Practical Major Programme Leadership with Jim Bernard | S1 EP 7

07/31/23 • 38 min

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Oxford Saïd Business School alumni Riccardo and guest host Corail, interview fellow alumnus, Jim Bernard. Jim specializes in real estate investment programme design, structured finance, risk conceptualization and strategic partnership formation. With an impressive track record spanning over 25 years, Jim has accumulated more than 4 billion dollars in real estate investment experience. Now, as a partner at consultancy and as a major programme advisor, Jim is focusing on disrupting traditional approaches to major programme management—making him an exceptional expert to share his insights on this podcast.

Key Takeaways:

Why major programme management in North America is behind the UK and what needs to improve in order to catch up.
The practicality of the Galbraith Star ModelTM in major programmes and why People and Rewards need earlier attention.
Considering the perception of major programmes as temporary organizations as well as their nonlinear evolution.
The power of major programmes as they relate to climate improvement initiatives.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community:

Transcript:

Riccardo Cosentino 00:05

You're listening to navigate major problems, the podcast that aims to elevate the conversations happening in the infrastructure industry and inspire you to have a more efficient approach within it. I'm your host, Riccardo Cosentino I brings over 20 years of major product management experience. Most recently, I graduated from Oxford University's day business school, which shook my belief when it comes to navigating major prpgrams. Now it's time to shake yours. Join me in each episode, as I press the industry experts about the complexity of major program management, emerging digital trends and the critical leadership required to approach these multibillion dollar projects. Let's see where the conversation takes us. James Michael Barnard, commonly known as Jim is a highly accomplished professional specializing in real estate investment program design, structure finance, risk leadership, and strategic partnership formation. With an impressive track record spanning over 25 years, Jim has accumulated more than $4 billion in real estate investment experience. Currently, Jim serves as a partner at Two Roads Group, a consultancy he co founded with a focus on disrupting traditional approaches to measure program management by employing novel and empirically supported methods for risk mitigation, decision making and stakeholder engagement. He also serves as a major program management advisor for AI cumulus. Additionally, Jim is the founder of the Regal, a privately held investment company that concentrates on sustainable real estate assets. Outside of his professional pursuits, Jim actively engages in community service as a member of the town Castine Planning Board, and serves as a director on the SMU Cox School of Business alumni board. He is also an accomplished diver and a skilled jazz pianist. Hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of navigating major programs. I'm here today with my co host, a guest appearance from Corail with my esteemed colleague and friend Jim Barnard, who has graciously agreed to join the podcast today and talk to us about his new venture and his new approach in helping major programs. How are we doing, guys? How are you doing, Jim?

Jim 02:37

Great. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Corail 02:39

Hi, Riccardo

Jim 02:40

Carail.

Corail 02:41

I'm doing great. Thank you for having me again. And I'm excited to hear more about Jim today.

Riccardo Cosentino 02:47

And by the way, today, we were joining the podcast. I'm in Toronto. Jim is in Maine, and Correll is in London. So you got a truly international episode?

Corail 02:57

Yes, very much.

Riccardo Cosentino 02:59

So why don't we Why don't we jump right into it? Corail, I think you're gonna help me co host today's episode, the new format for us. But you being a guest on this show before? So I think yo...

Key Takeaways:

Why major programme management in North America is behind the UK and what needs to improve in order to catch up.
The practicality of the Galbraith Star ModelTM in major programmes and why People and Rewards need earlier attention.
Considering the perception of major programmes as temporary organizations as well as their nonlinear evolution.
The power of major programmes as they relate to climate improvement initiatives.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community:

Transcript:

Riccardo Cosentino 00:05

Jim 02:37

Great. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Corail 02:39

Hi, Riccardo

Jim 02:40

Carail.

Corail 02:41

I'm doing great. Thank you for having me again. And I'm excited to hear more about Jim today.

Riccardo Cosentino 02:47

And by the way, today, we were joining the podcast. I'm in Toronto. Jim is in Maine, and Correll is in London. So you got a truly international episode?

Corail 02:57

Yes, very much.

Riccardo Cosentino 02:59

So why don't we Why don't we jump right into it? Corail, I think you're gonna help me co host today's episode, the new format for us. But you being a guest on this show before? So I think yo...

Previous Episode

Cultivating Collaboration in Major Programmes with Vicente Cunha | S1 EP 6

In this episode, Riccardo Cosentino is joined by Oxford classmate, Vicente Cunha, to discuss his MSc in Major Programme Management dissertation on early completion payment as a mechanism to incentivize collaboration in major programmes. The pair dive into the importance of trust and transparency in major programmes and our industry’s struggle to implement either. Cunha explains why a shift in mindset and a touch of empathy could be a gamechanger for major programmes.

Cunha is an accomplished Industrial Engineer and with over 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, primarily focused on delivering complex construction projects involving large oil and gas floating production units. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his work, affording him a critical perspective on the integral factors behind the design, procurement and management of large construction contracts. He is particularly passionate about forging a strong alignment between in-house construction and operations teams and establishing productive and collaborative relationships with all project stakeholders, to achieve the best possible outcome.

Key Takeaways:

The six must-have, evidence-based contract specs that should be included on projects to improve results.
Why early completion incentives do not necessarily lead to better outcomes.
Red flag behaviours to avoid for effective contractor collaboration.
Relational contracting vs traditional contracting and the importance of risk balance.
The truth about where empathy and major programmes intersect.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:

Riccardo Cosentino’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community:

Vicente Cunha’s LinkedIn
Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn

Transcript:

Riccardo Cosentino 00:05

You're listening to navigate the major problems, the podcast that aims to elevate the conversations happening in the infrastructure industry and inspire you to have a more efficient approach within it. I'm your host Riccardo Cosentino a brings over 20 years of major program management experience. Most recently, I graduated from Oxbow universities they business group, which shook my belief when it comes to navigating major problems. Now it's time to shake yours. Join me in each episode as a press the industry experts about the complexity of major program management, emerging digital trends and the critical leadership required to approach these multibillion dollar projects. Let's see where the conversation takes us. We sent a Konya is an accomplished industrial engineer who has an impressive MSc in major program management from the prestigious University of Oxford. He is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in oil and gas industry primarily focused on delivering complex construction projects involving large oil and gas floating production units V Center brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his work, affording him a critical perspective on the integral factors. Beyond the design, procurement and management are large construction contracts is particularly passionate about forging a strong alignment between in house construction and operation teams, and establishing productive and collaborative relationship with all project stakeholders to achieve the best possible outcome. All right, and welcome to navigate the major programs, a new episode today with the center kuliah. Are you doing the center? Hi, Riccardo,

Vicente Cunha01:47

I'm doing great. And thanks for having me. It's a great honor to participate in Afghani measure program.

Riccardo Cosentino 01:52

It's my pleasure. And thank you for agreeing to meet with me today. Today we're going to talk about a very interesting topic that you are quite familiar with, which is early completion payments as a mechanism to incentivize collaboration in major programs. Can you tell us about this topic? And why are we exploring this topic today?

Vicente Cunha02:12

Yeah, I actually did a dissertation about that, in my master's degree in Oxford for in mega projects, the idea is to try to unde...

Next Episode

Intelligent Technology in Major Projects with Kimberley Héraux |Saïd Business School, University of Oxford | S1 EP 8

In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Oxford Saïd Business School alumnus Riccardo sits down with fellow alumna, Kimberley Heraux, to discuss her dissertation on the use of intelligent technology in major projects. The pair discuss everything from the role contractual agreements play in the success of intelligent technologies, to treating the implementation of AI as a complex programme itself.

Héraux is an experienced program manager with a demonstrated history of delivering complex projects and programs in the higher education sector and in private industry. Her experience includes but isn’t limited to: Enterprise Software Deployments, Data Center, IT Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Integration and ITIL.

“If you treat the implementation of intelligent technology into a major programme as a complex program itself,” says Héraux “We can shift the mindset to have two Galbraith's Star Models.”

Key Takeaways:

Why we should look at major programmes as an information processing system, plus why information flow will directly increase productivity.
The obsession with time and progress and why this mindset blatantly disregards proven program management processes.
The two classes of AI technologies that are altering the iron triangle.
The “SWAT team” mentality, benefits of agile processes; welcoming change in major programmes.
Collaborative contracting to improve the flow of data and reduce risk in major programmes.

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community:

Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn
Kimberley Heraux on LinkedIn

Transcript:

Riccardo Cosentino 00:05

You're listening to navigate major problems, the podcast that aims to elevate the conversations happening in the infrastructure industry and inspire you to have a more efficient approach within it. I'm your host, Riccardo Cosentino brings over 20 years of major product management experience. Most recently, I graduated from Oxford University's day business school, which shook my belief when it comes to navigating major problems. Now it's time to shake yours. Join me in each episode, as I press the industry experts about the complexity of major program management, emerging digital trends and the critical leadership required to approach these multibillion dollar projects. Let's see where the conversation takes us. Kimberly echo is best known for a drive to deliver organizational transformation through major technology initiatives. She is currently serving as a program leader on an industry defining technology major program by the US fortune 50 company. Kimberly is passionate about technology, elevating team culture and firmly believes in the indomitability of the collaborative AI performance project team. Kimberly holds a Master's of Science major program management from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Science in international business from the California State University, Northridge. When she isn't busy running major technology initiatives, you can find Kimberly running on Southern California's beaches and wine tasting. Hello, welcome back to another episode of navigate the bigger programs. Today we're here with Kimberly servo. And today we're going to discuss intelligent technology in construction mega projects. Hi, Kimberly, how you doing today?

Kimberley Heraux 01:56

Very well. Ricardo, thank you so much for having me on. This is very exciting. I've also been very curious about you know about some of the research that's been done in this space. So very happy to join the conversation.

Riccardo Cosentino 02:10

Oh, I'm glad. I'm glad you're on today. It's it's a very interesting topic. I know you wrote a dissertation about this topic for your master Oxford. How did you decide to write a dissertation about intelligent technologies in megaprojects?

Kimberley Heraux 02:27

Well, so my background, I built a career managing complex, IT projects, information technology projects. And if you think about artificial intelligence, it is technology. You know, you're we're increasing, we're seeing an increase in the use of AI in all types of technology. So naturally, when it came to selecting a dissertation topic, for for my Oxford, MMPM, I naturally gravitated to, well, gee, what will start to happen when we see mega projects, adopt syste...