Speaking & Media
Keynotes, workshops and media appearances on project management, economics, data science and sustainability.
Talk Topics
I tailor each presentation to the audience and format. Below are some of my most requested topics.
Why Projects Fail, and How to Fix Them
The planning fallacy, the Iron Law of Projects and the systemic challenges that derail delivery. A challenges-causes-cures framework drawing on the world's largest project database, reference class forecasting and debiasing techniques.
How to Measure Anything in Your Project
Key themes from the bestselling book: why many measurement techniques are flawed and how to measure what really matters in projects.
AI for Project Oversight
The story behind Hong Kong's Project Surveillance System, where ML models predict cost overruns across hundreds of capital projects, and how large language models can accelerate public consultations, drawing on experience with the UK Planning Inspectorate.
Net-Zero Projects & the Cost of Carbon
Maintaining capital discipline while decarbonising energy systems. Covers carbon pricing, integrated assessment models, discount rates and equity weighting, and how these parameters shape trillion-dollar policy decisions.
Risk, Noise & Cost Overruns
Monte Carlo simulation, sensitivity analysis and the value of information. Why unbiased estimates still produce systematic cost overruns, how estimation noise and competitive selection create a winner's curse, and how to quantify risk under deep uncertainty.
Biodiversity & Ecosystem Valuation
Contingent valuation, choice experiments and natural capital accounting. How to value environmental impacts and integrate biodiversity into cost-benefit analysis.
Upcoming Events
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Apr 2026
Fremtidens samarbejde i store bygge- og anlægsprojekter
Keynote: Why do large projects systematically fail on time and budget? A data-driven diagnosis using the Oxford Global Projects database. Co-hosted by Plesner and COWI. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Event details - Jun 2026
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Sep 2026
Concept Symposium
Norwegian Ministry of Finance / NTNU Concept Research Programme. Oslo, Norway.
More info -
Oct 2026
Megaprojekter og store bygge- og anlægsprojekter
Bygherreforeningen / Danish Association of Construction Clients (DACC). Copenhagen, Denmark.
More info
Selected Past Events
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Nov 2025
Project Controls Expo
London, United Kingdom.
- Nov 2025
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Sep 2025
Megaproject Conference
Bygherreforeningen / Danish Association of Construction Clients (DACC). Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Aug 2025
Danish Environmental Economics Conference
Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Jun 2025
AACE International Conference
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Nov 2024
Project Controls Expo
London, United Kingdom.
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Nov 2024
Machine Learning Week Europe
Munich, Germany.
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Nov 2023
Offentlig Ledelse Leadership Conference
500 attendees. Odense, Denmark.
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Oct 2023
PyData
Berlin, Germany.
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Sep 2023
British Academy of Management Conference
Brighton, United Kingdom.
Featured In
Media & Press
TV appearances, newspaper features and podcast interviews.
succeed.
Forsvindende få store projekter bliver en succes
Profile: why large projects fail and how data-driven methods can improve outcomes · Apr 2026
Read article →No improvement.
Professionaliseret projektstyring har ikke gjort os bedre
Why decades of PM professionalization show no measurable improvement in project outcomes · Apr 2026
Read article →
Ekspert spår enorme prisstigniger på stadion
Analysis of 88 stadium projects reveals systematic cost overruns · Dec 2024
Watch segment →
Forsker har analyseret 88 stadionprojekter
Stadium cost overrun analysis featured in Denmark's leading broadsheet · Nov 2024
Read article →Invite Me to Speak
Interested in having me speak at your conference, workshop or corporate event? Get in touch.