RIA Devolution Week 

Rail In the Midlands Event

Wednesday 10 March 2021 | 10am - 12pm

The Rail In the Midlands Event will cover transport and policy issues facing both the East and West Midlands.

Agenda

10am | Welcome, Max Sugarman, Public Affairs & PR Director, Railway Industry Association

10.05am | Panel Discussion, followed by a Q&A session, with:

• Tim Smart, Managing Director, Phase 2, HS2;
• Maria Machancoses, Director, Midlands Connect;
• Robert Nisbet, Director, Nations and Regions, Rail Delivery Group;
• Pino de Rosa, Managing Director, Bridgeway Consulting; and
• Jenny Illingsworth, Deputy Director, Birmingham Centre for Railway Research & Education and NCATI representative.

Speakers

Maria Machancoses, Director, Midlands Connect

Maria Machancoses is the Director of Midlands Connect - the sub-national Transport Body (STB) for the Midlands. The umbrella group brings together political, civic and business leaders to secure major investment into the region’s transport network.

Under her leadership, Midlands Connect has published its first landmark 25-year regional transport strategy for the Midlands and has progressed a number of critical projects including the £3.7bn Midlands Engine Rail.

Maria, with over 20-years of transport experience, has held a number of senior positions across a broad range of areas including strategy, planning, environmental and infrastructure.

Maria was recently recognised for her “Outstanding Contribution to Transport” by the Transport Times.

Prior to Midlands Connect, Maria worked on major projects including strategic master-planning activities around the Midlands, integration plans with HS2 and has also served on many international platforms including EMTA (European Metropolitan Transport Association) and UITP (International Association of Public Transport) providing expertise on the role of transport in contributing to economic growth and social inclusion.

Maria is currently Board member of the Midlands Engine Partnership, the HS2 East Midlands Development Corporation, the University of Birmingham City Region Economic and Development Institute (City REDI) and the Telford Town Deal Board. Maria holds a Degree in Law from the University of Valencia (Spain), as well as a Masters Degree in International Transport (University of Cardiff, Wales).




Tim Smart, Managing Director, HS2 Phase 2

Holding both a Bachelor and master’s degrees in engineering Tim is a chartered civil engineer with over forty years’ experience in the design, construction and management of major infrastructure projects. His experience also encompasses managing engineering and maintenance of operational high speed and classic rail.     

Tim’s initial background was in highways and highway tunnels before he moved to railways as a senior member of the Jubilee Line Extension Project team. Following that he joined Railtrack plc as Chief Engineer Southern Zone. Tim moved back to major projects when he joined the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) to head the client team for the design and construction of the London section which included St Pancras International station. Following completion of CTRL he joined the Board of HS1 Co as Engineering Director.  

In 2012 Tim joined CH2M Hill as their International Director for High Speed Rail and was seconded to HS2 were he was Chief Engineer and Lead witness in Parliament for the Phase 1 and Phase 2a Hybrid Bills. Tim joined HS2 in April 2018 and is currently Managing Director for Phase 2. 









Robert Nisbet, Director, Nations & Regions, Rail Delivery Group

Robert Nisbet is the Rail Delivery Group’s Director, Nations & Regions and broadcast spokesperson for the rail industry.  Previously he was Senior Political Correspondent for the UK-based TV network Sky News, where he also spent a decade reporting from Washington DC and Brussels. Among the stories Robert covered for the award winning network include the election and inauguration of Barack Obama and the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake. He began his journalist career as a radio and TV correspondent for the BBC in both Los Angeles and London, becoming a regular face on the Six O’Clock News and Newsnight as well as presenting The Morning Show on BBC1. 







Dr Jenny Illingsworth, NCATI representative and Deputy Director, BCRRE

Jenny is one of the team running the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education, the UK’s largest centre of its kind, with a remit across research, education and innovation for the world’s rail industry. Her work includes contribution to the Centre’s strategy development & delivery; oversight of industrial engagement; and marketing & communications. Prior to joining the university in 2004, where she has worked mostly in industrial engagement and liaison, Jenny spent 15 years in manufacturing industry, first as a product development engineer (picking up a PhD from Durham University along the way) and latterly in product management, strategy and marketing. She joined BCRRE in 2014 to support the Group’s ambitious growth plans across research, education and innovation development, culminating in involvement in the UK Rail Research & Innovation Network (UKRRIN), the introduction of new education programmes, launch of a series of business engagement projects and the absorption of the Rail Alliance – the UK’s largest b-2-b rail supply chain community.

Jenny is also one of the University of Birmingham team involved in the imminent take-over of the National College for Advanced Transportation and Infrastructure (NCATI), working on its current and future education and training proposition. With a keen eye on supplying the industry with what it needs, having previously introduced programmes of study at undergraduate and postgraduate level, she now has her sights on contributing to NCATI’s future success across the infrastructure and transportation-related sector.