Emerging Markets

Emerging markets for major projects can take many forms, including new geographies, new economic models, and new technologies.

In this podcast, drawing on the ideas from the recent Association Seminar, Emerging Markets - Opportunities and Threats for Major Projects, Andy Murray is in conversation with Stephen Beatty of KPMG, Dr. Zeynep Kurban of GHD, and Sam Mercer of Xlinks.

Through the lens of some of the latest developments in power generation, they explore the challenges and opportunities associated with emergence. One of Xlink’s HVDC transmission projects involves manufacturing and laying a 4000 km cable from a solar and wind energy facility in Morocco to the UK, where it can provide the power for seven million homes.

Dr. Zeynep Kurban brings us up to date with what’s going on with hydrogen power generation, an industry that is on the cusp of switching from hype to real delivery.

Both these industries ask fundamental questions of the major projects sector:

• What will be the demand and how do we assure the requisite infrastructure is in place with the requisite investment in such an uncertain and fast-changing technology marketplace?
• What are the different, alternative options for delivery?
• How do we develop the capability we need against a schedule which requires much of this is in place in less than seven years?
• What about the resources, in an environment where mega-projects are increasingly competing for people and raw materials?
• How do we sustain the sense of urgency?

The emerging market is exciting and fast-changing in equal measure and holds the potential for projects that can transform our nations and our planet. However, Major Projects will need a root and branch rethink in terms of process, human capital and finance, if the sector is to come close to realising what is needed.