.

He led the development of the National Infrastructure Systems Model (NISMOD), which was used for the ICE’s influential National Needs Assessment and for the UK’s first National Infrastructure Assessment.

Prof Hall invented, and now chairs, the UK Data and Analytics Facility for National Infrastructure (DAFNI).

Among various distinctions, Hall was awarded the ICE’s George Stephenson Medal in 2001 and the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water in 2018.

He was a contributing author to the Nobel Prize-winning Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Dr Kerry Bobbins

Kerry leads the Enabling Better Infrastructure (EBI) programme at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). The EBI programme works with national governments worldwide to strengthen how they set up stable, sustainable, and investable infrastructure pipelines to meet people’s current and future needs.

Prior to this, Kerry worked in a range of policy and academic roles in the United Kingdom (UK) and South Africa to support infrastructure planning at the national, regional, and local levels of government. This involved working closely with government officials and other influential stakeholders to enhance sustainable outcomes across water, energy, and sanitation. Kerry completed her PhD in Development Planning at University College London, UK, and has a Master’s Degree in Geography from Rhodes University, South Africa.

Dr Paulo Magina

Paulo Magina is the head of the infrastructure and public procurement division in the Directorate for Public Governance at the OECD, which he joined in 2014. In this division, he leads the working groups in charge of establishing and implementing international standards and promoting a global vision and good practices in infrastructure governance and public procurement.

With more than 20 years of experience in the public sector, he was previously a member of the board of directors and CFO of the Portuguese Shared Services Agency of the Central Government of Portugal. Before that, he served as President and CEO of the National Public Procurement Agency of Portugal between 2010 and 2012, and previously was the CFO of the national Portuguese railways (CP) between 2006 and 2010, and before a senior advisor to the Secretary of State for Transport of the Government of Portugal.

He was also an advisor to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) supporting regulatory and public policy reforms in the CIS region. He also has more than 15 years of experience in the private sector, namely in the financial, infrastructure and transport sectors.

Paulo Magina holds a Master's degree in Business Administration and Management from the Católica Business School in Lisbon, was a visiting professor in MBA programs at the same university and is also a visiting professor at European universities on topics of strategic public procurement and sustainability.

Rowan Palmer

Geoff Cooper

Geoff Cooper has a background in global policy having worked for the United Nations, the United States Treasury and the Federal Reserve.

He is a former chief economist for both PwC and Auckland Council, where he worked on infrastructure, housing, regulation and financial policy, including business case development for Auckland’s City Rail Link.

At Te Waihanga, Geoff has purview over research, strategy and the Infrastructure Pipeline. He led the development of the New Zealand Infrastructure Strategy in 2022 and is now working on the National Infrastructure Plan.

He holds a Master of Economics with First Class Honours from the University of Auckland and a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University.

Dr Simon Lucas

Dr Lucas is responsible for the delivery of infrastructure, energy, climate and environment expertise in the FCDO. This includes work on infrastructure, urban development, climate, energy transitions and green finance.

Simon has over 25 years’ experience in infrastructure, urban and energy projects around the world including in the Middle East, and North Africa, Zambia, Pakistan, Botswana, Vietnam, Kenya, Uganda, India and Nepal, as well as leading policy work on infrastructure and climate for the UK government, including UNFCCC negotiations.

He holds a degree in mechanical engineering and development, a masters in renewable energy and a PHD in hydropower.

David Porter

David Porter is current ICE Senior Vice President. Porter is a trustee of the ICE and, until recently, held the learning society portfolio.

Porter is currently the director of engineering with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), which is the roads authority for Northern Ireland. He’s the chief highways engineer.

He is also the head of the civil engineering profession with the Northern Ireland civil service.

He’s responsible for the development of the department’s professional and technical staff, engineering policies and standards, and health and safety. He also leads on procurement and the internal consultancy.

Previously, Porter was the chief executive of the Rivers Agency, the flood defence and drainage authority for Northern Ireland. He also held the posts of director of development and director of operations with the agency.

Porter is a past chair of the Northern Ireland region of the ICE. He’s been on the ICE Council three times: two terms as the Northern Ireland representative, and one as a general member.

He has also served on numerous committees and panels:

• He was a member of the Presidential Commission on the ICE Governance (the Orr Review).
• He chaired the member-led review of NOMCO, the Audit Committee, and the Qualifications Panel.
• He has been on the Committee of Management of the ICE Benevolent Fund.

Amongst various distinctions, Porter is a Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering, was awarded the Poskitt Medal by the ICE Northern Ireland Region in 2017, and the Engineers Ireland President’s Award in 2018.