Independent Project Controls Advisory

Senior-level project controls support for complex capital programs.

Exsto Cura Consilium helps owners, EPC teams, and project leaders build stronger schedules, improve execution visibility, and make better decisions on high-stakes programs.

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25+

Years of Experience

$6B+

Program Value Supported

Global

Energy and Infrastructure

Michael Craig

Founder & Principal Advisor

Integrated Master Scheduling Risk & Recovery Executive Project Controls Support

Clearer schedule truth

Strengthen critical path logic, milestone visibility, and forecast credibility when the schedule needs to stand up to scrutiny.

Better decision support

Translate project controls signals into practical narratives leadership can use to act early and confidently.

Cross-team alignment

Support owner teams, advisors, and contractors working across multiple interfaces, scopes, and milestones.

Modern planning mindset

Combine proven controls discipline with AI-enabled planning approaches where scenario comparison adds real value.

Selected experience includes

Hess Chevron BP Shell Orsted Eversource ExxonMobil Worley INPEX LyondellBasell

About Exsto Cura

Independent counsel for programs that need stronger controls, clearer visibility, and more confident decisions.

Michael Craig brings more than 25 years of experience across integrated master scheduling, project controls leadership, execution planning, and advisory support for major capital programs.

His work has spanned upstream, downstream, offshore, offshore wind, and infrastructure environments — supporting owner teams, consultants, and delivery organizations facing real schedule pressure and complex interfaces.

Exsto Cura Consilium reflects a simple operating idea: stand with care and counsel. The goal is not more reporting for its own sake. The goal is better project decisions.

Technology-Enabled Advisory

Proprietary AI-supported workflows are part of the delivery engine, even while the platform remains private.

Exsto Cura combines senior project controls judgment with internal AI-assisted planning workflows to compare scenarios faster, surface schedule risk earlier, and support clearer executive decisions. The platform stays private while it is in beta, but its methods already strengthen the advisory work clients receive.

Scenario comparison

Evaluate alternative execution paths, sequencing options, and delivery assumptions behind the scenes before recommendations reach the client.

Faster analytical turnaround

Use internal workflows to speed up reviews, sharpen questions, and convert raw project data into decision-ready insight more efficiently.

Private by design

Keep the public site polished while the internal platform matures, preserving credibility without losing the benefit of technology-enabled leverage.

ALICE Overview

Scenario comparison and generative scheduling visibility

This teaser gives prospects a high-level view of how ALICE can support option evaluation, sequencing comparison, and better schedule discussions across planning, execution, and recovery.

Scenario comparison
Generative scheduling support
Planning, execution, and recovery visibility

ALICE Technologies is a trademark of its respective owner. Exsto Cura Consilium is an independent advisory practice and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ALICE Technologies.

Our Value

Straightforward expertise, tailored support, and substance over noise.

The value proposition is simple: bring senior project controls expertise where it matters most, adapt to the client’s context, and stay focused on the issues that actually change outcomes.

Senior expertise

Hands-on project controls leadership shaped by real capital delivery environments, not generic consulting language.

Tailored engagement

Support calibrated to the project phase, the team’s maturity, and the pressure points driving leadership concern.

Practical outcomes

Sharper schedules, more useful reporting, clearer risk insight, and more confidence in what happens next.

ALICE Overview

Scenario comparison and generative scheduling visibility

This teaser gives prospects a high-level view of how ALICE can support option evaluation, sequencing comparison, and better schedule discussions across planning, execution, and recovery.

Scenario comparison
Generative scheduling support
Planning, execution, and recovery visibility

ALICE Technologies is a trademark of its respective owner. Exsto Cura Consilium is an independent advisory practice and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ALICE Technologies.

Services

Project advisory services organized around the way capital programs actually unfold.

This structure takes a cue from full-spectrum advisory firms, but adapts it to Michael Craig’s strengths in project controls, scheduling, execution visibility, and leadership support.

Front-End Planning and Set Up

Establish the plan on stronger footing

Shape the project controls environment early so the schedule, reporting, and governance framework can support delivery rather than fight it.

Integrated master schedule architecture
Baseline review and planning assumptions
Early risk visibility and readiness support

Execution and Oversight

Support performance during active delivery

Strengthen the day-to-day usefulness of project controls so leadership can see what is moving, what is slipping, and what requires intervention.

Critical path and forecast analysis
Progress measurement and reporting rhythm
Contractor alignment and milestone visibility

Resolution and Recovery

Diagnose issues before they harden

When the project is under pressure, focus turns to schedule credibility, decision options, and what recovery looks like in practical terms.

Schedule diagnostics and logic review
Risk analysis and scenario comparison
Recovery planning and executive decision support

Strategic Advisory

Independent support for leadership decisions

Bring a clean outside view to project performance, planning choices, and the tradeoffs behind delivery strategy.

Independent controls reviews
AI-enabled planning and scenario modeling
Leadership-ready narrative reporting

ALICE Overview

Scenario comparison and generative scheduling visibility

This teaser gives prospects a high-level view of how ALICE can support option evaluation, sequencing comparison, and better schedule discussions across planning, execution, and recovery.

Scenario comparison
Generative scheduling support
Planning, execution, and recovery visibility

ALICE Technologies is a trademark of its respective owner. Exsto Cura Consilium is an independent advisory practice and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ALICE Technologies.

Experience

Recent project environments, sectors, and tools that inform the work.

Selected recent roles

2025 to Present

Global Edge Advisory Group

Senior Principal Consultant supporting AI-enabled planning and execution scenario comparison using ALICE Technologies.

2024 to Present

LK Davis Consulting - CHPE Transmission

Established an integrated master schedule across marine, terrestrial, and metro scopes to align multiple delivery parties to common milestones.

2022 to 2024

Orsted and Eversource - Offshore Wind

Supported fabrication, construction, and commissioning planning for offshore substation scope and improved reporting cadence for faster decisions.

2021 to 2022

Hess Corporation - Gulf of Mexico Decommissioning

Project Services Manager supporting schedule and cost risk work on a major decommissioning program.

Insights

Short, practical perspectives on schedule integrity, project controls, and AI-enabled planning.

Use these as credibility builders for prospects and as a starting point for future search traffic. Each topic is written to sound like the way you actually advise clients.

Insight 01

5 signs your integrated master schedule is telling the wrong story

How to spot weak logic, misleading float, false confidence in milestones, and reporting that looks precise but hides delivery risk.

Critical path credibility
Hidden schedule distortion
Owner-side questions to ask early

Insight 02

What leadership should ask when schedule confidence drops

A practical checklist for owners and executives who need a clearer read on what changed, where risk is building, and which assumptions still hold.

Forecast discipline
Recovery realism
Interface accountability

Insight 03

Where AI helps in project planning and where judgment still matters

A balanced view of how AI can accelerate scenario comparison and analysis without replacing the human decisions that drive real outcomes.

Scenario evaluation
Human oversight
Decision-ready use cases

Next Step

Build an insights library that compounds trust over time

A dedicated insights page is included in this package so you can start publishing short articles without changing platforms.

Advisory-first thought leadership
Useful for LinkedIn traffic
Strong fit for consulting credibility

Explore All Insights

Contact

Bring in independent project controls support where clarity matters most.

Whether you need a stronger schedule story, more credible reporting, or outside perspective on project risk and performance, start with a conversation.

Start the conversation

Reach out to discuss the project, the controls challenge, and where focused support would help the team most.

Integrated master scheduling and schedule assurance
Execution oversight, reporting, and risk support
Independent reviews and strategic project advisory