ECITB Project Management Conference 2025

Andrew Short

Head of Project, Programme and Portfolio Management, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Drew Short is a Senior Leader in the field of Project and Programme Management with over 20 years of experience leading project and programme teams in the delivery of major capital projects across various industries, including Defence, Oil and Gas, and Nuclear. Drew has successfully led projects and programmes with values above £500m, in heavily regulated environments, and is often called on to support some of governments most complex and challenging projects as a ‘High Risk Reviewer’ with the National Infrastructure and Services Transformation Authority.

Drew is an accredited Programme Management and Portfolio Management Practitioner, a Chartered Project Professional, and a Fellow of the Association for Project Management. He also holds an MBA from the University of Warwick.

Ben Whitlock

Technical Director, Ben Whitlock, MIGSO-PCUBED

Ben is a Chartered Project Professional with over 25 years delivering major international programmes and leading project delivery functions. Working on some of the UKs most significant aerospace and defence programmes for public and private sectors, Ben has extensive experience in setting up and designing PMOs and governance systems as well as leading associated business transformations.

As a Management Consultant, Ben helps clients build and implement P3M delivery solutions with a particular focus on Project Controls and PMOs. He believes Project Controls is ultimately about enabling better business decisions and is passionate about developing new, innovative and future focused ways of using Project Controls to drive business value. He is also a certified Project Controls trainer, who has enthusiasm for developing and inspiring the next generation of practitioners.

Caspar Bartington

Head of Commercial Partnerships, APM

Caspar joined APM at the very end of 2017, bringing nearly 20 years’ experience in marketing, business development and relationship management with customers in the UK, Africa and Asia.

His roles have been within awarding and professional bodies across a range of sectors, the previous one being financial services. Advocacy has always been at the heart of Caspar’s work and he has created several professional networks over the years, which share knowledge and strengthen communities.

After leading APM’s education outreach work and then APM’s volunteering team, Caspar is in his third year of leading APM’s excellent Partnership Development team who support and engage nearly 500 organisations (including ECITB) from a range of sectors, in a range of countries.

Catherine Lambert

Head of Product Delivery, ECITB

Catherine Lambert is Head of Product Delivery and the Standard Setting Body at ECITB, playing a pivotal role in the approved training provider network and advancing skills and knowledge across the UK’s engineering construction workforce.

Catherine’s approach to product management and delivery is pragmatic and imaginative. With experience of bringing companies and training providers together to pinpoint critical industry needs to develop and implement the required training courses, qualifications, and industry standards. This includes meticulously designing National Occupational Standards (NOS), vocational qualifications, and apprentice standards to ensure independent, verifiable occupational competence.

A firm believer in continuous improvement, Catherine empowers her team to drive progress and cultivates relationships with a range of stakeholders, including training providers, employers, and regulators. She has directly driven the product portfolio for ECITB’s management and professional offerings, notably in project controls and supervisor training. Her collaborative work with industry ensures that these programmes remain current, equipping individuals with the vital skills needed to estimate, plan, schedule, and control projects effectively, both today and for the future.

Christine McLean

President, Control and Skills Authority

Christine is a global expert in Project Controls, the President of the professional body for Project Controls (Controls & Skills Authority), holds her fellowship within Project Controls and is a Certified Professional Cost Engineer. She has almost 30 years’ experience within the profession and has lead departments with more than 200 project controls professionals. She is an advocate of apprenticeships and has been a route panel member since IFATE’s inception in 2017, which has now been renamed Skills England in 2025. She has been part of an author group for a new Project Controls book (launched March 2025) and the Lead Author for the Project Skills GCSE. She won the Project Controls Lifetime Contribution Award at PC Expo in 2024. She is on many boards, steering groups and committees all with the purpose or promotion and protection of the Project Controls profession.

David Whitehouse

CEO, OEUK

David joined Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) on 1 January 2023 as Chief Executive.

David is an established industry leader with 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry.  He spent two decades as managing director and vice president of development operations for CNR International.  David is respected across the sector for his strategic and hands-on leadership in the North Sea and around the world, including the USA, Netherlands, and Philippines.

His passion for energy, engineering and innovation is built on a PhD in Theoretical Chemistry from Cambridge University and a first-class degree in Chemistry from Manchester University. He is currently studying at the University of Aberdeen for a Masters in Renewable Engineering.

George Cameron

FAPM/FCMI– Operations Director, 20/20 Business Insight

George Cameron is Operations Director at 20/20 Business Insight, a provider of world class project management and project controls training. He is a veteran project professional with over 30 years’ experience across the military, defence, and training sectors. Starting his career as an engineer in the Royal Air Force, George moved into industry with BAE Systems, firstly in Saudi Arabia, then from the U.K supporting Hawk aircraft programmes for the Indian and South African Air Forces.

He joined 20/20 in 2007, bringing his practical expertise into training, mentoring, and leading delivery teams supporting project professionals across industries.

Professionally qualified with the APM PMQ, PQ, PMI PMP and a Fellow of both APM and CMI, George combines real-world experience with a deep dedication to learner development, quality assurance, and operational excellence in project management training.

Lynda Armstrong

Chair, ECITB

The Chair of the ECITB is Lynda Armstrong OBE. Lynda was appointed Chair in January 2018.

A geophysicist by training, Lynda worked for Shell International for 35 years in roles in oil and gas exploration, and in petroleum engineering and production.

Since retiring from Shell she has held a number of positions on boards as a Non-Executive Director, including Kaz Minerals, Orsted, a renewable energy company, SBM Offshore and CEOC. Lynda also chaired the British Safety Council, a not for profit organisation promoting safety in the workplace. She was awarded the OBE for services to the UK Oil and Gas Industry and is a Fellow of the Energy Institute.

Mike Allan

Global Operational Support Director, Xodus

This conference aligns perfectly with two of Mike‘s key drivers: improving the quality of project management in our industries and developing early career talent as can be demonstrated by his roles as the Executive sponsor of the Early Careers ERG and as a founding member of the Project Management Community within Xodus. With approaching 25 years experience in Engineering Consultancy and the vast majority of those within Project Management roles Mike has seen a large spectrum of Projects and Project Management challenges working for clients from majors to independents across the development lifecycle. Mike has decade of experience running project management training and currently mentors two young project managers. Mike‘s current role has more of a strategic focus growing Engineering Consultancy in the Operations phase of energy assets but the projects to manage still come thick and fast whether these be internal or key strategic client projects.

Paul De Leeuw

Director, Energy Transition Institute Robert Gordon University

Paul is a senior industry leader and executive with over 36 years’ experience in the global energy sector. He has worked for a wide range of companies and organisations, including Shell, Marathon Oil, Amoco, BP, Venture Production and Centrica. He is currently the Director of Robert Gordon University’s Energy Transition Institute, a Board member of the International School in Aberdeen, a government and industry advisor and a Professor at Robert Gordon University. Paul is also an experienced non-executive director, with over 25 years of involvement in public, private and voluntary sector organisations. He is a regular contributor to net zero activities, climate change discussions and industry events and a media commentator on issues and developments in the international energy sector.

Phillip Jefferies

Director of Sales and Marketing, 20/20

Phil is the Sales and Marketing Director at 20/20 Business Insight, an independent provider of project management and project controls training and consultancy. Phil joined 20/20 in July 2018 as a Business Development Manager following 6 years at Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) as a Head of Skills Strategy for the South of England. Previously, Phil’s background is originally in the Construction Industry which saw him then share his skills and knowledge delivering construction courses in a FE College. In 2008 he became a Project Manager on a multi-million-pound Project for the Department for Education before progressing to Programme Manager in 2011.

Scott McNeil

Project Manager, Seaway7

Scott McNeil is an experienced Project Manager at Seaway7, leading the installation of offshore renewables projects as part of the global shift toward renewable energy. With over 15 years in the offshore energy sector, Scott brings deep expertise in subsea operations, project execution, and offshore construction. Prior to making the transition to the offshore renewables sector with Seaway7, Scott worked with Subsea7, delivering complex oil and gas projects in the North Sea. He is committed to advancing sustainable energy through innovative project leadership, operational excellence and ensuring a safe working environment through all phases of project delivery.