Construction, collaboration, and Cannes: looking ahead to MIPIM and UKREiiF
The nature of the work I do – advising on construction disputes – means I’m inevitably brought onto a project when there are issues to resolve. In other words, when things have gone wrong.
It’ll be nice, then, to head to MIPIM next week and talk not just about the challenges of construction projects but the opportunities in the sector. I’m keen to discuss what’s keeping the industry busy – and how we’re transforming meetings and materials into projects that rebuild communities and create jobs. In other words, everything that’s going right.
And, where it isn’t, and there are challenges, how a bit of creativity, coordination and collaboration can help to combat these.
It’s this collaboration that makes MIPIM – and UKREiiF, where I’ll be in May – special. And there’s a lesson in there for dispute resolution. Getting round the table, speaking clearly and directly, and considering issues, challenges and opportunities early before positions become entrenched makes a difference.
It may head off an issue altogether, or it could establish a dialogue that allows parties to get to a resolution easier at a later stage.
These aren’t platitudes – they’re a set of principles that are essential in construction. And they apply whether you’re tendering for a project, or trying to resolve issues that have arisen mid-project.
Conferences provide an opportunity for investors and those in the public sector to engage with contractors and their supply chains to talk about collaborative procurement.
The conversations at South Coast CPS started by the Build Forward Alliance (BFA), for example, raised a number of important points that should be part of the ongoing discussions at MIPIM, UKREiiF and beyond.
Key among these were about how providing adequate time and detail for contractors in the tendering process, and good communication with the contractor early on to assess the risk of the project, both invariably lead to better outcomes for all parties. Meanwhile, a fair division of the risks between contracting parties avoids issues being baked in from the start of jobs
That collaboration isn’t just required at the front end of the project. We know from our work at Blake Morgan that this close coordination pays dividends in other areas, too. We saved millions of pounds as part of a team advising Cardiff Council after the collapse of ISG back in 2024 – intervening early on to secure the supply chain and keep its projects on track.
Instead of breaking down relationships and terminating contracts, we were part of a team bringing parties together, making efforts to keep the original supply chain alive, where possible, ensuring a positive outcome for both the council and the supply chain.
My colleague Jo Rees wrote about this at the time for those interested to learn more about the work we did here.
So, in the spirit of coming together, if anyone wants to set up a chat in Cannes, feel free to drop me a message on this platform. And if you’ll be in Leeds in May and keen to catch up then, let me know.
For those of you who do happen to be working on a project where the collaborative spirit is fading – do get in touch. Resolving those issues is still very much the day job.
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