What Are We Really Dealing With? Leadership Reality in UK Construction Today
12th June 2026
12:00 to 13:00
Webinar Overview
The construction landscape has moved from managing temporary "shocks" to navigating a permanent state of instability.
Join us for a candid, unvarnished look into the true operating reality of UK construction. We are moving past the standard industry headlines to surface a shared, honest understanding of the current market—and the exact leadership adaptations required to survive and thrive over the next 12 months.
What We’ll Tackle Head-On:
The 6–12 Month Risk Horizon: Moving past basic inflation metrics to identify the true economic pressures squeezing margins right now—and where the next major breaking points lie.
The Instability Blind Spots: Where the industry is dangerously underestimating the compounding effects of prolonged financial, political, and geopolitical volatility on long-term capital pipelines.
Leadership Paradoxes (The Good, The Bad, & The Dangerous): A frank discussion on which leadership responses are actually stabilizing organizations—versus well-intentioned behaviors that are accidentally destroying value, and short-sighted tactics making the wider market worse.
The "Unthinkable" Trade-offs: An exploration of the brutal strategic choices leaders are forcing themselves to make today that would have been completely unthinkable just five years ago.
The Supply Chain Blame Game: Exposing the deep misalignment between clients, tier-1 contractors, and supply chains regarding who actually carries risk and responsibility—and how to fix it.
Recording
Presenters
Mark Wakeford
Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers; Chartered Director; Chartered Engineer Chairman of EvoEnergy - Renewables & Carbon ReductionEnergy Saving Influencer Award 2024 & 100 Most Influential People in the UK 2025
Mark Wakeford is a dynamic and visionary business leader and strategist with over 30 years of experience in the engineering and construction industry. He is the Chairman of EvoEnergy, a company dedicated to the professional installation of electrical technology to reduce commercial customers' energy bills, secure their energy supplies, and reduce their carbon footprints.
As a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a Chartered Director and a graduate of the Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme and the Business Sustainability Management course from Cambridge, Mark has in-depth knowledge and expertise in sustainable and innovative solutions for the built environment. He is passionate about excellence in construction, education, and net-zero, and has led collaborative teams and partnerships across various sectors and regions. He is a critical thinker who can successfully leverage industry trends and best practices to deliver value and quality to his clients and stakeholders.
Paul Richards
CEO at Aquarian Holdings Ltd
Paul has worked in the ‘supply link’ of the construction industry chain since 1986, having worked for the UK’s largest brick and timber distributor for over 20 years.
Starting by counting bricks and timber for stock-checking, he climbed the promotional ladder with no professional qualifications and eventually became a director based at head office. This proved to provide an invaluable education, helping him understand how to respond to people at every professional level.
Good communication and people skills are the foundation of Aquarian Cladding Systems, which he founded in 2007. Ensuring he has a solid understanding of the company’s role in the marketplace, he is absolutely committed to ensuring he and his team provide excellent technical, commercial and logistical advice to their clients throughout the supply chain.
Paul served as Chair of School Governors for 5 years and is a Board member of Clevedon Chamber of Commerce. He is also an active Board member of Constructing Excellence South West and is an advocate of modern methods of construction, with a burning desire to change the adversarial culture of the UK Construction Industry through collaborative working.
Chris Loach
Regional Operations Director - East Midlands, Tilbury Douglas Construction Ltd
Chris Loach is the Regional Operations Director for the East Midlands at Tilbury Douglas, bringing more than 20 years of experience within the business. He began his career with the company as an Apprentice Quantity Surveyor and progressed through a range of commercial leadership roles, developing extensive expertise in project delivery and commercial management. In his current role, he oversees regional operations, leading teams to deliver high-quality projects, drive operational excellence, and support the continued growth and success of the business across the East Midlands.
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