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overview
The Australian Rail Industry Standards Organisation, ARISO (formerly RISSB), is leading the transformation towards a safer and more productive national rail network. In 2026, the ARISO Rail Safety Conference brought together industry leaders at a pivotal moment as the Australian rail industry transitioned to a new standards era.
The 2026 ARISO Rail Safety Conference convened at a critical time for advancing the nation’s strategic approach to rail safety standards, productivity, harmonization and interoperability.
The establishment of the National Transport Commission’s three-tiered national rail standards framework—now led by ARISO as the new industry-led technical standards setting body—came as the sector simultaneously navigated unprecedented infrastructure investment of $15.9 billion in FY25, critical workforce challenges with 8.7% projected growth by 2034, and rapid digital transformation across signalling, communications, and autonomous systems.
With new interoperability regulations in place and major projects like Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel, Sydney Metro and Cross River Rail reshaping our networks, the conference explored how rolling out these standards across Australia’s evolving freight and passenger systems presents both opportunities and learning curves for all stakeholders.
We look forward to working on the agenda for 2027!
2026 Speakers
Jason Bull MP
Parliament Secretary for Transport Infrastructure, Victorian Government
Dr Natalie Pelham
Chief Executive & Regulator, ONRSR
Alan Fedda
CEO, ARISO
Michael Hopkins
Chief Executive Officer, National Transport Commission
Matt Longland
Chief Executive Officer, Sydney Trains
Gabriella Solti
General Manager - Metro Systems Assurance, KiwiRail, NZ
Dr Christian Christodoulou
Chief Engineer & Acting Executive Director - Prioritisation & Asset Management, Transport for NSW
Amy Lezala
Chief Engineer – Rail, Department of Transport and Planning, Victoria
Cherie Lee
Chief Engineering Officer, Yarra Trams
Adrian Teaha
Chief Interoperability and Development Officer, ARTC
Jamie McDonald
Head of Safety Risk and Assurance Chief Risk Officer, Sydney Trains
Corrie Summers
Risk & Compliance Principal, Safety, Health & Environment, TasRail
Melanie Mackie
General Manager, Technical Services and Assurance, ARTC
Pete Gleeson
Executive Director Network Assets, Metro Trains Melbourne
Kylie Pearse
HSEQ Manager, John Holland – ARISO Industry Safety Professional of the Year – 2025
Ann Tomlinson
Director, Alium Works & ARISO 2024 Industry Safety Professional of the Year
Professor Gemma Read
Director of the Centre for Human Factors and Systems Science, University of the Sunshine Coast
Professor Anjum Naweed
Professor of Human Factors and Operational Readiness at the Appleton Institute, CQUniversity Australia
Kerry Russell
Director Investigations, Rail & Metro, OTSI
Marty Meles
Senior Transport Safety Investigator, OTSI
Jesse Baker
Head of Safety, Compliance and Risk, Rail First
Sudha Niles
General Manager – Products & Innovation, ARISO
Phil Ellingworth
Chief Engineer, Metro Trains Melbourne
Anshul Bajpai
Engineering & Asset Management Manager, Public Transport Authority
Joe Le
Chief Health, Safety and Sustainability Officer, Yarra Trams
Ben Fountain
Head of Safety Health Environment & Learning, Aurizon
Zoltan David
Managing Director, Mage Consulting
Collin Song
Senior Safety Assurance Consultant, Mage Consulting
Angus Mitchell
Chief Commissioner, ATSB
Klaus Clemens
Chair, ARISO Battery Safety Operations Group
Tony Braxton-Smith
Independent Director, ARISO
Dr Tim Kuypers
Independent Director, ARISO
Carly Grigg
Industry Engagement Manager, Industry Skills Australia
Tony Crosby
CEO, 4Tel
Meghan Oldfield
CEO, Canberra Metro Operations
Patrick Hornby
General Counsel, ATSB
Dr Andrew Hussey
Director of RAMS - ANZ, Hitachi Rail
Martin Stokie
Commissioner, Productivity Commission
Karen Grumley
Head of Risk and Resilience, Pacific National
Stephen Lemon
Executive Director, Rail Systems & Operations Reform, National Transport Commission
Brad Moorhouse
Group Executive Engineering & Systems, ARTC
Duncan Edghill
CEO, ALTRAC Light Rail
Mel Alessandrini
Director Project Delivery, V/Line
Associate Professor David Lange
School of Civil Engineering, University of Queensland
Helen Wilkinson
CEO, PT&I
Montserrat Elbas Yagüe
Solution Architect, SIEMENS Mobility
Cris Fitzhardinge
Senior Standards Development Manager, ARISO
Pricing
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
The ARISO Rail Safety Conference will bring together government bodies, railway operators, engineers, project managers and industry experts and stakeholders from across the rail safety spectrum.
To showcase your services, expertise and product to the rail safety professionals and decision makers to this established industry gathering, contact Sarah Ingram, Sponsorship & Exhibition Sales Manager, [email protected] or +61 406 530 043.
2026 Event Video & Photos
ARISO Rail Safety Conference + Workshop 2026
To view all images across the two day event, view our Flickr album.
ARISO Rail Safety Awards Dinner 2025
To view all images across the Awards, view our Flickr album.
Next Generation Conference Scholarships
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS
Ali Boyrati, Research Engineer – Wheel Rail Interface, Monash Institute of Railway Technology
Ashraf Dawood, Rolling Stock Engineer, John Holland
Clarissa Sparnenn, Safety Trainee, Yarra Trams
Dimitrios Haralampidis, Planning and Programming Engineer, Transport for NSW
Lily Sharp, Technical Officer, Monash Institute of Railway Technology
Jarod Whisson, Track Maintainer, Arc Infrastructure
Jayantha Elpitiya, PhD Student, Monash Institute of Railway Technology
Jye Millar, Graduate Engineer Mechanical – QTMP, Downer
Sushmitha Vijay D Souza, Site Engineer, Metro Trains Melbourne
Yeonseo Kim, Signalling RAMS Engineer, Hitachi RailNEW FOR 2026: Accelerate Your Scholarship with Priority Entrance to the ‘Next Generation’ Award
This year, we’re taking the scholarship program to the next level. The 10 selected scholarship recipients will exclusively qualify for the ‘Next Generation Award’ to be presented at the 2026 Awards Dinner. A judging panel will evaluate the scholarship winners to identify the standout leader driving innovation and excellence in rail safety.
Insights
The risk of poorly-considered rail safety technologies
Read more >>
How the UK redeemed its rail safety profile following five track fatalities
Read more >>
Ensuring rail safety controls stand the test of time
Read more >>
How to modernise rail safety assurance protocol in a world of tech disruption
Read more >>
ConnectMe event app
ConnectMe • Networking enhanced
All of our events utilise a bespoke dynamic smartphone app, ConnectMe – which guarantees attendees a premium event experience. Logins are sent prior to the conference commencement allowing you to check who’s attending, schedule in meetings and catch ups, participate in live Q+A and interactive polls, and much more. ConnectMe ensures you never miss a beat prior, during and post event.
Download the ConnectMe app today • Informa Connect Australia
Event Code of Conduct
We want everyone who comes to our events to have a great experience. This code explains our expectations and rules, which includes general good practice behaviour, and how to report anything witnessed or experienced that goes against them. Read our Event Code of Conduct here.
Sustainability
Our Commitment to Sustainability
In Australia, we are committed to running our events in an environmentally and socially responsible way. Across Informa Connect we are focusing on the short and long-term sustainability impacts we have on customers and colleagues alongside the communities we work in.
We recognise that it’s not just about the way we produce our events and products but recognising that we have a role to play in providing a space to work in partnership together with our markets to inspire the sustainable development of the industries we serve.
To read more on our latest sustainability reports and Faster Forward initiatives – click here.
when & where
contact
Still have a question?
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
Sarah Ingram
+61 406 530 043
[email protected]
Speaking Enquiries
Tina Karas
+61 431 442 504
[email protected]