In Depth

Digital Construction Power Players: the people’s vote part two

Justin Stanton

Editor, DC+

5 August 2025

When we launched the DC+ Digital Construction Power Players, we deliberately only named 19 of the 20 people and organisations who have the most influence and exert the most control over the digital construction sector. The 20th nominee was up to you, the readers. Here’s the second and final instalment of the best nominations we received.

Dr Marzia Bolpagni, head of BIM International - associate director, Mace

Dr Marzia Bolpagni has been a presence in the industry both nationally and internationally for more than 10 years, supporting a wide cross section of sectors, projects and organisations.

For her work at Mace, she's received a slew of awards. She is the lead author of the level of information need standard, ISO 7817-1, launched last year. She is also co-author of the BIM Handbook 4th Edition and co-edited Industry 4.0 for the Built Environment. As visiting professor at Northumbria University, she has supported the teaching of students on the Construction Project Management with BIM MSc.

Bolpagni's influence is not restricted to the narrow confines of the built and managed environment: she has also spread the BIM and information management message to lay audiences, delivering a TEDx lecture in her home town of Brescia (see the video below).

Nominated by James Daniel, head of digital engineering at HS2 Ltd.

Melanie Dawson, director, Origin7

You can’t talk about BIM in Northern Ireland without mentioning Melanie Dawson. Her tireless energy and work over the last few years has seen the digital agenda and profile rise with spectacular impact.

Whether its her work with Graham, Digital Construction Live or her work as Origin7 she will "leave a lasting legacy in the Northern Ireland environment that will set the standard for awareness and quality in the BIM & digital field".

Dawson has been involved with nima (and its earlier guise as the UK BIM Alliance) and the Get It Right Initiative, and is an associate strategic adviser on data and digital innovation programmes at the Strategic Investment Board.

Nominated by James Daniel, head of digital engineering at HS2 Ltd.

George Mokhtar, head of digital services for real estate digital, Turner & Townsend

George Mokhtar is described as "an inspirational leader who has built a diverse team of digital experts that is delivering excellence to clients and the business". He "empowers people to develop and progress within the business, he is a fantastic role model to his team and a mentor to multiple individuals in the industry".

Like many of those on the Power Players list, he has plenty of work outside his day job. But let's start with that: his role at T&T means he's responsible for all aspects of digitalisation of the real estate sector, such as BIM and information management, data and analytics, smart buildings and digital delivery. He leads work in multiple sectors including occupier, developer, education and government, with work being delivered across multiple regions in the UK and globally in Europe, Middle East and South Africa.

Mokhtar has designed and delivered a variety of specialist BIM training specifically for the Chartered Institute of Building and provides regular support in addition to delivering training. He also supervises the RICS BIM training programme, which is developed and delivered by the T&T digital team.

He has participated to multiple R&D initiatives and he is currently part of the nima CLC advisory group working on the Information Management Initiative.

Nominated by Hadeel Saadoon, real estate digital health and education sectors lead at Turner & Townsend.

Dave Peacock, director, IIMBE

Dave Peacock is a director at IIMBE and the vice chair for volunteers at nima. He has played a key role in pushing forward better ways of working across the built environment.

Peacock's career started in the 1990s as a draughtsman, and since then he’s worked his way through a wide range of technical and leadership roles across the sector. He’s been involved in BIM and digital delivery since 2007, when he led the 3D modelling and BIM coordination on one of the London Olympic projects.

Since then, he’s held senior roles including technical director at TÜV SÜD, European BIM lead at Royal HaskoningDHV, and director at Operance, where he was on the board and led both the BIM services team and the group responsible for coordinating O&M and building safety data. His work has often sat right at the intersection between good digital practice and regulatory compliance, particularly around the Building Safety Act and structured digital handover.

At IIMBE, he now leads the UK team alongside the UK regional director, supporting a growing portfolio of projects and advising clients on how to manage and use their information better.

As his nima role suggests, Peacock engages with the industry beyond his day job. Indeed, he got involved with nima's predecessor, the UK BIM Alliance, not long after its inception nearly a decade ago. He is described as being "generous with his time, deeply knowledgeable, and genuinely cares about raising standards in the industry".

Nominated by Varun Soni, director of The Property Smart Group.

Varun Soni, director, The Property Smart Group

Varun Soni is a "recognised leader in information management and building safety, with more than a decade of experience shaping national policy, driving best practice, and advising on regulatory compliance across the built environment".

A few months ago, Soni founded The Property Smart Group, following eight years as partner and head of BIM at Calfordseaden, where he led the information management team and provided strategic guidance to clients on the Building Safety Act, golden thread implementation, and digital asset management. His work continues to bridge the gap between practical delivery and statutory obligations, particularly for higher-risk buildings.

Soni’s influence extends well beyond consultancy. He has played an active role in shaping national guidance and industry standards, including:

serving as a member of the Building Advisory Committee (under the Building Safety Regulator), contributing to key guidance on the golden thread, change control, and digital compliance in support of the Building Safety Act;

participating in the Building Regulations Advisory Committee – Golden Thread Working Group;

acting as part of the authoring team of BS 8644-1, the British Standard on digital management of fire safety information (FIRie), supporting the structured delivery of safety-critical data across the building lifecycle;

supporting the buildingSMART UK & Ireland Fire Project; and

holding leadership roles within nima, including co-chair of the Fire Working Group and his recent appointment as vice chair for stakeholder engagement and change management.

Soni's "collaborative, systems-based approach is helping to build competence and accountability across clients, dutyholders, and supply chains, and is instrumental in raising the bar on building safety and digital regulation".

Nominated by Dave Peacock, director at IIMBE.

That's it for Digital Construction Power Players 2025. Catch up with part one of the people's vote and the original 19 nominees.

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