News

ICW is delighted to announce that BAM UK & Ireland will once again be the proud sponsor of our Annual Collaborative Working Reception at the House of Lords on 14th of May. This year, we are honoured to welcome Alan Cox, BAM's Managing Director, as our keynote speaker.

As an Ambassador Member of ICW, BAM consistently champions collaborative working, not just through active participation in our thought leadership activities but also through its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and knowledge-sharing. From strategic partnerships to on-the-ground engagement in our initiatives and site visits, BAM continues to push the boundaries of best practice in collaboration.

ICW Chief Executive, Frank Lee, said: "We are thrilled to have such a distinguished organisation as BAM - whose values so closely align with those of ICW - sponsoring our reception this year. We look forward to welcoming Alan Cox and many of his outstanding colleagues, including Gillian Peters and Brian Walton, to the House of Lords for what promises to be an inspiring afternoon.

"A huge thank you to BAM for their ongoing support and commitment to strengthening collaboration."

Please note: this is an Executive Network event and is by invitation only.

It was great for the ICW to be part of the Interchange Round Table on 'Collaborative innovation for sustainable value' at Interchange 25 (Connected | Transport | Infrastructure) in Manchester today.

Hosted by Skanska UK (Simon Cresswell) and the Rail Supply Group (Paul Corcoran), we joined a group of influential and committed organisations to discuss how we might realise greater sustainable value through collaborative and sustainable innovation.

Participating Organisations were - Amco Giffen, Buro Happold, Composite Braiding Ltd, Connected Places Catapult, Crown Commercial Service (CCS), Department for Business & Trade, Department for Transport, Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE), High Speed 2 (HS2), Innovate UK Catapult, Institute for Collaborative Working, Network Rail, Rail Forum, Rail Industry Association (RIA), Rail Supply Group, Skanska, Unipart, WSP (HS2 and GCRE were not present but are part of the initiative).

At the heart of the conversation is the Rail Supply Group's Rail Sector Innovation Charter.

Great discussions with BSI Assurance this week!

As many of you know, ICW CEO Frank Lee always enjoys getting out of the office to visit our members and learn more about their work. This week, Adrian Miller, James Brener, and Frank had the pleasure of meeting with our Ambassador Member, BSI, where they were able to explore the fantastic work BSI is doing in sustainability, particularly the BSI Net Zero Pathway, as well as in digital trust—two crucial areas where collaboration is key to helping organisations address these challenges more effectively.

Their discussions also focused on enhancing collaboration in the UK, especially in supporting SMEs as a vital part of the government's growth agenda. Beyond the UK, they explored opportunities in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions, looking at how we can work together to support our mutual members and clients.

A huge thank you to the BSI team for the warm welcome and for sharing the inspiring initiatives they are leading!

Strengthening Collaboration for a Better East Midlands

Frank Lee, alongside colleague Henry Pavey MBA, CTArcf, FICW, had the pleasure of meeting Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), for an exciting and insightful discussion on collaboration.

Together they explored how partnerships with EMCCA's supply chain—particularly in green energy, housing, and transport—can drive greater social value and deliver long-term economic benefits, especially for the region's most deprived communities.

A key theme was how greater collaboration across the devolved combined authorities nationwide could unlock even greater benefits for local communities.

It was also fantastic to meet Claire Spencer and Niamh Carey from Claire Ward's team and discuss how deeper collaboration between local authorities, businesses, educational institutions, and community organisations is critical to achieving EMCCA's ambitious goals.

By working together, we can:

• Leverage Resources - Enabling more effective and efficient project implementation.
• Align Strategies - Ensuring initiatives complement rather than compete, maximizing impact.
• Enhance Innovation - Bringing diverse perspectives to solve regional challenges and drive inclusive growth.
• Strengthen Advocacy - Creating a unified voice to secure funding and policy support at the national level.

Collaboration is at the heart of progress, and we’re looking forward to continuing these discussions to help drive meaningful change in the East Midlands!

We are delighted to announce that, as part of our desire to promote collaboration in the Middle East, supporting the region's ambitious development agenda, Graham Thomson has been appointed as ICW's Middle East Envoy.

The region is undergoing rapid transformation across key sectors such as infrastructure, energy, construction and technology. As projects grow in scale and complexity, the principles of collaborative working are more crucial than ever in ensuring sustainable success.

This strategic appointment aligns with ICW's mission to promote structured collaboration across borders, enabling organisations to navigate complex challenges and achieve long-term, high-value outcomes through effective partnerships. Our members will also benefit from the insights gained. These include emerging best practices, regional experiences and new approaches that can strengthen collaborative working across industries and geographies.

Graham is a recognised leader in alliancing models, digital contract management and enabling collaborative working practices. As a senior executive at Affinitext, an ICW-affiliated member organisation, he brings deep expertise in ISO 44001 frameworks and a wealth of practical experience in fostering collaboration across industries.

His ability to engage diverse stakeholders and drive real-world application of collaborative principles makes him an outstanding advocate for ICW's vision in the Middle East. We look forward to working closely with Graham to support members, partners and organisations across the region.

Please join us in welcoming Graham to this role as we take this exciting next step in ICW's global reach.

We are pleased to announce that our Chairman, Lord John Hannett, has been newly appointed to a prestigious Government position - as below:

"I am honoured to be appointed by the Prime Minister as the Official UK Government Trade Envoy to Sri Lanka.

"I look forward to strengthening trade ties, fostering investment opportunities, and supporting businesses that will drive growth and prosperity for the people of the UK and Sri Lanka.

"I am also excited to collaborate with government departments in both countries to deliver mutual benefits that contribute to the Prime Minister's vision of delivering economic growth for the UK. Building strong partnerships and creating lasting opportunities together."

ICW will be supporting the Chairman in this exciting new role, in any way we can.

The second part of the Advisory Council elections has been completed, and the following 6 companies have been successfully elected to represent the corporate Members:

BSI
BAM
Frequentis UK Limited
Leonardo UK Ltd
GRAHAM
Babcock International

These members of the Advisory Council will serve for 4 years until December 2028. The representatives are as follows:

BSI
Simon Healey

BAM
Matt Atkinson

Frequentis
Graham Turner

Leonardo
Sarah Vanderheide

GRAHAM
Denis Leonard

Babcock
Nichole Booker

Congratulations to you all!

It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our dear friend and supporter, Nicky Painter, at Winchester Hospice a few days ago.

Nicky was a larger-than-life character who brought joy and humour wherever she went. The life and soul of every party, her sharp wit and readiness with a joke often belied the diligence and dedication she brought to her work. She was undoubtedly one of the Institute's greatest and longest-serving supporters, contributing her expertise, knowledge, and unwavering effort selflessly to five Chief Executives over the years.

Born in Northamptonshire in 1943, where her family had been evacuated during the war, Nicky earned a BA (Hons) in Science from the Open University. She married Tim Painter, with whom she shared a love of sailing. Although their marriage ended in divorce, they remained close friends.

Nicky had a distinguished career as a senior civil servant at the Ministry of Defence, where she was commended for her contributions during the Falklands War. She spent her final year at the MOD on secondment to the British Military Advisory Team in Zimbabwe, a posting she thoroughly enjoyed.

In her later career, she worked as a consultant, primarily with the Institute for Collaborative Working, where she most recently edited our Insight magazine, and prior to that The Partner Magazine. She was an enormous supporter of the Institute being recognised as a Fellow for her achievements.

Beyond her professional life, Nicky's talents and passions were many. She was an accomplished pianist, trumpeter, and saxophonist and loved dancing—especially to traditional jazz. She was an avid sailor, owning several boats and participating in various sailing clubs, and even took up skiff racing later in life, winning numerous events in both sculling and coxing. She also volunteered with Riding for the Disabled. Nicky had a keen sense of humour and a curious mind, as evidenced by her membership in quirky societies like the Pylon Appreciation Society.

Her evenings were often marked by her beloved 6:00pm Gin-and-French, and she had a reputation for not suffering fools gladly. Yet, beneath her sharp exterior, she was inherently kind and generous. While she had no children of her own, she was deeply loved by her many nephews, nieces, and godchildren, as well as by her countless friends.

Nicky will be profoundly missed by all who knew her.

We are pleased to announce that Amentum has joined the ICW Executive Network, and we look forward to working with Simon Warlow, along with the rest of Amentum's team.

ICW CEO Frank Lee said: "It gives me real pleasure to welcome Amentum, a global systems integration and technology solutions provider to the Institute for Collaborative Working as a new member of our Executive Network. I am sure they will make an enormous contribution to our institute, and I look forward to engaging with them in the future."

We are pleased to announce that Sellafield has joined our prestigious group of Ambassadors.

Sellafield is at the forefront of the nuclear industry, creating a clean and safe environment for future generations. They have already been recognised with multiple ICW Collaborative Awards and achieved ISO 44001 certification, reflecting their unwavering commitment to being at the leading edge of collaboration.

Eirini Etoimou, MSc, MBA LS, Head of Corporate Sustainability & Supply Chain Development at Sellafield and Chair of the ICW Nuclear Forum, said: "We are honoured to receive this recognition from the ICW, which highlights our dedication to fostering meaningful collaboration as part of our mission. Collaboration is at the heart of Sellafield's corporate sustainability and social value work. Our success is built on creating mutually beneficial relationships with our partners, our supply chain, and our communities to deliver lasting and positive change. This has been greatly enhanced by the support of the ICW who continue to set the standard for excellence in collaborative practices. We remain committed to supporting and advancing the Institute's principles while promoting its message honouring our Ambassador status."

Frank Lee, ICW's CEO, said: "We are delighted to welcome Sellafield as an Ambassador Member of ICW. Their long-standing leadership in fostering collaboration and their unwavering commitment to driving thought leadership align perfectly with the aspirations and values of ICW Ambassadors. I look forward to working closely with Eirini and the team as we continue to champion collaborative excellence together."