Monash IRT Industry Advisory Board (IAB)

Ben Phyland is the Head of Rolling Stock Development for the Department of Transport and Planning Victoria, where he oversees the Victorian Government's $8 billion train and tram procurement program. ... With over 25 years of experience in the rail industry, Ben leads a team responsible for procuring, delivering, and upgrading all passenger rolling stock on the Victorian rail network. Projects include High Capacity Metro Trains, Next Generation Trams, X’Trapolis 2.0 trains, VLocity regional trains, Digital Train Radio System as well as the South Dynon train maintenance facility upgrade. His team is also engaged in developing the Victorian rolling stock industry and skilled workforce. Ben has previously led major senior roles in rolling stock projects for Bombardier and was Head of Sales for Australia.

Brian Brennan is the Chief Executive Officer of Transdev Australia and New Zealand, a public transport operator responsible for six transport modes delivering over 145 million customer journeys annually. Before being ... named CEO in 2023, Brian was the Chief Operating Officer of Sydney Light Rail and Ferries. During his tenure, his adept management of diverse commercial, operational and financial stakeholders drove outstanding outcomes for customers and clients alike. At Light Rail, he oversaw significant growth on the existing Inner West line; the successful construction and delivery of routes in the CBD and city's South-East; and the mobilisation of Parramatta's Light Rail. At Sydney Ferries, his successes included leading an award-winning customer-facing service overhaul, bettering the experience of passengers with accessible needs; and embedded a top-down ethic of continual improvement resulting in significant improvements in operational performance. Previously, Brian led Transdev Dublin's Luas Light Rail system in his native Ireland, delivering three contract extensions and a 98% customer satisfaction rate, among other achievements. Brian's personable leadership style and intimate working knowledge gained over 25 years in the industry allows him easy, meaningful engagement with Transdev's 4,000+ staff and key partners. He is a graduate of the Dublin College of Catering, holds a BSc. degree in Management from the Trinity College in Dublin and is a Graduate Member of the Company Directors Course (GAICD).

Aline Frantzen is the Chief Operating Officer at Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM), responsible for safely operating a customer centric metropolitan passenger service, connecting people and places for a growing Melbourne. ... In this role she leads a team of 3,500+ dedicated and passionate people who are focussed on delivering Metro's strategic objectives. Appointed in April 2023, Aline's main focus is to ensure that Metro delivers on its promise to the travelling public of Melbourne by improving the passenger experience, all while the Rail Network undergoes unprecedented change through Victoria's Big Build. Prior to her role at MTM, Aline served as the Chief Executive Officer for Bus Operations within the Keolis Group, based in the United States. Aline also served as Managing Director of a Keolis operation in the United Kingdom. During her time in Manchester, she focused on transforming the culture of the organisation, putting the customer at the heart of all decisions. To date, the operation has expanded to 900 employees, 120 tramways, 2 depots, and 97 kilometres of track, becoming a flagship for Keolis. Ridership has grown to 44 million passengers annually showcasing how an open and transparent culture, supported by positive behaviours and strong data analytics can lead to optimal system performance and enhanced passenger experience. Before that, she took on a broad range of roles at Yarra Trams in Melbourne, the largest tram network in the world which is also operated by Keolis. Aline graduated from Rouen Business School in her native France in 2000, with a Masters Degree in Management and Financial Engineering. She relocated to Melbourne, Australia, to complete an MBA at La Trobe University. She is an experienced professional with 23 years' experience in the transportation industry. She has held a broad range of operational, financial, commercial and business development roles and is a respected leader in the international mobility and transportation space.

Leland Le Breton is the General Manager of Rail Engineering and Strategy leading the multidisciplined team responsible for the development of the Rio Tinto Iron Ore rail network, which is ... Australia's first autonomous heavy-haul railway system and one of the world's most heavily utilised networks. Leland completed his Mechanical Engineering degree at Auckland University. His Rail career commenced in New Zealand, starting in rollingstock design and asset management prior to moving to Australia and into various roles leading diverse teams that provide engineering support to the railway and leading major studies for Rail and Port upgrades. Prior to his current role, Leland led the engineering team at Dampier Salt, the world's largest exporter of seaborne salt. Passionate about engineering, he is focused on improving and maintaining a rail system that leverages technology to meet the future demands of the business including Rio Tinto's commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, through the decarbonization of our locomotives.

Growing up in the UK, where public transport was the lifeline for many communities, Steve's father was a train driver and his grandfather a locomotive superintendent. It was only a matter of time before Steve joined the rail industry, ... starting as a station cleaner for British Rail when he was 16 years old. From there Steve's had roles in train crew, driver management, operational safety accident investigation and Operations Director to become the Chief Operating Officer/Managing Director for Northern Rail and then to a global role with Serco across Dubai, India, the USA and Australia, before joining John Holland five years ago as Executive General Manager of Rail & Transport. His passion for making a difference to people's lives with efficient public transport is key to his role leading the expertise of the Rail & Transport business unit. He loves being involved in projects from design phase through to talking to passengers on a train or tram and hearing how their experiences have been transformed.

Raphaelle Guerineau is a renowned leader in the rail industry, currently serving as the CEO of Siemens Mobility in Australia and New Zealand. With over 17 years of international experience in the rail industry, ... she has held several key positions in Siemens Mobility and Alstom. Raphaelle's international career started with Orange in France. She moved to Singapore and worked as a Strategy Manager then Project Manager for Alstom before joining Siemens Mobility in Singapore, where she served as Head of Tendering then Head of Project Execution. She moved to Australia in 2018 where she was first in charge of the Siemens Mobility Product Business in the Asia Pacific region before taking the role of CEO in 2019. Her expertise in the rail industry has been honed across the world, from her native France to Singapore, and ultimately to Australia. Raphaelle is passionate about promoting gender equality and helping to attract more women into the rail industry. She believes that having a diverse workforce is critical to the success of the rail sector and works to encourage women to pursue careers in the rail industry.

As the EGM – Passenger South, Adam is responsible for leading Downer's rail business activities in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand. Adam is passionate about developing ... local industry capability and the benefits that local content mandates bring to the industry and wider society. He is the Chair of Downer's inclusion & belonging committee and a proven advocate for improving diversity and inclusion. Adam began his career in the automotive industry working with Ford and then Toyota, before joining the rail industry in 2010. Originally from Melbourne, Adam has lived and worked throughout Australasia, Europe and Asia. Adam is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia, a Chartered Professional Engineer (Mechanical) and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He also holds an MBA from Melbourne Business School.

Pascal is the Managing Director for Alstom in Australia & New Zealand. Commencing his early career in the Aerospace industry in France, Pascal developed his passion for innovation and the strong foundations ... for business development, strategy and project management functions. Since joining Alstom and the rail Industry in mid-1990's, Pascal has amassed close to 30 years' experience in numerous roles across the industry and throughout the world, including in France, Singapore, China, and Hong Kong. Pascal's extensive experience covers multiple disciplines including business development, project management, rollingstock manufacture, signalling, infrastructure and turnkey project delivery, on some of the world's largest and most innovative railway projects. Emigrating to Australia with his family in 2014, Pascal was appointed Project Director for the Sydney Metro Project, Australia's first fully automated, driverless metro, and later when appointed Operations Director, overseeing all local operations in Australia, being Rolling Stock, Signalling and Services projects. Responsible for the successful technical and commercial delivery of the projects, Pascal's key achievement was the development of the local delivery teams and overseeing the transfer of the skills and know-how to deliver these innovative technologies to the Australian rail market. Following the acquisition of Bombardier Transportation in 2021, Pascal was appointed Rollingstock Director, responsible for the delivery of all Alstom Rollingstock projects and manufacturing sites throughout Australia. With an extensive industrial base throughout the country, Pascal has overseen the successful delivery of a number major locally manufactured rollingstock projects in Victoria and has played a vital role in the reestablishment of railway manufacturing in Western Australia for the METRONET project in Perth. Pascal's priority is always the safety of his employees, and he is a vocal advocate for a diverse and inclusive workplace. A dynamic and accountable leader, with a focus on people, strategy, organisation and communication, Pascal is dedicated to ensuring Alstom delivers on its commitments to its customers and key stakeholders.

Natalie has more than 25 years in the public service, leading significant safety regulation, policy, strategy and reform at both state and national levels. She is passionate about rail safety and is a strong advocate for ... safety improvement. The third National Rail Safety Regulator and ONRSR Chief Executive, Natalie has strong problemsolving and strategic thinking skills with an evidence-based focus. She has extensive experience leading challenging projects and reforms involving solving multiple and conflicting issues while engaging with diverse stakeholders.

Natalie Currey is the General Manager for Supply Chains and Diversity at the Australasian Railway Association (ARA). Natalie's responsibilities include advocacy and initiatives that support Australian and New Zealand ... railway suppliers, manufacturers, consultants, and contractors, and profile their extensive capabilities. Natalie's efforts focus on justifying and advocating for efficiency improvements and harmonisation relating to national standards, procurement practices, type approval processes, national local content policies, and technology adoption. Natalie is also responsible for Diversity and Inclusion and manages the implementation of the ARA's Women in Rail Strategy, and the Young Leaders Advisory Board. Natalie has been with the ARA since January 2017 and previously worked in the Commonwealth Government for 13 years in a variety of roles from policy development, program management, and industry facilitation across a number of sectors. Natalie has a master's in public policy from ANU, a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Sydney, and a Certificate in Executive Management and Development.

John Brereton is the General Manager Hedland Operations at Fortescue. John has been in the mining and resources industry for 18 years and has held various senior leadership roles across Fortescue. ... His focus is on infrastructure reliability and striving for developing innovative rolling stock strategies to ensure safe delivery of tonnes to meet company targets.

David has more than 45 years' experience in the public transport sector. He has held numerous senior executive roles in the ... UK, Sweden and Ireland, including CEO of National Express UK operations where he was responsible for all train, tram, coach and bus operations for the Group in 2009 – 2010. More recently David was CEO of the national rail operator in the Republic of Ireland, and a Non–Executive Director of the Office of Rail and Road, the UK's Regulator. David was appointed CEO of Keolis Downer in March 2018 and is responsible for over-seeing the operations and development of Keolis Downer's operations in Australia and New Zealand.

Michael Hopkins brings significant expertise in transport reform to his role as both the National Transport Commission (NTC) CEO and as an NTC Commissioner. Michael is ... focused on delivery of our work program, the provision of robust and independent evidence-based advice to Australia's transport ministers and engaging with our many stakeholders. As a leader Michael is driving change at the NTC, focusing on staff engagement and ensuring the NTC is a great place to work. He has previously been an Executive Leader at the NTC driving the organisation's work program, the delivery of reforms and the Commission's relationship with its partner governments. As a consultant, Michael provided expert evidence-based advice to industry and national, state and local governments on responding to the contemporary challenges faced by a transport sector in transition. As a senior executive in Victoria's Department of Transport, Michael delivered future-focused policy reforms, network strategy and planning, as well as stronger governance to improve the way transport works. Michael has a Masters in public administration from the Australian and New Zealand School of Government (via the University of Melbourne), a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and chairs the Monash University Institute of Transport Studies' industry advisory group.

Kate Holling is the General Manager of Rail at BHP’s Western Australian Iron Ore operations (WAIO). ... In this role, Kate is responsible for the operation and maintenance of BHP’s extensive heavy haul railway network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The privately owned network is comprised of more than 1000km of track and associated infrastructure, along with more than 10,000 pieces of rolling stock. The railway services five iron ore mining hubs which extend across the region from Newman to Port Hedland. Kate’s started her career as a geologist and after working in manganese and gold she joined BHP Iron Ore in 2008. Since then, she has held a variety of operational and functional leadership roles for BHP in Western Australia as well as BHP’s Minerals Australia division. She is a member of the Asset Leadership Team for WA Iron Ore, the Investment Review Committee for WAIO and is a Board Member for the International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) and the Industry Advisory Committee for Monash Institute of Rail Technology (IRT). She holds a Bachelor of Science from The University of Melbourne and an LLD from INSEAD (Singapore), and speaks English and French. Outside of work Kate is a keen urban gardener, adventurer and outdoors enthusiast, taking part in an around-the-world yacht race in 2019 as well as regularly racing offshore in Perth.

With over 20 years of professional experience, currently serving as Group Executive Safety and Systems at ARTC, ... contributing to enterprise-wide leadership across engineering, safety, environment, technology, and rail systems. Focused on achieving productive, safe, and sustainable outcomes that empower Australia's national supply chain through strategic collaboration and innovation. Previous leadership roles at ARTC, including Group Executive Engineering and Systems, have strengthened expertise in rail safety, technology leadership, and engineering systems. Committed to aligning organizational goals with safety and technology strategies, working collaboratively to deliver impactful solutions that achieve national transport outcomes. Read More

Shri Praveen Kumar completed his Bachelor’s and also holds a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from IIT, Roorkee. ... He also has a postgraduate diploma in public policy and management from MDI, Gurgaon. Shri Praveen Kumar, an IRSE officer of the 1989 batch, has dedicated over three decades to the Indian Railways. His leadership in managing and executing large-scale railway infrastructure projects has earned him a reputation as a visionary in the field. He served at DFCCIL for more than a decade and handled major challenges related to land acquisition, project execution, and procurement. His instrumental role in the commissioning of the Rewari-Dadri section, which links the Western and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridors, further highlights his leadership. Additionally, Shri Kumar has authored two books on railway engineering. His experience spans the entire project lifecycle, from conceptualization to commissioning. Shri Kumar has expertise in international tendering, procurement and dealing with multilateral funding agencies, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the World Bank.

Chris Van Berendonck is the Chief Engineer at Queensland Rail, bringing extensive experience in engineering leadership and infrastructure management ... within the rail transport sector. Their background demonstrates versatile expertise across safety, security, and environmental management, underpinned by a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Territory University. Within the rail industry, Chris has held key leadership positions focused on ensuring operational safety and regulatory compliance. Previously, they served as Rail Chief Engineer (Acting) at Building.vic.gov.au, contributing to building and renovation projects. Prior to this, Chris was the Chief Engineer (Interim) and Director of Safety, Security & Environment at Public Transport Victoria, where they oversaw critical aspects of public transport operations. Their work history includes roles at AMOG Consulting, where they served as Executive Director and Director of Business Development, applying engineering methodologies to deliver solutions across diverse industries. Earlier in their tenure with AMOG Consulting, Chris held the role of Executive Director and Head of Systems Engineering, followed by Associate Director and Head of Systems Engineering. Chris's career began with the Royal Australian Air Force, where they progressed through various roles, including Directorate General Technical Airworthiness, Air Force Institute of Technology, and Aircraft Research and Development Unit. Their contributions within the Royal Australian Air Force reflect a strong focus on technical airworthiness and safety. Their academic foundation includes a Bachelor of Science, providing a solid base for their technical and leadership capabilities.

Siva is KiwiRail’s Chief Infrastructure Officer, responsible for ensuring our infrastructure operations maintain the highest safety standards, ensuring ... asset integrity compliance, and maintaining reliable network services for customers. Previously, as chief operating officer, he was responsible for all operational parts of the business including commercial revenue, freight logistics, networks infrastructure, engineering, and rolling stock asset services. Siva joined KiwiRail in 2015 and has worked in various leadership roles, including General Manager Operations – Upper North Island and North Island Networks Services Manager. Before moving to KiwiRail Siva had more than 15 years in the roading and construction industries both as a consultant and as a contractor.

He joined Monash in February 2023 from University College London (UCL), where he was the Head of Department and Kennedy Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering ... In that role, Professor Ventikos applied his wide-ranging teaching, research and entrepreneurial expertise to successfully deliver vision, strategy and notable growth across multiple areas, including significant increases in national and international rankings, staff numbers and budgets, prizes in national and international student competitions, Fellowships and Chairs in learned societies, HM Government honours, and incorporation of major industrial partners in the research-education nexus of the Department. Professor Ventikos is an accomplished scholar, entrepreneur and senior university leader who brings an impressive breadth of research, teaching and enterprise experience across a broad range of engineering fields. He has made multidisciplinary contributions at the cross-sections of medicine, life-sciences, physics and applied mathematics with engineering, and has developed leadership expertise in elite tertiary settings. Throughout his academic career, Professor Ventikos has pursued diverse research interests driven by his genuine multidisciplinary approach. A fluid mechanician and naval architect by training, he is an internationally-recognised researcher in the fields of cerebral biomechanics, shock-bubble interaction problems, vascular and endothelial microscale biomechanics, and minimally invasive device design. He is widely published on core engineering, applied physics and applied mathematics themes, and on diverse subjects such as plasma physics, plant biology, neurology and molecular biophysics. Professor Ventikos' professional and academic experience spans three continents, six countries and seven universities. His academic qualifications include a Master of Engineering, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (1989) and a Doctor of Philosophy (1996), both from the National Technical University of Athens. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Professor Ravi Ravitharan is a recognised leader in the railway industry. He is the Director of Monash University's Institute of Railway Technology (IRT), a world-renowned railway applied research centre. ... Professor Ravitharan has more than thirty years of experience in railway research, most of which has been in the management of applied research and technology development. Professor Ravitharan is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a Chartered Professional Engineer and an Engineering Executive. Professor Ravitharan is a foundation member of Engineers Australia's Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA). He was the Executive Chairman of RTSA from 2006-2008. During his chairmanship Professor Ravitharan played a pivotal role in leading this voluntary professional organization, and introduced several important initiatives to support the railway industry. Life Membership of RTSA was awarded to Professor Ravitharan in 2011 for his services to the railway industry. Professor Ravitharan received the coveted RTSA Individual Award in 2014 for his outstanding contribution to the railway industry. He has also been awarded the prestigious Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) Clunies Ross Award in 2014 for outstanding achievement in the application of science and technology for the benefit of Australia. Ravi has also been awarded the prestigious Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) Clunies Ross Award in 2014 for the application of science and technology for the benefit of Australia. Professor Ravitharan has been appointed as a member of the Rail Industry Innovation Council by the Australian Federal Government to support its National Rail Manufacturing Plan. He is a member of ARA's Rail Industry Executive Committee (RIEC); an advisory board member of the Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Advanced Rail Track Technologies; and a member of the Rail Knowledge Bank Advisory Group.