In this episode of Navigating Major Programmes, Riccardo Cosentino and co-host Shormila Chatterjee sit down with Melissa DeMarco, a seasoned construction and infrastructure leader with a PhD in construction management. With over 15 years of industry experience, Melissa has led projects across industrial, institutional, mining, and infrastructure sectors. Currently a partner at Accuracy, a boutique consulting firm, she has played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s infrastructure and energy practice in Canada and globally. 

She delves into her academic journey, including her groundbreaking PhD research on global project networks, which allowed her to work with major industry leaders and analyze the mindset shifts required for success in complex, multi-location projects.

"People think of construction as a hard science, but then I think the angle that you took, which is sort of the same angle that I studied on, it's a social science, because ultimately there's so many people, and as soon as you have an aggregation of so many people, it then becomes a social environment, rather than a hardcore technical environment." – Melissa DeMarco

• Melissa’s career path from academia to industry has shaped her unique approach to infrastructure leadership.
• Success in major projects relies on both technical expertise and the ability to manage people effectively.
• Building a business from the ground up requires a mix of strategic vision, resilience, and strong relationships.
• Advancing in male-dominated industries takes both hard work and the confidence to advocate for leadership opportunities.

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