{"id":157073,"date":"2024-12-12T08:01:36","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T22:01:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railexpress.com.au\/?p=118188"},"modified":"2024-12-12T08:01:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T22:01:36","slug":"leadership-critical-for-major-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=157073","title":{"rendered":"Leadership critical for major projects"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Martinus has been working to improve leadership in the rail industry. Images: Martinus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Martinus<\/a> is valuing strong leadership as construction of major projects gets underway.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It has been a busy 2024 for Martinus with the civil construction company awarded, and starting construction, on a number of\u00a0contracts.<\/p>\n

The company began the year securing the design and construct enhancement works on the Stockinbingal to Parkes and Albury to Illabo sections of Inland Rail. This is a key section that will allow Inland Rail to be completed between Beveridge, in Victoria, and Parkes, in New South Wales, by 2027.<\/p>\n

The Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail project got underway with a contract awarded to the Martinus Degnan Joint Venture to deliver the Loganlea Station Relocation\u00a0project.<\/p>\n

This project includes a brand-new Loganlea station to be built at a new location directly opposite Logan Hospital and close to Loganlea TAFE and Loganlea State High\u00a0School.<\/p>\n

Martinus was also awarded the Sydney Metro Southwest Metro Conversion and Station Works (SWM4) package to convert the Bankstown line to metro standards.<\/p>\n

A total of 15 bridges and 66 locations, including car parks and roads, adjacent to the railway corridor between Sydenham and Bankstown will be upgraded as part of the contract scope.<\/p>\n

The scale of the work is an exciting proposition for the company as it aims to be a leader in the rail space.<\/p>\n

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Nicolas Jaramillo Arango, engineering manager and Nick Windmiller, senior design manager.<\/strong> Images: Martinus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The company has strengthened its internal leadership with the appointment of Brett Gregory<\/a> as the new Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO). A high-calibre CFO and respected industry leader, Gregory\u2019s appointment stands to enhance Martinus\u2019 standing in the global railway industry.<\/p>\n

With over 30 years of experience, including 18 at Lendlease where he served as CFO of Lendlease Building from 2017, Gregory brings a wealth of expertise in high performance, strategic growth, mergers and acquisitions, business structuring, and system transformations to his new role. His appointment comes at a dynamic time as Martinus continues to expand its reach across the railway sectors in Australia, the USA, New Zealand and Chile.<\/p>\n

Gregory will join the executive team, alongside Chief Executive Officer Treaven Martinus and Chief Operating Officer Ryan\u00a0Baden.<\/p>\n

Treaven said Gregory\u2019s financial acumen and transformational leadership style are well-aligned with the Martinus way.<\/p>\n

\u201cGregory will be instrumental in Martinus\u2019 continued leadership in the rail industry across Railway Development (InfraPay), Major Projects, Projects, Maintenance and Bulk Haulage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also owe a big thanks to Tim Cocks in his role as acting CFO over the past year. We couldn\u2019t have done it without him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aligning diverse interests for success<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Taking on a leadership role in rail is a complex concept that requires management of diverse stakeholders and clear communication. Zo\u00eb Cruice is one of the engineering managers at Martinus and works closely with numerous\u00a0collaborators.<\/p>\n

Cruice described most major projects as a series of sprints in an ultra-marathon \u2013it takes a decisive and authoritative project leadership\u00a0team to keep things moving along to the end.<\/p>\n

She explained some of the key points she works through to ensure she is aligning the interests of all parties.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe schedule regular and frequent meetings, with updates showing design drawings, to help get expectations aligned,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur regular meetings will include technical advisors from all parties, so that technical questions can be asked and answered on the spot instead of creating ambiguity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe then get agreed project specifications at the very beginning of the design process, to prevent costly rework and misalignment on\u00a0expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cruice said that all projects have competing and often conflicting constraints including community expectations, council requirements, state authority requirements, client\u2019s budget and the contractor\u2019s return brief.<\/p>\n

\u201cScope should be agreed at the outset to ensure the contractor\u2019s scope aligns with all these requirements,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe make sure that the individuals we are working with understand their concerns have value and should not be dismissed if it does not align without scope or client\u2019s budget,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cValuing someone\u2019s concerns often sets the project and teams up for a better compromise and ensures success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maximising efficiency and innovation<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Nicolas Jaramillo Arango is another engineering manager at Martinus. He explained the value engineering process the company uses to ensure it delivers on major\u00a0projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cValue engineering is based on the premise that a project has a certain \u2018value\u2019, which is measured as the ratio of function to cost,\u201d he\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you increase the function, or lower the cost, the value is enhanced.<\/p>\n

\u201cRail construction projects involve major capital investments, and changes in design could lead to significant changes in the total project cost. To achieve value for money outcomes it may be necessary to optimise the design, because change at the start of the project has far reaching effects.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arango explained that to incorporate value engineering it is important to define what constitutes value.<\/p>\n

The questions to ask could be:<\/p>\n

is it a reduction in time, or out-turn cost?<\/p>\n

Is it enhancing system performance, operational and maintenance outcomes?<\/p>\n

Is it staging the works so that impacts to existing operations or to communities are\u00a0mitigated?<\/p>\n

The answer is often all of the above,
\nArango said.<\/p>\n

\u201cValue engineering seeks to deliver solutions at the lowest possible cost without compromising the quality, reliability, or safety of the project,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said it is important to ensure that key project objectives are maintained and not sacrificed, such as:<\/p>\n