Assessing confidence, risk and delivery across the Liverpool City Region

Danny Clarke

Engagement Director England, CITB

Danny brings 20+ years of leadership across construction, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. He drives organisational change, champions mental health and safety, and promotes diversity and inclusion. As trustee, mentor, and advisor, he oversees operational growth, launches initiatives like the Top 100 Women in Construction Awards, and advocates safer, healthier workplaces.

Michele Steel

Chief Executive, Regeneration Brainery

Michele is CEO of Regeneration Brainery, an award-winning not-for-
profit helping young people from under-represented backgrounds
access careers in property and regeneration. She joined in 2024 after a
20 year career in planning and real estate with Deloitte Real Estate and
Select Property Group, and is passionate about improving diversity and
social mobility in the sector.
Steel

Wayne Flannery

Managing Director for Construction West, Wates

Wayne brings over 30 years’ construction experience and leads Wates
Construction West as Managing Director. He has delivered major
public and private sector projects, with strong expertise in frameworks
and sectors including education, justice, emergency services, and
leisure. His leadership of complex programmes informs his perspective
on Liverpool City Region’s future opportunities.

Kane Greenough

Senior Sustainability Manager, Morgan Sindall

Kane is a Senior Sustainability Manager at Morgan Sindall
Construction, driving carbon reduction, waste minimisation,
responsible sourcing, and circular economy practices in the business
and the wider supply chain. With decades of procurement experience,
he collaborates across the industry to embed sustainable principles and
inspire organisations to adopt greener, more resilient approaches to
construction.

Robbie Blackhurst

Chair, Centre for Construction Best Practice

Robbie Blackhurst is an accomplished entrepreneur, business leader, philanthropist, and author, with a strong track record in the built environment sector. As Founder and Director of Black Capital Group, which includes Compliance Chain, Procure Partnerships Framework, and Strategic Resourcing, Robbie’s journey began in 2017 when he left Principal Contracting to launch a procurement framework in the North West.

Following early success, he expanded the framework nationally and diversified into infrastructure, housing, and over 1,000 public sector projects. In the last 12 months, Robbie has doubled the group's headcount and driven £5 billion in construction projects over five years.

As Chair of the Centre for Construction Best Practice, Robbie continues to add value to the industry. His teams have delivered £720m in social value across England, transforming communities through innovative public sector project procurement.

Conor Neild-Crabb

Head of Centre, Centre for Construction Best Practice

Conor Neild-Crabb is Head of Centre at the Centre for Construction Best Practice, where he leads research and industry engagement focused on improving outcomes across the built environment sector. Since entering the construction industry in 2012, Conor has worked across principal contracting and construction procurement, giving him a strong understanding of delivery, commercial risk and market trends. With a background spanning construction procurement, a marketing and teaching degree, and more recently a master’s degree in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management, Conor specialises in sustainable procurement, lifecycle costing, and embodied carbon. In his current role, he champions evidence-based approaches to improving value and long-term performance in the built environment sector.

Alice Taylor

Partnerships Manager, Centre for Construction Best Practice