黑洞社区

British firms must avoid the trap of 鈥減reaching鈥� to the rest of the world when looking to win work off the back of the 2012 Olympics, the chairman of the ODA has warned.

Sir John Armitt said that he鈥檇 been getting positive feedback on the Olympic Park from foreign visitors, including from a Chilean minister who praised the 鈥渇lexibility鈥� of the UK鈥檚 approach and its lack of a 鈥渟ingle solution鈥� as well as its perceived value for money.

However, speaking at the British Business Embassy earlier this week, Armitt said the achievements of the ODA and industry should be seen in a wider political context rooted in this country.

鈥淲hat we鈥檝e got to take going forward is that we don鈥檛 go out and preach,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 go out and say 鈥榯his is how we did it therefore this is going to be right for you.鈥�

鈥淲hat we鈥檝e got to demonstrate is that we can sit down with our potential clients around the world and say 鈥榣et鈥檚 understand the challenges that you face, which will be different to the challenges that we face in the UK鈥� and then come up with the judgements and the right solutions that are right for them.

鈥淚鈥檓 absolutely convinced that if we go out in an empire-building way鈥�that will bounce right back at us. We鈥檝e got to be out there鈥�developing innovations and judgements that will be right for those people.鈥�

Armitt also challenged the government to make a fast decision on airport capacity in the south east, warning that other European cities had five to six runways compared to only three at Heathrow.

鈥淓very month we don鈥檛 make a decision we are putting ourselves at a disadvantage relative to other European cities and countries.鈥�

He said the Foster & Partners and Halcrow-developed Thames Hub proposal for a new airport in the Thames Estuary should be 鈥渟eriously addressed鈥� but said dealing with the future of Heathrow should be the priority.

Armitt was speaking at the British Business Embassy summit on infrastructure held at Lancaster House on Wednesday.