The revitalisation of Newcastle was the centre of attention again last week as 29 of the brightest local young professionals presented their solution on how ‘The Hunter Can Get Smart About Transport’.
These young professionals participated in the 2016 HunterNet Future Leaders Program and formed into five multi-disciplinary teams to consider how Newcastle can leverage off the investment in light rail and develop a truly integrated transport system drawing on smart transport technologies to ensure maximised benefit to the region.
The teams worked in a competitive environment using the skills they attained throughout the program where 12 Leadership topics were delivered by leading academics and business leaders from the region and nationally.
On Friday night the winning team was unveiled – Team Oblelisk – who not only displayed the integration into the new transport solution, they also incorporated the promotion of a lifestyle. They looked at the project from the perspective of travellers, tourists, locals and business.
The Chairperson of the program and Vice Chairman of HunterNet, Steve Tolley said Team Obelisk developed a solution that has financial and growth prospects for business, unlimited benefits for the user and providing what will be a win/win for the region.
“The future of our region is on solid ground with the benchmark set by the HunterNet Future Leaders. Along with all the teams on the program the solutions are here, the capabilities are here, the talent is here and the future is in the hands of some very impressive young leaders,” Steve said.
“We have received 5 cracking submissions, all of which are able to be implemented and could transform transport in the region. The program is very fortunate to have such a high calibre judging panel and a group of mentors that were focused and committed to the development of our regions young leaders.”
The teams were assigned mentors that are senior leaders in their own right who guided the participants in the development of their integrated transport solution, which involved producing a 20-page report and delivering a 30-minute presentation.
This year’s mentors included
- Paul Hughes | Former CEO Newcastle Airport and now Board Member of RDA & Petersons Wines
- Andrew Mears | CEO & Founder, SwitchDin
- Lyndell Fogarty | CEO, performHR
- Soozy Smith | CEO, ANZ Breast Cancer Trial Group
- Steven Wait | Business Manager, The Business Centre
The program encouraged each of the teams to think outside the box when researching and scoping their integrated transport solution. This included looking within and outside the Newcastle CBD, current and future transport modes and current and future technology. They were required to explain how their proposal will be smart from the customer’s viewpoint and how it will transform the daily lives of people in the Hunter.
The submissions and presentations were judged by a panel consisting some of the most experienced and credentialed leaders in the region.
- Anna Zycki | Coordinator General Transport For Newcastle, RMS
- Wayne Johnson | General Manager Customer Service and Operations – ARTC Hunter Valley.
- Hennie du Plooy | CEO, Port Waratah Coal Services
- Tony Cade | CEO, HunterNet
- Gunilla Burrowes | Founding Chairperson, Eighteen04
IMAGE | Hennie du Plooy (Judge), Troy Fisher (Kings Engineering), Steve Tolley (Future Leaders chairman), Rob Winbank (Northrop), Rebecca Johnston (Port Of Newcastle), Michael Sharpe (Chairman HunterNet), Leah Aldridge (ARTC), Jamie Woods (TW Woods Construction), Ian Stevenson (BMT WBM), Tony Cade (CEO HunterNet), Wayne Diemar (Project Director HunterNet)
