Sydney – Emerging Professionals Panel Event – Lessons from a Life in Asset Management

Presentation focuses on the Asset Information Management System at the Department of Health from its beginning to now and into the future.

• Transforming Asset Management: The Power of Structured Information in a Digital World
• Asset Information is Foundational to Lifecycle Management
• Informed Decisions Require Trusted, Accessible Data

Maddison’s presentation will provide an overview of how Taronga Zoo manages its diverse and aging asset portfolio in alignment with its Capital Renewal Plan. She will explore the relationship between annual maintenance budgets and long-term capital renewal needs, outlining how the capital renewal ratio is used to inform funding strategies and asset prioritisation. The presentation will also highlight specific initiatives and deliverables Maddison has introduced to strengthen maintenance strategies and improve asset performance across the Zoo. Finally, she will share some of her personal highlights and insights from working within one of Sydney’s most unique operational environments, where effective asset management plays a vital role in supporting animal welfare, visitor experience, and Taronga’s broader conservation mission.

The NSW Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) has partnered with WSP to create Land iQ, a platform designed to improve infrastructure planning and empower users to make fast, informed, land-use decisions. Land iQ connects over 200 datasets to help find and analyse the over 8 million properties in NSW. Sarah will be presenting the platform, key use cases, and the lessons the team has learnt from such an ambitious undertaking.

Parks Victoria has shifted from passive to active asset management, modernising the way we manage more than 70,000 built assets across 4 million hectares across Victoria. The presentation will showcase how we transitioned to an integrated Asset Management Information System (AMIS) underpinned by strong change management practices. We will share insights from this transformation, including a case study on the Recovery Alignment to AMIS Project that improved resilience, transparency and data-driven decision making on emergency responses.

With 1 of 4 Outcomes being: Optimised infrastructure investments drive economic, environmental and social value.  Key AM Strategy Recommendation’s – 1. Develop a whole of government asset management framework and 2. Implement an independent asset management assurance framework. Asset Management Policy and Assurance Goals.  The presentation will include how the Strategy arrived at its recommendations, how SA Government is moving to implement them and the outcome expected.

Asset Management Supporting Maintenance and Reliability

Martin is a maintenance fitter by trade, having begun his career as a maintenance fitter and progressing to roles that saw him accountable for heavy maintenance operations in an organisation of over 600 workers. Drawing on decades of hands-on experience and leadership in maintenance environments, Martin will share real-world examples and practical insights into how asset management can and will support maintenance and reliability. His presentation will highlight the critical connection between strategic asset management and the day-to-day realities of keeping assets performing safely, efficiently, and sustainably.

Martin Kerr is a Certified Fellow in Asset Management (CFAM) and a Certified Asset Management Assessor (CAMA). Martin is the founder of Structured Change Pty Ltd, co-author of Living Asset Management Maturity, an active AMBok team member and an Asset Management Maturity Assessor for the Council. Martin is also the Technical Manager of the WPiAM CAMA team and a project member at the GFMAM. In his spare time, Martin is active in Surf Life Saving. This has given Martin experience in the implementation of Asset Management principles and systems in Not For Profit organisations. Martin is passionate about Change Leadership in Asset Management and is a regular industry speaker on Change, Leadership and Culture.

More Than Maintenance: Unlocking Strategic Value in Public Infrastructure

Maintenance is often seen as a cost to be managed, but in the public works and local government context, it is a strategic lever for delivering long-term community value. Steve’s presentation explores how well-planned, data-informed maintenance and reliability practices are fundamental to achieving asset performance, managing life cycle costs, and controlling risk.

Drawing on asset management principles and real-world examples, Steve will examine how reframing maintenance as an enabler—not an expense—can improve service outcomes, justify investment, and strengthen long-term sustainability. Attendees will gain insight into how maintenance connects with broader infrastructure strategy, and how leadership, planning, and culture shape its success.

Steve Verity has over 30-years’ experience managing infrastructure across both the public and private sectors. A recognised thought leader in the sustainable management of built infrastructure, Steve is the Principal Advisor for the IPWEA Asset Management Program and represents IPWEA on the Global Forum on Maintenance and Asset Management (GFMAM). He is also the principal author of several infrastructure studies, including the National State of the Assets Report for the Australian Local Government Association. brings a deep understanding of the need for robust planning and risk management frameworks to ensure infrastructure projects and programs are adequately funded and deliver services at agreed levels. He is regularly engaged by governments to advise on infrastructure planning and reporting reform initiatives.

Supporting the Next Generation of Asset Management Leaders

Katherine will share her insights and experiences as an emerging practitioner in asset management, addressing key challenges currently faced by young professionals and what they seek to support their ongoing development. In this presentation, she will explore how we can encourage and support emerging professionals to ensure they are well equipped to lead the next era of asset management.

Katherine is an emerging professional with over five years’ experience in the infrastructure and engineering sector. Her career began in infrastructure advisory and management consulting before she specialised in asset management and maintenance. Katherine brings broad experience in strategic asset management and has supported various government agencies in uplifting their asset management systems, asset information systems, and overall maturity. In recent years, Katherine has gained significant knowledge and exposure in maintenance and reliability, particularly in their application to rail infrastructure assets, through her role as a Maintenance Analyst at Sydney Metro. Katherine is a strong advocate for emerging practitioners in asset management and has been part of the Asset Management Council’s special interest group, Young Asset Management Practitioners (YAMP), since 2022. She is currently Vice-Chair of the committee and leads the annual YAMP Catch-Up Club initiative.

Delivering Quality Maintenance to Maximise Asset Performance

For organisations adopting whole-of-life asset management practices, asset maintenance is no longer solely focused on fixing faults, but rather on ensuring assets are maintained to prevent unscheduled downtime and perform at the required level, as outlined in the asset management plans. High-quality maintenance is essential to achieving this outcome. The application of best practices and modern technologies supports delivering the required level of quality.

Elena Shulyak is a dynamic leader in asset and engineering management, with over 19 years of experience shaping the future of transport across the aviation and maritime sectors. As the current Engineering Manager at Sydney Airport, Elena leads multi-disciplinary teams to deliver high-impact optimisation and maintenance strategies for the airport’s critical baggage handling systems. Elena’s expertise combines deep engineering knowledge with advanced data analytics, having pioneered predictive maintenance models, automated performance reporting, and technology-driven transformation initiatives. She holds an MBA with distinction, is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, and a Certified Asset Management Assessor (CAMA). Her leadership is defined by a strong commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and building organisational capability. An advocate for continuous learning and diversity in engineering, Elena has presented at national conferences, mentored emerging professionals, and led industry initiatives, including the Sydney Migrant Engineers Group.