Sudha has a strategic role and is responsible for providing leadership and strategic guidance for RISSB’s program of Australian Code of Practice publications, integration of its industry-facing business intelligence systems and oversight of RISSB’s management system and accreditation activities. Sudha is a systems thinker and an experienced railway safety specialist with over 20 years in the industry. He understands the complex interplay between different elements in the railway system and has been able to apply this understanding effectively within industry and at RISSB.

Gini Welch is the National Manager of the Rail Safety Regulator at Waka Kotahi. She joined Waka Kotahi in June 2021 after nearly 28 years in the NZ Police where she held a range of both national and frontline roles. She is an experienced people leader with a passion for safety and regulation. Gini grew up in Dunedin, one of 5 daughters to parents who emigrated from the UK in 1971 – the whole family except for Gini are educators. Gini has a bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies and a graduate certificate in Applied Management: Emergency Services. She is driven by a strong sense of social justice, and her values are underpinned by fairness, equity, and justice. She lives in Wellington with her 13 year old son – the last one left in the nest!

Paul Cockerton is Lead Advisor Rail Systems in the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Rail Safety Regulator. Paul is committed to increasing rail industry safety through building relationships and seeking understanding to achieve higher levels of compliance. Paul reports directly to the National Manager of Rail Safety Regulation. Paul was appointed to his current role in December 2021 after a successful 32-year Air Force career as a technician and engineer specialising in operational risk assessment and system safety.

Gavin has been a career railway operator, having first joined British Rail in 1992, focusing on signaller and managerial roles on both the West and East Coast, as well as Midland Main Lines. More senior operational roles followed before heading the delivery of the National Infrastructure Measurement Fleet, responsible for all track, overhead line, structures and radio measurement across 20000 miles of track. After a spell as National Control Manager for Network Rail in the UK, Gavin was asked to take those skills to Sydney, Australia, where he held several senior operational roles dealing with signalling and operational control. Back in the UK, Gavin became the Operations & Safety Director for Chiltern Railways and began to integrate the learnings from Traffic Management Systems on other routes into future company strategy. Resonate, who had developed and installed a Traffic Management System in the UK , asked Gavin to join to bring his extensive Operational and International experience to bear on future Traffic Management Strategy and to develop how future technology can meet the operational, safety, performance and financial challenges that all railways face. Departing the UK, once more, Gavin finds himself in Auckland as Chief Operating Officer at Auckland One Rail and is now halfway through his first year.