4th Edition of Innovation Series: Infrastructure Experts to Discuss Innovative Approaches that Advance Timely Delivery of Projects
brainchild Burson Cohn and Wolfe(Public Relations &
Events agency) has launched the 4th Edition of its signature thought
leadership events branded Innovation Series.
Announcing the event on Tuesday, Walter Wafula, the Business
Unit Head at brainchild BCW, said; “This edition of Innovation Series will
convene key and influential players in Uganda’s infrastructure sector, to
deliberate on innovation techniques and trends in project planning, and development
to foster faster delivery of roads, internet and power to the last mile.”
The background to the next edition, he said, was the
recurrent delays in infrastructure project completion that cost both the
government and the citizens over Shs2.8 trillion (Us$800m) in national income and
productive work time, per annum, according to a World Bank study.
“Apart from Isimba
Hydropower dam, we have seen various road and power infrastructure projects
whose completion has stalled not only because of land compensation issues but also
the fact that many contractors are not leveraging the power of innovation to
fast-track the delivery of these projects. Therefore, Innovation Series, provides
a perfect platform to showcase and discuss new and cost-effective ways of
delivering infrastructure in Uganda,” Wafula explained.
He added that the 4th Edition will be held at the
Golf Course Hotel, in Kampala, at 5:30pm, on October 31st, 2019, under
the theme: Fast-tracking Infrastructure
Project Completion Through Innovation.
According
to Emerging Trends in Infrastructure,
2019, a report by global auditing firm KPMG, three quarters of innovative
leaders in the global infrastructure development sector, acknowledge that they are ahead
of their competitors because, they lead in adopting new operational
technologies like; BIM, drones, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Smart
Sensors, Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence, in project planning,
management and development.
“Global
Industry executives who operate in Europe, hold the perception that within 5
years, 83% feel organizations will be data-driven, including; routine use of
data analytics and predictive modelling for project planning and monitoring
while 69% expect to see new entrants challenging traditional players,” the
report that is based on a global sector survey reads in part.
The
findings of the report which was released in February 2019 were based on a
survey among 223 engineering and construction companies and project owners from
a variety of industries.
“Technology is providing the scope for
radically different solutions to infrastructure needs, and often much more cost
effectively. In fact, in some cases, the answer may not involve any civil
engineering or building at all,” the report says, adding that, “As a result,
there is significant potential for emerging markets to leapfrog the developed
world.”
In line with this thinking, some of the key focus areas to be
discussed under the theme of Innovation Series 4 include; new and cost-effective models of
delivering roads and bridges, alternative infrastructure financing options for
project contractors, investible cities infrastructure projects for venture
capital and equity investments, and next generation infrastructure development
requirements and preparedness, among others.
Uganda is currently pursuing a number of
infrastructure projects across the transport, energy and information
communication technology (ICT). In an effort to improve the
national transport network, the Government of Uganda this financial year,
2019/20, allocated over UGX6.4 trillion to the works and transport sector while
UGX3.1 trillion allocated to energy and ICT infrastructure to promote economic
growth and transformation.
Over the past two years, brainchild BCW
has held successful editions of Innovation Series focusing on different subjects
including; Game-Changing Creativity: The Road to Hyper Growth in
Hospitality for the third edition event which was held on March 7th
2019, Packaging Products for the 21st
Century Consumer in 2017, and Making
Real Estate Ownership a Reality, Practical Innovations for Ugandans at the
second event.
About Innovation Series:
Innovation Series is a set of thought
leadership events aimed at promoting innovation in business through
thought-provoking discussions on new and cost-effective ways of delivering
products, and services which affect the growth of firms or organizations. The
events bring together business leaders, managers, government technocrats,
individuals and the media, under one roof. We held
our inaugural event on 13th September 2017, the second edition on
the 26th of April 2018, third on 07th March 2019, focusing on different themes and sectors of the
economy. Since establishment, Innovation Series has hosted nearly 800 delegates,
250 companies, 20 key speakers and panelists, 3 editions, and become a number
one trend on Twitter on its event days.