Tuesday 4 November, David Porter began his year as President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

David Porter delivered his Preseidential Address to an audience of ICE members at the Institution’s headquaarters at One Great George Street in London and online.

In it, he called on engineers to improve how they communicate with non-technical audiences.

“The engineering is hugely important but it’s actually the service that is provided by infrastructure that the public want to hear about,” David explained.

While in conversation with TV presenter and journalist, Steph McGovern, he shared the moment he learned this lesson as a graduate engineer.

He’d been sent to a government council meeting to talk about a bridge replacement. He was prepared with all the technical details: the strength of the concrete, the size of the rebars, and so on.

Instead, “they wanted to talk about how the lady up to the street couldn’t get to play Bridge… because the road was going to be closed,” he said.

It became clear to him that people are interested in infrastructure because of the service that it offers.

David is the first infrastructure client to take on the role of ICE president in about a decade and the first ICE President from Northern Ireland in almost 20 years.

David has not only seen the importance of good communication first-hand, but also of having the right information at the right times, in what he’s calling being an ‘informed client’.

“An informed client is one that really understands the consequences of their decisions and how the current system actually works,” he said, replacing the often used term, ‘intelligent client’.

“It isn’t that an informed client will guarantee project success, but it will ensure that a project has a better probability of a positive outcome, he explained.

“It will also help clients take the difficult decisions needed to achieve objectives like net zero.”

Skills – Bridging the gap

David referred to the ICE’s role as a knowledge-sharer. He pointed to the annual State of the Nation report, which assesses the lay of the land in the coming year, with input from industry professionals.

The 2025 report highlighted that experts worry about the creaking state of ageing infrastructure across the UK.

But the report is one among a wide range of activities the ICE does to keep engineers not just informed, but competent.

During his address, David also discussed the role of ICE’s new five-year strategy in guiding how the Institution responds to urgent global challenges such as climate change.

Get involved with ICE

Above all, David Porter invited the audience, in person and online, to find their place within the ICE.

He shared that, in his experience, the more you put into the institution, the more you get back.

In all his years of involvement – as Chair of ICE Northern Ireland, council member, trustee, and more – he didn’t set out to be president.

“I would do it again,” he said, even if he knew it wouldn’t lead to the role of president.

Addressing members at all stages in their career, he said: “There’s a place for you here, in the ICE.”