Martin Darley
Senior Advisor
Chevron
United States
About
Martin Darley is a highly experienced Cost Engineering Manager and Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 40 years of experience in the energy sector. As a Fellow of both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS) and the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering International (FAACE), Martin brings unparalleled expertise in cost management, project controls, and strategic leadership.
In his current role as Senior Advisor at Chevron, Martin provides high-level strategic guidance on cost estimates for capital projects, helping drive effective and efficient project outcomes. His prior experience includes overseeing cost engineering and project services for a $7 billion Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) project and leading consultancy services at Turner & Townsend USA. Martin’s career is distinguished by his ability to partner with senior leadership to create and implement forward-looking strategies in complex, high-stakes environments.
Martin has served in leadership roles on both the RICS Americas Board and the AACE International Board, actively shaping industry standards and best practices. With a robust background in quantity surveying, value management, and business excellence, he is skilled in delivering cost-effective and competitive results for intricate projects. His collaborative approach and commitment to continuous improvement make him an invaluable asset to the organizations he serves.
To connect with Martin, visit his LinkedIn profile.
Technology Speaker
50 Years of Lessons Learned: A Candid Retrospective on Delivering Projects Successfully
Drawing from five decades of experience in project management, Martin Darley offers a candid look at the highs and lows of delivering successful projects. This session will highlight critical lessons learned from industries ranging from construction to energy, and everything in between. Through engaging anecdotes and memorable insights—like “forgetting the beach towel” or “lessons relearned since the pyramids”—Martin will take you on a journey through the key challenges projects often face.
From unclear goals and lack of stakeholder buy-in to poor resource estimation and insufficient training, his experiences shed light on the recurring pitfalls that threaten project success and how to overcome these challenges to dramatically improve project outcomes.
Here’s what you’ll gain by attending this session:
- Understand why every project should start with a well-defined business case and how overlooking this can jeopardize project success.
- Learn the importance of clear goals and deliverables and how ambiguous instructions can lead to confusion among teams.
- Discover proven methods to better estimate time and resources, avoiding the recurring mistakes that have plagued projects from ancient times to the present.
- Gain insights into building and sustaining stakeholder commitment throughout the project lifecycle.
- Learn why experienced project managers and robust software tools are essential for success.
- Explore the benefits of clear processes and defined responsibilities, avoiding the “I don’t need practice; I’ve got this” mentality that leads to inefficiencies.
Presentation Category: Professional/Career Development
Competency Level: Intermediate