Even traditional contracts can be collaborative with the right team. As a seasoned infrastructure leader who has served in government, private sector, and advisory roles for more than 15 years, Fred Antunes has seen this firsthand. His extensive experience delivering large-scale projects under P3s, design-builds, and collaborative models guides this wide-ranging and nuanced conversation with Riccardo. Together, they unpack truths and myths around what makes projects work.

Fred’s real-world insights help to highlight the power owners have to shape project relationships and outcomes, the dangers of shifting risk without support, and why alliance contracts call for experienced and deeply engaged teams.

Fred and Riccardo reframe collaboration beyond just a type of contract and offer up a compelling case for considering the unique needs, risks, and capabilities of each project team when choosing a delivery approach.

Key Takeaways

• The right people, mindset, and approach—not the contract itself—determine whether a project is truly collaborative (and successful).
• Fair and active engagement from owners through major programme challenges can mean the difference between a frictionless project and a contentious one.
• When public infrastructure contracts push all risk onto the contractor, collaboration breaks down—and so does performance.
• Having the right people on the team during high-stress phases can turn a failing project around, even if it means personnel changes.
• Experience across public and private sectors builds a more well-rounded, adaptable perspective on project delivery.

Quote: 

“The ​thing ​about ​the ​alliance ​that's ​really ​interesting ​is, it’s ​like ​setting ​up ​a ​new ​company. ​Where ​you ​basically have an ​alliance ​leadership ​team ​​that ​is ​providing oversight ​and ​direction. ​They're ​like ​the ​board ​of ​directors. ​You ​appoint ​somebody ​who's ​the ​CEO ​and ​then ​you ​basically ​create ​an ​organization ​that ​includes ​people ​from ​the ​owner, ​the ​designer, ​the ​contractor, ​put ​them ​together ​and ​you ​may ​have ​somebody ​from ​the ​owner's ​team ​managing ​somebody ​who's ​in ​the ​design ​team, ​or ​in ​the ​construction ​team, ​but ​they're ​all ​working ​for ​the ​best ​outcome ​of ​the ​project. ​And ​working ​as ​one ​coherent ​management ​team.” - Fred Antunes

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/
• Follow Riccardo Cosentino - https://www.linkedin.com/in/cosentinoriccardo/
• Read Riccardo’s latest at http://www.riccardocosentino.com
• Follow Fred Antunes at https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-antunes-36912852/

Music: "A New Tomorrow" by Chordial Music. Licensed through PremiumBeat.