The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) hosted its 2022 Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 29 November 2022.
The following outcomes were confirmed at the meeting:
- The appointment of four General Directors for a three-year term (2022-2025):
- Transport for NSW Chief Operations Officer – Greater Sydney Howard Collins OBE as General Director – Passenger
- Queensland Rail Chief Executive Officer Kat Stapleton as General Director – Passenger
- Port of Melbourne Executive General Manager Strategy and Planning Caryn Anderson as General Director – Freight
- John Holland Executive General Manager and Managing Director Rail and Transport Division Steve Butcher as General Director – Contractor
- Endorsement of two ARA Board Appointed Directors for a two-year term (2022-2024)
- KiwiRail Chief Executive Officer Peter Reidy
- Arup NSW and ACT Leader Anna Squire
- Re-election of ARA Chair Danny Broad as Independent Chair
The AGM also marked three Sector Director changes. Sector Directors are the Chairs of the ARA’s five Executive Committees and are appointed by their respective committee for two years. Sector Director appointments effective from the 2022 AGM are:
- Passenger (Passenger Operators Executive Committee Chair (POEC)):
- Concluding at the AGM: Metro Trains Melbourne Chief Executive Officer Raymond O’Flaherty
- Commencing at the AGM: Transdev New Zealand Chief Operating Officer & Managing Director Peter Lensink (appointed by POEC 2022 – 2024)
- Freight (Rail Freight Executive Committee Chair (RFEC)):
- Concluding at the AGM: Port of Melbourne Executive General Manager Port Growth and Planning Caryn Anderson
- Commencing at the AGM: One Rail Australia Holdings Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director John McArthur (appointed by RFEC 2022 – 2024)
- Manufacturer or supplier of rail related products and services (Rail Industry Executive Committee Chair (RIEC)):
- Concluding at the AGM: Knorr-Bremse Managing Director Michael McLellan
- Commencing at the AGM: Alstom Commercial Director Australia and New Zealand Todd Garvey (appointed by RIEC 2022 – 2024)
- Contractors (Rail Infrastructure Contractors Executive Committee Chair (RICEC)):
- Reappointed: CPB Contractors Project Director Julian Sharp (re-appointed by RICEC 2022 – 2024)
- Heavy Haul (Heavy Haul Executive Committee Chair (HHEC)):
- Continuing: Rio Tinto Managing Director Port, Rail & Core Services – Iron Ore Richard Cohen (Appointed by HHEC 2022 – 2024)
ARA Chair Danny Broad confirmed a quorum of ARA members were present at the meeting in accordance with the ARA Constitution.
The ARA extended its thanks to all candidates who nominated for ARA Board positions, noting the strong interest from senior rail industry executives to contribute to the future of the rail industry and the ARA.
The ARA also extended its thanks and acknowledged the significant contributions of Raymond O’Flaherty and Michael McLellan as they step down from the ARA Board.