Asset Management for Critical Infrastructure

Julian Watts - Director, Engineering & Asset Management, KPMG Australia

Julian is an international expert in asset management whose passion is in enabling clients to realise more customer value from their assets. He is a strategic thinker with more than 15 years’ experience leading teams to develop asset management frameworks and strategies in multiple sectors including transport, power and utilities, and government infrastructure.

Julian is recognised with the Asset Management Council as the National Chair for Asset Information and Digital; he was involved in developing ISO55001:2014 – the international standard for asset management; and is an IAM Endorsed Assessor for the standard.

His experience in asset management stems from when he was Asset Planning Manager for Dunedin City. He has since delivered customer value-centric initiatives across Australia, New Zealand, USA, UAE and the UK and can confidently advise on the effectiveness and improvements between strategy, planning, delivery and operational teams to maximise returns across the value chain.

Angelo Fiumara - Digital Asset Manager, Essential Energy

Angelo has more than 25 years experience within the power utility sector. With strong leadership management skills with commercial capability, his ability to transform strategic vision into tangible and practical solutions has led to the creation of Essential Energy’s Digital Twin network. This achievement has been recognised by Engineers Australia, achieving a 2020 Australian Engineering Excellence Award for the Newcastle division.  

Angelo has worked collaboratively to create a digital twin 'virtual objects' of power poles, cross arms and powerlines of the existing overhead network, using the same mechanical properties as they are in real world, to be modelled using an engineering grade line design ‘engine’.   

With a strong utility background in asset management, in particular asset design, Angelo has been developing innovative initiatives and strategies helping to raise the industry benchmark and drive reform, aligning utility practices with ISO19650 to bring Building Information Models concepts and principle across the whole of project and asset lifecycles.

Damien White - Group Executive, Safety, Engineering and Technology

Damien is currently the ARTC’s Group Executive for Safety, Engineering and Technology, and his remit includes the system-wide deployment of the Advanced Train Management System (ATMS).

Prior to joining ARTC, Damien was TasRail’s inaugural Chief Executive Officer, leading an aggressive investment and transformation program over a period of eight years, resulting in a revitalised rail business that is now an integral part of the supply chain for Tasmania’s key industries. Damien also spent 25 years in various roles working with Australian National, National Rail and Pacific National.

Damien has a Bachelor of Business in Transport Studies from the University of South Australia and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Adelaide University.

Tyrone Toole - Chief Adviser and National Discipline Leader in Asset Management, Australian Road Research Board (ARRB), and Stream Leader, National Asset Centre of Excellence (NACOE)

Tyrone has over 40 years’ experience as a leading international expert on the development of road asset management guidelines, implementing road planning and management systems and procedures in numerous countries. 

He is the principal author of Austroads overview document on asset management, and pavement performance modelling. He has also authored guides on pavement design and materials, low volume roads, investment planning and management for national and international organisations. 

Tyrone leads contribution to training and dissemination in road management and decision support tools worldwide, and in road asset management and performance for Australian road authorities and internationally.

Sever Sudakov - Solution Architect

An experienced solution architect for industrial communication solutions, Sever has worked on infrastructure projects in a variety of industrial automation verticals including utilities and transportation across Asia Pacific region. With process control network design, industrial cyber security, and IIoT as his core skills, he has helped numerous industrial companies to improve operational efficiency and execute digital transformation.