In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Oxford Saïd Business School alumni Riccardo and guest host Corail, interview fellow alumnus, Jim Bernard. Jim specializes in real estate investment programme design, structured finance, risk conceptualization and strategic partnership formation. With an impressive track record spanning over 25 years, Jim has accumulated more than 4 billion dollars in real estate investment experience. Now, as a partner at consultancy and as a major programme advisor, Jim is focusing on disrupting traditional approaches to major programme management—making him an exceptional expert to share his insights on this podcast.  

Key Takeaways:  

• Why major programme management in North America is behind the UK and what needs to improve in order to catch up.
• The practicality of the Galbraith Star Model™ in major programmes and why People and Rewards need earlier attention.  
• Considering the perception of major programmes as temporary organizations as well as their nonlinear evolution.  
• The power of major programmes as they relate to climate improvement initiatives.  

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.

The conversation doesn’t stop here—connect and converse with our community: 

• Riccardo Cosentino on LinkedIn
• Jim Bernard on LinkedIn
• Corail Bourrelier Fabiani on LinkedIn
• Two Roads Group website

Transcript:

Riccardo Cosentino 00:05

You're listening to navigate major problems, the podcast that aims to elevate the conversations happening in the infrastructure industry and inspire you to have a more efficient approach within it. I'm your host, Riccardo Cosentino I brings over 20 years of major product management experience. Most recently, I graduated from Oxford University's day business school, which shook my belief when it comes to navigating major prpgrams. Now it's time to shake yours. Join me in each episode, as I press the industry experts about the complexity of major program management, emerging digital trends and the critical leadership required to approach these multibillion dollar projects. Let's see where the conversation takes us. James Michael Barnard, commonly known as Jim is a highly accomplished professional specializing in real estate investment program design, structure finance, risk leadership, and strategic partnership formation. With an impressive track record spanning over 25 years, Jim has accumulated more than $4 billion in real estate investment experience. Currently, Jim serves as a partner at Two Roads Group, a consultancy he co founded with a focus on disrupting traditional approaches to measure program management by employing novel and empirically supported methods for risk mitigation, decision making and stakeholder engagement. He also serves as a major program management advisor for AI cumulus. Additionally, Jim is the founder of the Regal, a privately held investment company that concentrates on sustainable real estate assets. Outside of his professional pursuits, Jim actively engages in community service as a member of the town Castine Planning Board, and serves as a director on the SMU Cox School of Business alumni board. He is also an accomplished diver and a skilled jazz pianist. Hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of navigating major programs. I'm here today with my co host, a guest appearance from Corail with my esteemed colleague and friend Jim Barnard, who has graciously agreed to join the podcast today and talk to us about his new venture and his new approach in helping major programs. How are we doing, guys? How are you doing, Jim?

Jim 02:37

Great. Thank you. Thanks for having me.

Corail 02:39

Hi, Riccardo

Jim 02:40

Carail.

Corail 02:41

I'm doing great. Thank you for having me again. And I'm excited to hear more about Jim today.

Riccardo Cosentino 02:47

And by the way, today, we were joining the podcast. I'm in Toronto. Jim is in Maine, and Correll is in London. So you got a truly international episode?

Corail 02:57

Yes, very much.

Riccardo Cosentino 02:59

So why don't we Why don't we jump right into it? Corail, I think you're gonna help me co host today's episode, the new format for us. But you being a guest on this show before? So I think you're you're almost almost part of the family. Why don't you take it away?

Corail 03:18

Hi, Jim. I hope you're well and nice to see to see you and hear you. I wanted to ask Can you please introduce yourself to our listeners today and tell us a little bit about your career?

Jim 03:32

Sure, It'd be my pleasure. My name is Jim Barnard. I'm fortunate to have been a classmate with your two esteemed hosts here at the University of Oxford and major program management program at Syed business school. How I came to the program. Let's see. I was a CFO for real estate, sustainable real estate investment development company in Austin, Texas for about five years before I applied to Oxford. My background had always been in real estate. I'd done it since I graduated from university. At the time, we were struggling with some fairly common major program themes, complexity or projects are getting more difficult, more intricate, larger, we are having challenges scaling. So interestingly, I was sitting in a conference room trying to sketch out a risk curve with my team in the finance department to try to figure out where he has some significant exposure and one of my co workers looked at the whiteboard and said, you know, there's a whole program at the University of Oxford that takes on these questions directly. So I I bet him that if he would write a recommendation I would make the application under no circumstances did neither one of us think that we would be or that I would be admitted to the program. But here we are two years later having survived it and fortunately, having had the chance to work with great people like the two of you You learn a whole lot about managing major programs.

Corail 05:03

Yeah, congratulation. Jimmy did I think wonderful in the program, and he was really interesting, you know, to hear about your experience throughout and your background. I was wondering like, I think we both know Ricardo and I, that you started in entrepreneurial adventure after the program. Can you tell us a bit more about what led you to start your own business after the program? And why are you particularly interested in consulting in the fields of major programs?

Jim 05:39

Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I haven't started this alone. In fact, you both probably know very well, some of the people that are investing in the, in the consultancy with me. And that alone is a privilege. So the opportunity to work together with like minded colleagues, who've enjoyed similar professional backgrounds, or have had similar professional backgrounds was probably one of the primary reasons why I decided to start this consulting practice. But really, the, I guess the motivation came out of, believe it or not the global financial crisis in 2008. A couple of us back in Austin, with thi...