2026 National Conference

Brian Berry

Chief Executive, Federation of Master Builders

Brian Berry is Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders. Prior to his current position Brian was Director of External Affairs at the FMB with responsibility for UK and EU policy, public affairs and media relations. Before the FMB, he worked at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), where he was Head of UK Public Policy. Brian regularly provides commentary on construction issues for TV, Radio, national and trade press.

Maria Coulter

Business Coach, Construction Coach

Maria Coulter is an award-winning Business Coach who started life in the industry as a Quantity Surveyor then became a Project Manager and Risk Manager. Her experience during the last recession led her to become a Coach to bring change to the industry and now works with Business Owners and Directors to help them grow stronger, more profitable and happier businesses.

: www.constructioncoach.co.uk

Philippa Forrester

Journalist and broadcaster

Philippa is an intelligent and charismatic presenter. She is best known for her experience in live television, most notably Tomorrow's World she presented this alongside Peter Snow for seven years and during that time anchored many live specials and outside broadcasts. Along with phenomenally successful Robot Wars which she presented for BBC2 for seven series. She is an environmentalist has a degree in Ecology and Conservation at Birkbeck, University of London.

Eve Pollard

Author and Journalist

Eve Pollard worked on newspapers and magazines before becoming editor of the Sunday Mirror, where she won the Editor of the Year Award.

She was editor of the Sunday Express when it won both the Newspaper of the Year and the Sunday Newspaper of the Year awards. She is a regular broadcaster on television and radio. She is married to Sir Nicholas Lloyd and has a daughter, a son and three stepchildren.

Eve Pollard is Honorary President and a founding member of Women in Journalism. She is a Visiting Fellow at Bournemouth University and a regular TV and radio broadcaster.