About

Decades of Civil Engineering and Infrastructure Expertise

With over forty years’ experience with major civil engineering and infrastructure contractors, I have witnessed a wide variety of contract forms and the gradual shift towards integrated team delivery models. After graduating from University College London, I spent ten years working on major civil engineering projects across the United Kingdom and Europe. During this time, I developed technical and professional competencies, culminating in membership of the Institution of Civil Engineers and recognition as a Chartered Engineer with the UK Engineering Council. I was also admitted to the European Federation of National Engineering Associations (Feani) as EurIng. I worked on a range of projects, including the Piccadilly Line Extension to London Heathrow Airport, Heysham Nuclear Power Station Phase 2, the A406 Highway Extension in East London, various marine works to support the redevelopment of London’s Docklands, and the Storebaelt Crossing West Bridges in Denmark.

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Early Career Projects Across the UK and Europe

I later transitioned into preconstruction, where I honed estimating and bidding skills, eventually leading bid and preconstruction teams on numerous major civil engineering projects throughout the UK and Europe. Notable achievements include the Design-Build widening of London’s M25 Orbital Motorway, the A2/M2 highway expansion, the Dublin Port Tunnel Design-Build, the DBFOM of Manchester Metrolinx Phase Three, two Design-Build-Finance projects for the Istanbul-Ankara High-Speed Rail in Turkey, and two rail remodelling projects for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now UK High Speed One – HS1).

Promoting Collaboration and Team Building in Civil Engineering

Throughout this period, I developed a passion for collaboration and team building, realising that secure, robust outcomes were more achievable when companies collaborated as project partners. Many of my roles involved joint ventures with engineering partners, where I led partnering workshops and developed charters to break down adversarial behaviours that hindered project success. The two HS1 bids I led were among the first true partnering procurements in the UK, and the successful bidding and execution of these demonstrated the immense value of collaboration—unifying client, stakeholders, programme management, engineers, and contractors to deliver a multidisciplinary, complex programme on time and within budget.

Advancing in Rail Civil Engineering and Achieving Accreditation

I continued my career as an executive-level preconstruction professional, leading teams in the rail civil engineering sector and contributing to the growth of two companies. Combining preconstruction leadership skills with my passion for building collaborative relationships, I developed a Stakeholder Management Relationship programme and led a project that achieved BS11000 (Framework for Collaborative Working) Accreditation for the business. This process involved conducting gap analyses, developing and monitoring roadmaps, drafting new management system documentation (alongside updates to existing systems), briefing key staff, and engaging with BSI and other stakeholders.

Leading Infrastructure Projects in Canada as Bid Director

From early 2013, I was engaged in a senior preconstruction role with Aecon in Toronto, Canada. Acting as Bid Director on several large and complex infrastructure projects, I was instrumental in building strong and collaborative teams to deliver the submissions, working with all partners and stakeholders in a best for bid process. Notable projects were the Waterloo Light Rail DBFOM, Eglinton Crosstown DBFM, Union Station Enhancement Project Alliance and the Ontario Line South Civil, Tunnels and Stations DBF. These projects all needed large bid teams drawn from joint venture partners, engineering groups and critical suppliers and subcontractors. My skills as a builder and leader of collaborative teams led to the successful submission of all bid responses.

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Senior Leadership and Interface Management on Eglinton Crosstown LRT

I spent three years on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT execution team as part of the senior leadership group. As Interface Director, I collaborated with engineers, constructors, clients, operators, and maintainers during the design phase to balance the needs of all stakeholders within the project’s constraints and the overarching goals of the programme.

Commitment to Professional Development and Industry Involvement

Outside of work, I was, until October 2023, the Regional Chair for the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in the Americas and played an active role in ICE Ontario, leading a committee focused on EDI initiatives within the construction sector. Since returning to the UK, I have been appointed to the ICE West Midlands Committee and the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Sub-Committee. I am a registered STEM Ambassador, and a CEng, IEng, and EngTech Reviewer with ICE.

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A PreConstruction Leader Driven by Collaboration and Innovation

Over my career, I have evolved into a best-in-class preconstruction leader, renowned for building strong collaborative teams and seizing opportunities to create optimal bid and project solutions by integrating all stakeholders. I was encouraged by the adoption of collaborative models within Canadian infrastructure programmes, with Alliance and Progressive Design Build models becoming the prevailing standards.

Returning to the UK: Directing PreConstruction for Major Projects

In late 2022, I returned to the United Kingdom, assuming the role of PreConstruction Director for Balfour Beatty Major Projects and Highways. With the evolution of two-stage and multi-stage bids, my remit was to lead, coordinate, and deliver preconstruction excellence across Major Projects & Highways. My direct team included Estimating, Risk, Benchmarking, and Carbon Estimating functions, while also supporting project teams within a matrix structure.

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PHIL HOLLIDAY – Biography

Phil Holliday is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and brings over forty years of experience with major civil engineering and infrastructure contractors.

Phil holds citizenship in both United Kingdom and Canada.

Phil’s early career was spent working on a diversity of major civil engineering projects in the United Kingdom and Europe, including:

Piccadilly Line Extension to London Heathrow Airport
Heysham Nuclear Power Station
A406 Highway Extension
Marine works projects to support the redevelopment of London’s Docklands
Storebaelt Crossing West Bridges in Denmark.

Phil then transitioned into the preconstruction world, developing estimating and bidding skills, eventually leading bid teams and preconstruction teams on numerous major civil engineering projects throughout the UK and Europe, including such projects as:

Design-Build of widening London’s M25 Orbital Motorway
Design-Build of the Dublin Port Tunnel
DBFOM of Manchester Metrolinx Phase Three
Design-Build-Finance projects for the Istanbul-Ankara High Speed Rail
Rail Remodelling projects for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (now UK High Speed One – HS1).

Phil spent 12 years in senior preconstruction roles, mostly in Canada. Overseeing a number of very large and complex infrastructure projects, Phil was responsible for building and leading strong and collaborative teams to deliver bids for projects such as:

Waterloo Light Rail DBFOM
Eglinton Crosstown DBFM
Union Station Enhancement Project Alliance
Ontario Line South Civil, Tunnels and Stations DBF

Phil spent three years on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT execution team, as a member of the senior leadership team and Interface Director.

Phil most recent role was as Preconstruction Director for Balfour Beatty Major Projects and Highways, leading, Preconstruction excellence.

Phil is a best-in-class preconstruction leader. He has a reputation for building strong collaborative teams, and for exploiting all opportunities to create best for bid and best for project solutions by integrating all stakeholders.

Achieve Preconstruction Success With Expert Guidance, Risk Management, and Cost Estimation Tailored for Uk Projects.

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