Mexico City plays host to the world’s engineers

Around 800 leaders from some of the world’s most successful and influential engineering companies are gathering in Mexico City to discuss the future challenges facing their industry and debate the key infrastructure issues and opportunities facing the planet.

The International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) is holding its annual infrastructure conference in the Mexican capital from 8-10 September 2019 and consultancy and engineering professionals from around the world will meet up for what is one of the most prestigious global gatherings of international engineers and construction professionals on the planet. 

Amongst a range of issues being discussed at the conference, FIDIC delegates in Mexico City will focus on how technology is revolutionising the way companies and the industry conducts its business and the effects of increasing digitalisation on global infrastructure and the way it is used. 

Keynote speakers at the conference include Javier Jiménez Espriú, Mexico’s transportation and communications minister, Blanca Jiménez Cisneros, managing director of Mexico's National Water Commission, Transport for London commissioner, Mike Brown, María Eugenia Roca, procurement advisor at the Inter-American Development Bank, Stephen Brobst, chief technology officer of Teradata Corporation, Manuel Alvarez, partner at McKinsey, head of procurement at the European Investment Bank, José Luis Alfaro, Dr Liu Chunjie, chief engineer of the Shanghai Shentong Metro Group, José M. Aparicio, senior executive vice president of Siemens, Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, minister of public infrastructures and services at the Government of Mexico City and Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, mayor of Mexico City. 

The line-up of speakers at the conference includes some of the world’s leading infrastructure and digital experts, making this a must-attend event for anyone involved in the global construction industry. Leading entrepreneur and Grupo Carso CEO Carlos Slim Helú, will also address a group of industry CEOs at the conference on the first day.

Infrastructure Intelligence International is an official media partner for the conference and has published a special 32-page conference edition of the magazine. We will also be reporting from the conference in Mexico City and publishing a post-conference PDF issue of the magazine in the week following the event 

The theme of the conference is “Technological Change Impacting the Industry” and the full list of issues being discussed at the event is as follows: -

• Leadership and digital transformation
• Technological innovation
• Technology as a driver of change – what should firms do?
• Innovation and the role of technology in improving project procurement
• Funding of projects in a digital age
• Mega and smart cities – the challenge of increasing global population
• Addressing the challenge of corruption
• Young leaders’ outlook on the future of the industry

FIDIC president Alain Bentéjac said: “The practical solutions to many of the world’s challenges are very often in the hands of engineers so we have a lot of things to contribute to society and to discuss at this conference. Technology is changing the world we live in and how we live in that world and I am really looking forward to the deliberations and discussion at this conference and the opportunity to share knowledge and ideas with consulting engineering professionals from across the globe.”

FIDIC CEO Nelson Ogunshakin said: “The theme of this year’s event, ‘Technological innovation impacting the industry’, could not be more relevant for delegates to discuss given the pace of digital change we are living through. The conference speakers have been chosen from the private and public sector and we also have representation from the multilateral development banks, with whom we have been engaging for the last 12 months with a view to making sure we have standard procurement procedures and standard contract documents around the world.”

FIDIC is the global representative body for national associations of consulting engineers and its members represents over one million engineering professionals and 40,000 firms in more than 100 countries worldwide. The buildings and infrastructure sector in which FIDIC members work contributes around US$36trillion to global GDP. 

Full details of the conference programme can be found on the official conference website at www.fidic2019.org You can also follow the conference on Twitter using the hashtag #FIDICMexico2019 and at @FIDIC.