People, Innovation And Leadership: The Key Themes Of Future Talks 2026

Across the four podcasts we’ve ran in 2026 as part of this first series, people have been a big focus. Not just encouraging more people to consider a career in construction but making those who are already here feel heard and supporting them through whatever challenges they may face. It’s no secret that the sector is facing a skills shortage, so becoming more inclusive as an industry could be the key to unlocking the full potential of the existing workforce and bringing new talent in through the door.

In January we spoke to Paul Ruddick, Chairman at Reds10, who shared his journey into the construction industry and why people, patience and data has been critical to the business’ success.

Interestingly Paul touched on creating a culture of experimentation, with AI and data beginning to transform the ways in which we design. In fact, in research Reds10 ran internally, they found that around 80% of their Technical Designer’s time was spent clicking a mouse and dragging and dropping documents, rather than actually designing. Through AI assistance these more mundane tasks are being outsourced, giving them more time to innovate.

When we spoke to Kate Davies CBE FRICS, former Chief Executive of housing association Notting Hill Genesis and modular housing construction company Top Hat, the conversation focused on the changing cost of labour and materials. Kate argued that we can make materials and processes cheaper, without sacrificing quality or beauty and she challenged the industry to move beyond housing designs that feel uninspired, but instead create properties that are accessible, modern and uplift residents.