Speakers

Hon. Jacinta Allan

Colin Craney

A skilled Design and Engineering Manager with a background in civil engineering, Colin has extensive experience in leading engineering, design and systems assurance teams on a range of major rail, road and buildings projects. Colin's level-headed temperament and logical application of design principles is balanced by an ability to understand key construction and client drivers, enabling sound decision making.  This experience equips Colin to manage the intricate interfaces between project requirements and stakeholder needs, successfully balancing the technical challenges of design with the realities of construction.

Having held key Engineering and Design Leadership roles on city shaping projects such as the Level Crossing Removals Program and redevelopment of Harbour Esplanade, in addition to major State and Federal Government Projects across Australia, Colin is one of Victoria’s leading infrastructure Engineering Managers. Currently the Engineering Manager for the $2b Rail Infrastructure Alliance, Colin oversees the development and alignment of technical solutions for the complex connection between the new Metro Tunnel and existing operational surface level metropolitan rail network in addition to the recently awarded traction power, signalling, platform and stabling upgrades required to accommodate operation of new High Capacity Metro Trains along the Sunbury Line.

Michele Morrison

Michele Morrison is the Chief Development Officer for Homes Victoria and is responsible for end to end development and the delivery of the homes that we are planning. Michele focuses on end user functionality, high design quality, and streamlined delivery methodologies and models that includes delivering projects in partnership with construction, development and housing sector organisations.

Michele has extensive experience; ownership and dedication to making projects, programs and desired outcomes succeed. She brings a broad range of development experience spanning across various sectors (corporate, health, education, transport, telecommunications etc) and is known to strategically implement large scale, complex projects and delivering despite tight timelines.

Hon Danny Pearson MP

Mr Pearson is a member of the Legislative Assembly in the Victorian State Parliament, having been elected in 2014 and subsequently in 2018.

Prior to being promoted to Cabinet, Mr Pearson was the Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier of Victoria. He served as the Chair of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee of the Parliament of Victoria from 2014 – 2018.

Mr Pearson holds an Arts (Hons) Degree from the University of Melbourne and was awarded a Master of Business Administration from the Melbourne Business School.

Mr Pearson lives in Ascot Vale with his wife Nicole and their five children.

Danni Hunter

Danni Hunter is the Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia – the nation’s peak body for the property, construction and development industry.

As the property sector’s key advocate across Victoria, Danni represents one of the largest economic contributors and close to 300,000 Victorian jobs. She is responsible for advising and influencing state policymakers and regulators on issues that impact the property sector including housing, business conditions, population growth and liveability, transport, infrastructure and the health of the economy.

Danni holds several key advisory positions to Government in which she provides advice and input into the strategy and approach to rebuilding Victoria’s economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Danni works collaboratively with other employer associations and plays a leadership role within the Victorian Congress of Employer Associations in her capacity as Deputy Chair.

Danni is a hands-on leader with deep experience in policy, advocacy, stakeholder engagement and organisational leadership, previously holding senior roles as the Chief Executive Office of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA Victoria), and as an advisor to the State Government. Danni has also volunteered as a strategic advisor to Beyond Blue.

When Danni was appointed CEO of UDIA Victoria in 2015, she was the youngest person and first female to hold the role. During her tenure she diversified and scaled the not-for-profit membership body into a highly regarded research, advocacy and educational organisation.

She is passionate about increasing diversity within business leadership and finding solutions to systemic problems facing the community including homelessness and housing affordability.

Danni is a dynamic and nationally recognised spokesperson, regularly sharing her views on property, business, diversity, population growth and the economy through regular media appearances, events and keynote presentations.

Hannah Clement

Hannah Clement leads Development Victoria’s Civic Infrastructure group, which is responsible for managing major project delivery on behalf of government clients.

With more than 20 years’ experience in planning and delivering major civic and infrastructure projects, Hannah has led some of the state's most significant redevelopments including Margaret Court Arena, Geelong Arts Centre, State Library Victoria and the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation.

Prior to joining Development Victoria, Hannah delivered complex and challenging major projects across Australia, the Middle East and South-East Asia. With a background in civil engineering, she spent more than 10 years in the engineering consultancy sector, with a specialisation in the delivery of major sporting, event and social infrastructure.

Hannah also maintains an interest in the fields of international development and is passionate about the role urban built form plays in promoting social equity, cohesion and reducing communities’ vulnerability to natural disasters.

Greg Rafferty

Ed Walker

Ed Walker is the General Manager Projects Victoria at the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC). He leads the delivery of both the Inland Rail and North East Rail Line Upgrade projects in Victoria. 

Ed’s history with ARTC dates from 2014 to 2017 during which time he held the roles of Manager Infrastructure Strategy, GM Corporate Development and finally Director Customers, Service Offering & Terminals within the Inland Rail Leadership Team. His recent return to ARTC comes via John Holland, where he held the position of GM Strategy and Business Development. 

Llewellyn Reynders

Tina Skliros

Tina is a proven infrastructure practitioner with a track record of successfully advising on and delivering High Value High Risk infrastructure projects (specialising in PPPs) in Australia and overseas.

Tina has held key leadership roles on some of the largest infrastructure projects in Victoria including the New Footscray Hospital Project, Casey Hospital Expansion Project, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre Project, Hopkins Correctional Centre Project and Partnerships Victoria in Schools Project.

In her current role as Project Director: New Footscray Hospital Project and previously, as Project Director: Casey Hospital Expansion Project, at the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA), Tina has been responsible for the delivery of some of the largest and most complex projects in VHBA’s billion-dollar PPP health capital program.

Previously, Tina was an accomplished projects and finance lawyer at major international law firms with over 10 years’ experience. 

Bianca Nutt

Margy Osmond

Margy Osmond is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism & Transport Forum and has been in this role since October 2014. Margy has extensive experience in media, policy development and advocacy, politics and government relations, membership organisations and public affairs. Margy is the co-Chair of the Tourism Group of the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum [ANZLF] and co-Chair of the Safe Border Group established to assist both governments to create the Trans-Tasman ‘bubble’. She has actively led the visitor economy industries through the bushfires and Covid-19. Margy has a wide range of Board experience, she is currently on the Boards of TTF, Sydney World Pride 2023, UITPANZ and sits on the Federal Government’s Biosecurity Futures Group and a range of State Treasury groups focused on restarting the wider economy. Previously, she was Chair of the NSW TAFE Commission Board and Chair of the Australian Sports Foundation, Deputy Chair of Tourism NSW, and served on the boards of the Australian Sports Commission, Bell Shakespeare, the Retail Employees Superannuation Trust, NSW Major Events, the NSW Police Minister's Advisory Board and NSW State Transit Authority. Margy also led the bid on behalf of the NSW Government for the International World Masters Games in 2004 and chaired the official Organising Committee for the IWMG, the largest non-elite sporting event in the world, in 2009. Before joining TTF, Margy was the inaugural CEO of ANRA which was established in 2006 as a lobby and research organisation to be the voice of the large national retailers in Australia. Margy was the CEO of the State and Sydney Chambers of Commerce in NSW for five years prior to this.

Cressida Wall

With extensive experience in the property and infrastructure sectors, Cressida was appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Projects Victoria (OPV) in November 2020 with a focus on maintaining and enhancing major project delivery.

Cressida’s detailed understanding and experience of working with Government for over two decades is drawn from her previous roles as Chief of Staff and senior adviser to Premiers and Government Ministers, specialising in infrastructure policy, strategy and major projects.

Most recently, Cressida’s strong public policy and leadership credentials were integral to her role as Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia before taking up her current position with OPV where she had also served as an Advisory Board Member.

Cressida’s legal background saw her practise as a commercial litigator at Minter Ellison and Corrs, Chambers Westgarth. She was also a Director on the Board of State Trustees Victoria.

Having established a private equity company, Cressida was the CEO of its property division and is a long-term advocate for strong collaboration between the private and public sectors in driving development and industry innovation.

Ben Ryan

Ben Ryan is the Project Director for Melbourne Airport Rail and is overseeing planning and delivery of the long-awaited connection of Melbourne Airport to Melbourne’s metropolitan and regional rail network.

With nearly 20 years’ experience in project management, Ben brings knowledge of civil engineering and rail construction management from many infrastructure projects, where he has worked as a rail systems manager, construction manager, and project manager.

Prior to joining Rail Projects Victoria, Ben held senior leadership roles with John Holland on some of the most complex level crossing removals across Melbourne as part of the Level Crossing Removal Project, including level crossing removals on the Belgrave, Frankston, Craigieburn, Upfield and Mernda Lines. Earlier in his career, he also spent time in the engineering consultancy sector, with a focus on the civil and structural design of road and rail projects.

Vanya Kumar

Vanya Kumar is the Executive Director, Commercial and Investment Attraction in the Energy Group at Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Vanya is an experienced executive with expertise in commercial transactions, infrastructure development and project management. A lawyer by training, Vanya also brings strong commercial, negotiation, governance, stakeholder management and policy experience to her role. She has worked across a range of industries including energy and utilities, banking and finance, construction, oil and gas, and transport in Australia and overseas.

Chris Newman

Chris Newman is Managing Director of ArcBlue, one of the Asia-Pacific Region’s fastest growing procurement consultancy, analytics, and training organisations. One of ArcBlue’s key areas of expertise and experience is in social procurement, where Chris has been a leader over the last decade.

Key social procurement activity, Chris has played a leadership role in projects including:

• The delivery of social procurement and workforce development strategies and solutions on current major infrastructure projects in Victoria and NSW, working with Government and with major suppliers;
• The development and implementation of the social procurement strategy across the Geelong Regional GROW Program over the last 4 years, working with over 70 organisations to maximise the local economic and social impact from their procurement;
• The establishment in 2018 of the GROW Gippsland Program designed to address significant economic challenges and unemployment across the Latrobe Valley in Victoria;
• Support for the development of key Government policies, including the Victorian Government’s new Social Procurement Framework, and the Transport for NSW Social Procurement Workforce Policy and Guidance; and
• Delivery of Social Procurement Training for over 400 people across Australasia.

As a consultant and trainer, Chris has presented at State, National and International Conferences and worked with a range of public and private sector clients across Australia and New Zealand on social procurement development and training programs.

In 2012, Chris co-developed the NSW Public Sector Social Procurement Guidelines, including Workshops across the State. In 2013, Chris co-founded Social Procurement Australasia, a not-for-profit membership organisation and community of practice that produce guidance and thought and practice leadership and has developed and facilitated conferences and events across the region.

MBA qualified, Chris has over 16 years’ experience in senior procurement and management roles in Government and currently leads a broad range of procurement development and training projects.

Tanya Harris

Tanya brings almost 20 years procurement experience, working and leading procurement and sustainability functions in the private and international development sectors. She is a contributor and expert practitioner of Sustainable Procurement – Guidance ISO 20400, a sector and industry roundtable representative of the Australian Federal Government consultation developing the Modern Slavery Act, the productivity commission assessment of National Supply Chain Vulnerabilities and Resilience and a United Nations One Planet Network sustainable procurement expert advisor.

Tanya is a member of the Australian Circular Economy (ACE) Hub procurement working group representing the Chartered Procurement and Supply professional body, the UN Asia Pacific Green Public Procurement Network, the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum for the Environment Governing Consortium, the secretary of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness Climate Action Working Group and co-author of the global eye care sustainable practices guide, and the international steering committee for www.ios20400.org

Andrew Cialini

As the State Building Surveyor, Andrew is an industry advocate for building surveyors and building practitioners across Victoria. He brings a wealth of knowledge to this important role, with more than 30 years' industry experience as a building surveyor as well as roles in the private sector as a structural design engineer and as an adviser to the Government of South Australia.

Andrew is passionate about the industry and its future. He has led the creation and implementation of the Code of Conduct for Building Surveyors to improve standards, trust and oversight in the building industry and help keep Victorians safe. Andrew is also driving new career pathways to address the critical shortage of building surveyors.

Active participation with industry is fundamental to Andrew's role and he chairs several state government committees and engages regularly with industry associations, forums and working groups.

Mike Day

A co-founder of RobertsDay and a Partner of HATCH I RobertsDay, Mike has moderated visioning+ planning design forums and led the firm's design teams responsible for an array of urban renewal projects and new towns throughout Australia, New Zealand, UAE and Asia since the inception of the company in 1993.

Mike was the principal master planner and urban designer of the Ellenbrook New Town in Western Australia and in 2004, the recipient of the Russell Taylor Award for Design Excellence for Ellenbrook. Ellenbrook received the International Real Estate Federation [FIABCI] 2015 World Prix d'Excellence Award as the world's best master-planned community.

Consecutive Western Australian Planning Ministers appointed Mike; Deputy Chairman of the Subiaco
Redevelopment Authority and Board member of the East Perth Redevelopment Authority from 2002- 2010.

Mike has held the positions of; Chair EPRA Planning Committee, Chair SRA Planning Committee and Chair Housing Industry of Australia WA­ Planning Committee.

The Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development appointed Mike to the independent property industry panel that nominated the 900-hectare Werribee East landholdings, within the City of Wyndham, as the site for a model 21st century city for metropolitan Melbourne.

Based in Melbourne since 2005, Mike is leading the practice's design teams implementing new towns and urban renewal projects in Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the Aust Capital Territory.

Mike was awarded the 2018 Place Leaders Asia Pacific Centrepiece Award | Leadership Excellence in Promoting Walkable Urbanism and in August 2018 was appointed Chair of UDIA Victoria's Building, Design and Civic Realm Committee in August 2018.

Mike is a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of
Company Directors.

Hamsa Farah

Laura Baker

Frank Fisseler

Kate Walshe