The Chair of the Australasian Railway Association’s (ARA) Women in Rail Committee, Rebecca Want, has been appointed to the ARA Board – bringing years of public and private transport infrastructure experience to the role.
Ms Want joins the ARA Board as an Appointed Director and will attend her first Board meeting in Auckland in June 2023.
Ms Want is Market Leader Transport for Sydney at professional services company GHD and has more than 25 years’ experience in strategic transport infrastructure leadership roles, including at Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains and RailCorp.
ARA Chair, Danny Broad, said Ms Want’s appointment reflects the significant importance of the diversity work of the ARA, which is guided by the ARA Women in Rail Committee.
“I’m delighted that Rebecca has accepted our invitation as her appointment will provide a direct link between the Women in Rail Committee and the ARA Board, demonstrating the prioritisation of inclusion and diversity by the ARA Board,” Mr Broad said.
“The ARA Board will also benefit from Rebecca’s vast knowledge of transport infrastructure, given her extensive experience on major projects in both the private and public sectors.”
Ms Want has worked on city-shaping projects such as Airport Rail Link, Epping Chatswood Rail Link and the Sydney Metro Program, and led customer transformation programs including technology, business improvement and built-environment streams.
Ms Want was recognised at the Australasian Rail Industry Awards in 2022 for her contribution to the rail industry with the Career Achievement Award.
“I am passionate about innovative solutions for transport infrastructure that put customers at the centre and support highly liveable, progressive and sustainable cities,” Ms Want said.
“I look forward to working with the ARA Board to further support its work in improving the railway sector, both for customers and for those whose livelihoods depend on a sustainable, prosperous industry.
“I am also very pleased to have the opportunity to continue to strive towards creating more opportunities and a more welcoming culture in the rail industry for women.”
Ms Want has completed a Masters of Business Administration and holds a Masters of Engineering Science in Project Management and a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil).
