Adrienne Lindgren
Urban Aviation Innovation Consultant, WSP, Participant on the Project and Infrastructure Finance Programme
"I’ve always found a lot of value in continuing education. When you work in project development and finance, and public-private partnerships in general, there is a constantly evolving set of best practices and tools to utilise – and it’s certainly not an industry where one size fits all.
Currently I’m working on integrating new types of aircraft into transportation and aviation infrastructure - that includes everything from the integration of drones at airport facilities, to developing new models for deal structures to support the development of take-off and landing infrastructure for electric aircraft. I also work on industrial project development and finance for large-scale R&D and test track facilities for zero emissions transit vehicles.
The Project and Infrastructure Finance programme was the best way for me to fill skills and knowledge gaps in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner. Beyond its global reputation for excellence, London Business School was the only institution that offered an executive course in this subject area. I was also attracted to LBS for its thoughtful approach to formulating a theoretically substantive but practical curriculum.
Engaging with peers and exploring their individual experiences in project planning, structuring, and implementation was another primary goal for me, so as to maintain currency in my field. I wanted exposure to an international set of perspectives, and I knew London and LBS specifically would provide that; I also felt that LBS effectively conveyed the net gains from the programme, and offered a real value proposition.
My cohort boasted a wide diversity of geographic and cultural backgrounds, which gave me a better understanding of how variations across culture and geography influence deal structuring and project outcomes. We had a wide range of project examples to work off - investigating the differences between these projects was invaluable, especially applying general principles across them.
Project and Infrastructure Finance is a complex discipline, and Professor Karl Lins did a great job translating theory into practice. He created a curriculum and programme structure that made the content and pace of the course both accessible and digestible. We also had some excellent guest speakers - one from John Laing was particularly interesting in his approach to P3s (the contract between public and private sector entities that outlines the provision of assets and the delivery of services) for prisons to reduce reoffending.
Finding out just how much project finance de-risks complex projects, and the role that development banks play in structuring a successful outcome was key. No two projects are identical – and there are a large number of social, cultural and political influencing factors outside my control – but exploring a wide range of projects gave me the tools to mitigate risk from external influences.
I took my new knowledge and applied it to building out a new practice area in aircraft innovation and urban aviation for multinational engineering services. One of the core aspects of this role is formulating P3s and applying innovative project finance principles to build a brand new category of aviation infrastructure that supports electric aircraft. I regularly reflect on what I learned on the programme and also find I work more effectively across my international project teams."
"I’ve always had insecurities about my financial analysis skills, mostly because my university education focused on political economy rather than traditional finance. I’ve also had a non- traditional career path built primarily on my soft skills, not my technical skills. As a woman in a mostly male dominated field, the Project and Infrastructure Finance programme improved my professional confidence and helped me feel more comfortable in my current role.
The programme has had a big impact on my professional life. I leveraged my learning to increase my salary and achieve a promotion back into the private sector, in a role that provides me with significant authority and market development oversight. By increasing my capacity in project finance, I’ve been able to develop more effective teams for my projects, ensuring the right blend of engineering and financial talent, soft skills and hard skills to produce successful project outcomes. I’ve also learned to position myself differently for international projects.
Having a strong foundation in finance is increasingly important. The rapidly changing environment that we live in requires new, innovative financial products and solutions to address the rapid pace of technological development and political change. This is especially true for someone like myself, a consultant to public transportation and infrastructure agencies that are constantly challenged with the task of doing more with less. These clients want solutions, and many of those solutions, by definition, lie in the financial solutions I can provide. And, even if financial analysis and deal structuring isn’t your primary technical service area, having a strong command of financial markets enhances your ability to develop projects through the lens of ROI, inevitably leading to more successful project outcomes.
I have a dynamic career, one in which I’m constantly learning new fields and increasing my capacity in new industries. My connection to LBS and the network I developed is a clear and ongoing benefit - I hope very much to complete additional programmes there in due course."
Master the financing of infrastructure and industrial projects to add value to your organisation.
