National Rail Convention
The National Rail Conference, organised by RAIL magazine, is taking a step up this year - both in content and location.
Rebranded as the National Rail Convention, the conference programme will run over both days of Rail Live 2018, taking place in a bespoke suite in the internal exhibition structure on-site.
The NRC will bring the best content presented by the best speakers in the country. Each session is designed to provide relevant and practical knowledge that will make a difference to your business when you get back to your desk the next day.
It is free to attend the National Rail Convention and you will automatically have access to the whole of Rail Live when you register, so you can dip in and out of both to suit your needs.
For the full programme, visit conference.railbusinessevents.co.uk. But here are the key things you need to know:
June 20
Session one: The UK’s Industrial and Transport Strategy Curated by Nigel Harris, Managing Editor & Events Director, RAIL & RailReview This session will give you the opportunity to hear Government communicate its Industrial and Transport strategy to the rail industry and supply chain, and understand the opportunities this provides to rail businesses. ■ Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling ■ UK Industrial Strategy and the importance for rail - Department for International Trade ■ UK Transport Strategy and the opportunities for rail - Philip Hoare, Chief Executive, Atkins & Industry Lead for the Rail Sector Deal ■ UK Export Strategy and the opportunities for rail ■ Opportunities for the rail supply chain Lunchtime session: The Power of Good Leadership Curated by Women in Rail This session will focus on the experiences of inspirational and successful leaders in the rail industry, who will be giving their views and advice on what makes a good leader.
How do you motivate and inspire your team? How do you ensure
you employ the best people and take positive steps towards a diverse workforce? What advice do you wish someone had given you before you started managing people?
How do you go about adapting yourself as leader to the changing needs of the workforce (for example - flexible working, the fact that employees don’t always want a job for life, and that the ethics/values of an organisation are becoming increasingly more important when individuals are making employment choices)?
My seven principles of good leadership (based on my own mistakes, experiences and occasional success!) - Dyan Crowther, Chief Executive Officer, HS1 Ltd Neil Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, National Skills Academy for Rail The journey of a good leader: Challenge, Reflect and Support - Jane Simpson, Head of Capital Delivery at Severn Trent Water
Shamit Gaiger, Programme Director, RSSB Session two: Tomorrow’s Railway People Curated by Neil Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, National Skills Academy for Rail
As an industry, the importance of our people is often overlooked. Currently the skills gap is largely seen as a problem for the rail sector, rather than an opportunity. This session will highlight that the skills gap represents an opportunity for business to develop competitive advantages by recognising and acting on the importance of its people.
HS2: Building for the future - Mark Thurston, Chief Executive Officer, HS2 Ltd
Safety and Culture: How can safety support a more innovative culture in rail? - Mark Carne, Chief Executive, Network Rail
Apprenticeships: Creating relevant capabilities for tomorrow’s railway - Mike Brown, Commissioner, Transport for London
June 21
Session three: The opportunity devolved Transport Authorities represent Curated by Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive, Campaign for Better Transport Directly elected mayors and devolved local transport authorities represent a fundamental change in transport policy and funding. What priorities are key to these devolved transport authorities, what strategies do they have in place, and how should rail businesses engage with them?
Welcome to the West Midlands - Cllr Roger Lawrence, Lead Member for Transport for the WMCA and Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council
Introduction: what has changed and what does it mean for rail and transport policy and funding? - Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport
What objectives and strategies do local authorities have? - Tobyn Hughes, Chairman, Urban Transport Group
A specific example/case study of a local authority - Laura Shoaf, Managing Director, Transport for West Midlands
Practical steps that rail businesses can take to engage in this opportunity - Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Managing Director, West Midlands Trains Lunchtime session: How to be a success on the railway Curated by Young Rail Professionals Sir Peter Hendy CBE, Chairman, Network Rail Session Four: Making Innovation Pay Curated by UKRRIN Steering Group This session will outline the innovation needs of the rail sector, identify the programmes and finance in place to support innovation initiatives, and explain how businesses can access this support.
Why research and innovation matter to the industry - Jo Binstead, Chairman, UKRRIN Steering Group
UKRRIN’s perspective on research, development and innovation - Prof Clive Roberts and Prof Simon Iwnicki (UKRRIN)
The programmes and finance in place to support innovation and how businesses can access this - Luisa Moisio (RSSB)