Navigating Major Programmes

About Navigating Major Programmes

Navigating Major Programmes is for those working in or around major infrastructure, and want sharper conversations about why major programmes succeed, stall, or struggle. This podcast is the elevated conversation surrounding infrastructure and major programme management. Hosted by Riccardo Cosentino, Shormila Chatterjee, and Evgenia Jilina, the show brings industry leaders and practitioners into candid discussions about the decisions that shape large-scale infrastructure. The conversations surround programme design, governance, procurement, financing, delivery, risk, stakeholder engagement, AI, digital transformation, leadership, inclusion, and public value. Continue the conversation with our community on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes

Publisher

Riccardo Cosentino, Shormila Chatterjee, and Evgenia Jilina

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

19 Apr 2023

Latest episode

19 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

123 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   19 Oct 2026

   What Vancouver’s FIFA Event Can Teach Us About Major Project Readiness with Dorit Mason

   When delivering major projects, from buildings to city-wide events, safety is always paramount. Dorit Mason knows this better than most. The Director Safety, Emergency and Environment Management at TransLink, Dorit’s 25-year career most recently culminated in Vancouver’s 2026 FIFA World Cup partnership. She brings a perspective rooted in planning for risk, uncertainty, and change. FIFA, though unique in many ways, is at its root a major programme, and there is much to be learned from its delivery. In her conversation with Evgenia and Riccardo, Dorit explores what happens behind the scenes when a public transportation agency prepares for an event of this scale. Planning began years in advance and required operational management on four major fronts: transit service, safety and security, communications, and logistics. Her team tackled internal coordination challenges while also continuing to deliver a positive experience for out-of-town fans and regular commuters alike. Every major project requires safety and emergency management. While specific hazards vary by location and project—from pandemics and earthquakes to motor vehicle incidents or safety risks—both dedicated response and general management teams require clear, rehearsed response structures. Dorit gives examples to highlight the value of operational readiness, relationship-building, and safety thinking throughout every project’s lifecycle. Ultimately, the conversation shows that successful emergency management—invisible if everything goes well—can only succeed with deep preparation, strong relationships, and a shared understanding of why the work matters. Key takeaways Why major events like FIFA are just another type of major programme; Why alignment depends on helping every part of the organization understand the project’s importance and their role in it; Why operational readiness requires project teams to consider the needs of everyone who will interact with the infrastructure throughout its lifecycle; The need for incorporating safety management from start to finish in every major programme; Why the proudest moments aren’t the showiest projects, and relationships are always at the centre. Quote “[Success] comes from … aligning [the project’s importance] with each of the different parts of the organization and showing what they contribute.” - Dorit Mason The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn: Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/) Read Riccardo’s latest at www.riccardocosentino.com (http://www.riccardocosentino.com) Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/) Follow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/) Follow Dorit Mason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorit-mason/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorit-mason/)

2. 

   12 Oct 2026

   How Microclimate Modelling Helps Cities Adapt to Climate Change

   How can planners and engineers design cities that are more comfortable for the people living in them? The answer to this complex question involves microclimate analysis, and Ali Katal has designed a program that could ease this process, just as more and more regions are adopting stricter guidelines around it. In this episode, Evgenia and Riccardo speak with Ali about his company, Planète GreenLeaves. The building and microclimate engineer and PhD graduate focuses on climate adaptation in cities, particularly the growing challenge of heatwaves, especially as extreme weather events become more frequent. The conversation explores how Ali moved from academic research into entrepreneurship, developing a platform that makes advanced microclimate simulations more accessible to planners, engineers, designers, and decision-makers. His tool models heat, wind, shade, energy, and other climate factors—all in one place—to help teams understand how design decisions affect outdoor comfort. A key focus is the Universal Thermal Climate Index, or UTCI, which measures how heat stress is actually experienced by the human body in specific environments. As Ali explains, the temperature someone feels on a street can be very different from the air temperature shown on a weather app. The innovative speakers also discuss the challenges of bringing climate modelling into real-world planning and infrastructure processes, the requirements of which are beginning to change. Toronto has introduced thermal comfort guidelines and other global cities, including Singapore and Saudi Arabia, are following suit. The episode also examines common misconceptions about heat mitigation, from tree planting to cool pavement, and why cities cannot rely on generic solutions. Ali stresses that for true transformation, cities and major project teams need better tools, clearer policies, and a stronger understanding of how design choices actually affect the people who live, work, and move through urban spaces. Key takeaways How extreme heat in Montreal led Ali from engineering research into climate-resilience entrepreneurship; Why the problem of outdoor comfort stretches beyond simple calculations of air temperature; The problem with common heat-mitigation solutions and one-size-fits-all approaches; The programming language and AI components of this innovative platform; The funding and start-up struggles and successes of a company with a fresh idea in a traditional infrastructure environment. Quote “[With a different tool] it took one month, two months to get the simulation results. I can say if they were using our tool, it could be done in one day.” - Ali Katal The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn: Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/) Read Riccardo’s latest at www.riccardocosentino.com (http://www.riccardocosentino.com) Follow Riccardo Cosentino: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/) Follow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/) Follow Ali Katal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-katal-8a410746/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-katal-8a410746/)

3. 

   5 Oct 2026

   Building Infrastructure That Lasts: Balancing Profit & Public Value with Radhika Anand

   How do industry leaders shift their thinking to incorporate the long-term right from the start? Over her 20-year career, Radhika Anand has identified a persistent and concerning pattern in the infrastructure landscape: a lack of planning past the preliminary completion of projects. In her far-ranging work as an economist in the UK through to her current role as VP of Commercial Advisory and Strategy with Infrastructure Ontario, Radhika has explored finance, investment law, and infrastructure contracts from all sides of the field. She saw early on the potential of infrastructure to create dignity and access in developing countries. This led her to dive deep into how infrastructure decisions are actually made—the risk allocation, political and financial evaluation, and public/private interactions that shape whether an asset delivers long-term value. In her conversation with Evgenia, Radhika exposes and examines the oft-held view that public value and private profit are opposing forces. Drawing on her time evaluating companies in India and beyond, she argues that responsible commercial discipline is more common than many people think and can help create assets that are more durable, equitable, and useful over time. Rather than treating environmental, social, and community benefits as add-ons, Radhika makes the case for designing them into the asset from the beginning and continuing to monitor these essential considerations throughout the often decades-long life of every project. The industry experts discuss the truth about tradeoffs, the trap of over-customization, and effective operating models. Talking through transit payment systems, data centres, Indigenous participation, and AI adoption, Radhika returns to a central point: major projects need multidisciplinary leaders who can balance both short-term delivery pressure and long-term consequences. This episode challenges infrastructure leaders to ask better questions earlier, think across systems, and design assets for the full life of their value—not only for the moment of procurement. Key takeaways: The need for designing social, environmental, and community benefits into infrastructure assets from the beginning; Why public value and private profit can support and complement one another; When infrastructure “tradeoffs” turn out to be the result of weak due diligence, siloed decision-making, or contracts that do not preserve flexibility; How system-level thinking can help infrastructure investments work together instead of competing for resources; Why integrating all technology before implementing AI makes the difference between adding value and wasting capital. Quote “When we are building assets in silos, it locks people out and destroys capital.” The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn: Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/) Read Riccardo’s latest at www.riccardocosentino.com (http://www.riccardocosentino.com) Follow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/) Follow Radhika Anand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhikaanand9/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhikaanand9/)

Who has been a guest on Navigating Major Programmes

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Dina Tzirakos-Hawker
• Oksana Kishchuk
• Riccardo Cosentino
• Chris Keefer
• Robert Siegel

Contact Navigating Major Programmes

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Shows with a similar audience

• 

  The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

• 

  The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

• 

  The Daily

• 

  Founders

• 

  Freakonomics Radio

• 

  Front Burner

Questions about Navigating Major Programmes