11 November 2025 - In this episode of The Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to Cobi Busst, Senior Consultant at Beaumont Bailey, to unpack the shifting talent landscape in the cement industry. They explore why talent shortages have become so acute, what makes the sector’s challenges unique, and where operational impacts are being felt most strongly. From the growing difficulty in hiring senior roles to the rising demand for carbon and sustainability expertise, the discussion dives into the evolving role of recruitment as a strategic lever for transformation.
15 October 2025 - In this episode of The Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to Suhair Abu Salem, Human Capital & Communication Director at A³&Co. and fellow WCA Member. They explore Suhair’s career journey, discussing her background and experience as a woman in leadership, and what “human capital” really means in practice. Their conversation dives into the pressing issue of current talent shortages across the cement industry, by exploring the extent of skills gaps and their impact on operations, and why diversity is essential for driving lasting impact in the sector.
28 July 2025 - In this episode of The Clinker Factor, Guest Host Daniel Summerbell, Co-Founder & Chief Solutions Officer at Carbon Re and WCA Member, talks to David Hughes, Chief Scientific Officer at Material Evolution, to discuss how the company is pioneering ultra-low carbon cement with its patented Alkali Fusion® technology and AI-driven innovation. They go on to cover sourcing industrial waste, performance testing and certification, scaling challenges to the launch of the UK’s first industrial geopolymer cement facility and the role of radical collaboration in driving real climate impact.
27 March 2025 - In this episode of the Clinker Factor, Ian Riley talks to Gurinder Nagra, Founder of Furno Materials, and Marty Ozinga IV, CEO of Ozinga, about Project OZ, an exciting collaboration between both companies, backed by a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. This innovative project aims to revolutionise cement production by utilising cutting-edge modular kiln technology to significantly reduce carbon emissions and shift the cement industry towards greener, more efficient practices.
23 January 2025 - In our first podcast of 2025, Ian Riley talks to Sherif Elsayed-Ali, Partner at Nexus Climate, about the launch of the Industrial Decarbonization AI Coalition (IDAIC) and how it aims to advance the use of artificial intelligence in driving industrial decarbonisation through collaboration with manufacturers, AI startups, and research organisations.
18 December 2024 - Join Ian Riley in the second episode of our new mini-series of the Clinker Factor Podcast, where he chats to Tobias Woerner, Managing Director of Equity Research, Building & Construction at Stifel Europe, about the cement industry from an investment perspective. This episode focuses on the differences between the market in Europe and North America.