Agenda Item

Time

Speaker

Content

Registration Open

9:00

Welcome & Housekeeping

09:55 – 10:00

Matt Gijselman

Acknowledgement of Country

The State of Transforming Infrastructure 2026

10:00 – 10:05

Mark Coates

Scene setting

Module 1: Government & Policy

Keynote Opening Address

10:05 – 10:20

Evan Mulholland MP, Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure

We are delighted to have the Shadow Minister join TIP to provide a keynote opening address.

Summit Welcome

[Pre-recorded video]

10:20 – 10:30

Prof. Eduard Hovy, Executive Director, Melbourne Connect

To officially open our summit, we are delighted to feature a specially recorded message from Professor Eduard Hovy. As the Executive Director of our host venue, Melbourne Connect, a purpose-built innovation precinct, Professor Hovy’s perspective will perfectly frame a day dedicated to forward-thinking and transformative ideas.

Panel:

State of the Victoria infrastructure pipeline

10:30 – 11:15

Moderator: Antony Oliver

·      Jill Riseley, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Victoria

·      Matthew Gallaugher, Director of Digital, WSP

·      Sophie Fox, Acting Chief of Planning & Insights, Infrastructure Australia

Explore Victoria’s infrastructure pipeline outlook, investment priorities, and delivery challenges. Panelists will discuss funding constraints, procurement reform, and workforce capacity, alongside opportunities for collaboration and innovation to maintain momentum and meet the state’s growth and sustainability goals.

11:15 – 12:35

Module 2: Funding & Financing

Video: Trends in Infrastructure Investment

11:15 – 11:25

Jon Phillips, Chief Executive Officer, GIIA

Interviewer: Antony Oliver

A video interview covering international infrastructure investment trends and their implications for the Australian market.

Speech: Systems Stewardship

11:25 – 11:45

Dr. Donna Lopata, Investor Group for Climate Change &

Alison Atherton, Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS

How are systems stewardship approaches changing how we finance infrastructure projects?

Panel: Systemic Stewardship in the Built Environment

11:45 – 12:25

Moderator: Dr. Donna Lopata

·      Monica Richter, WWF & Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA)

·      Lani Johns, Indigenous Energy Australia

·      Prue Newall, Director of Sustainability, Infrastructure, IFM Investors

This session will explore how infrastructure investors are helping drive a shift from asset-specific risk to a systems stewardship approach. The panel will discuss case studies, including the Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA) where the investment and construction community are working together to accelerate the decarbonisation of Australia’s built environment.

Lunch

12:25 – 13:15

Networking lunch

Keynote Interview: UK Government: From TIP to NISTA: How the UK is Redefining Infrastructure Performance

13:15 – 13:35

Michael Eyley, Director of Exports – Australia, British Consulate General Melbourne, UK Government

Interviewer: Kristy Eulenstein, Head of Policy and Government Relations, Consult Australia

Discover how the UK’s shift from Transforming Infrastructure Performance to NISTA is redefining delivery. Michael Eyley shares insights on policy reform, digital innovation, and collaborative models driving efficiency, sustainability, and long-term value across global infrastructure and public services.

13:35 – 14:30

Module 3: Delivery

Speech:

Putting Infrastructure Data on the Balance Sheet

13:35 – 14:00

International Keynote: Professor Andy Neely, Professor of Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

Is your data a hidden asset? For the UK’s Highways England, valuing their data unlocked £1.2 billion in benefits and sparked profound cultural and behavioural shifts. Join Professor Andy Neely to learn how Australian infrastructure leaders can replicate this success, transforming decision-making and performance.

Panel: Unlocking Digital Delivery: The Carrot or the Stick?

14:00 – 14:30

Moderator: Antony Oliver

·      Neil Thompson, Beca

·      Professor Andy Neely, Professor of Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

·      Carl Retschko, Co-Head of Origination, Plenary Group‑Head of Origination,

Following Professor Neely’s case for valuing data as a core asset, this panel asks the critical next question: Is a bottom-up business case the most effective way to drive change, or does true transformation only come from the top down?

Our experts will debate the two most powerful levers for unlocking digital delivery in the infrastructure sector. Is it the “carrot” of demonstrating data’s immense financial value, or the “stick” of procurement mandates that compel the supply chain to innovate? The panel will explore the practical realities, risks, and rewards of both approaches, providing a candid look at what truly works to drive technology utilisation, improve collaboration, and manage risk in practice.

Afternoon Tea

14:30 – 14:55

Networking and refreshments.

14:55 – 16:15

Module 4: Futures

Speech: Data or Die: Is Infrastructure Ready for Radical Transparency?

14:55 – 15:15

Tim Williams, Grimshaw

Explore whether infrastructure is ready for radical transparency. Examine AI-enabled workforce productivity, digital transformation, and automation as game-changers, and uncover future trends shaping delivery, performance, and accountability in an increasingly data-driven and competitive environment.

Panel: The Talent War: Early career vs the Establishment

15:15 – 15:50

Moderator: Tim Williams

·      Natalie Ambroso (GHD) Consult Australia 2025 Emerging Leader

·      Alfredo Brockman, Project Advisory Group

·      Teeshal Bal – General Manager Planning & Integration, Metro Trains Melbourne

Examine the talent war reshaping infrastructure: Early career expectations versus established norms. Panelists will explore workforce culture, leadership styles, and strategies to attract, retain, and empower diverse talent in an industry facing rapid technological change and evolving social priorities.

Wrap up

15:50 – 16:00

Mark Coates

Closing remarks and next steps.

Close

16:00 – 1700

Summit reception