Our Team
Directors
Joe Langley, Chair
Joe Langley is an urban planner and has held senior executive roles in urban planning and infrastructure advisory for leading engineering and planning firms in Australia. He has over 40 years of experience in strategic planning, urban and regional development, and infrastructure funding in Australia and the US.
He recently served as the subject matter expert for Transport for New South Wales and Sydney Metro, where he developed value capture funding policies, guidelines and business cases for major rail projects.
Joe led four technical teams on Department of Infrastructure’s 2013 Phase 2 High Speed Rail Study, including urban planning, environmental assessment, regional development and GIS mapping. He earned a Master of City Planning from Georgia Tech and BA in Political Science from the University of Georgia in the US.
Wilma Penrose, Deputy Chair
Wilma is a seasoned infrastructure executive with extensive experience advising both government and private sector clients.
Wilma’s area of expertise has centred around developing and supporting large complex infrastructure investments, including whole-of-life operations and maintenance.
Wilma has extensive experience in structuring governance, accountability, and due diligence in a range of delivery models for major / mega projects and she brings a deep understanding of PPPs across government, the SPVs, and the financiers.
Wilma has worked across a number of rail projects including high speed rail, heavy rail (freight and passenger) and light rail. She is a Mechanical Engineer and has proven experience in relation to all aspects of rail systems. Wilma also holds a Masters degree in Project Management and has strong development and delivery credentials.
Wilma is an experienced peer reviewer / assurance reviewer for a number of jurisdictions throughout Australia and is well regarded for her indepth expertise.
Damien Ottaviano, Secretary
Damien Ottaviano is an infrastructure expert with executive experience across the NSW government project portfolio and also with senior roles for leading consultancy firms in Australia and the UK.
He has over 20 years of project and program management experience in the development and delivery of large complex, stakeholder-intensive infrastructure.
Damien has worked across a range of industry sectors including manufacturing, mining, education, government (economic and social infrastructure) and commercial construction.
He held senior Program & Portfolio Management roles at Transport for NSW (TfNSW) before joining Infrastructure NSW where he brought together infrastructure project leaders to facilitate collaboration across NSW Government agencies and industry. He led efforts to devise, implement and drive new approaches to resolve entrenched and systemic problems in the development and delivery of government infrastructure.
Damien has a Master of Project Management from RMIT in Melbourne and Bachelor of Materials Engineering from the University of Western Australia
Ian Scandrett, Treasurer
Ian has a background in Local Government as well as Lobbying and Fundraising experience with a strong track record in major events and campaign marketing.
He has served two terms as Deputy Mayor of Wingecarribee Shire Council and is a former Chair of Council's Economic Development and Tourism Committees.
Keeping the “Green Between” is a policy Ian developed at Council which ensures the character of the area is maintained whilst working towards sustainable population and transport solutions, locally and more broadly.
Philip Davies
Philip Davies is a former CEO of Infrastructure Australia,and led IA to set new standards in Australia as a trusted, independent public infrastructure advisory body. Philip joined Jacobs as Executive Principal in 2024.
Philip later served as partner at Deloitte for six years. He formed and led AECOM’s Infrastructure Advisory practice.
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Philip is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading strategists in the field of infrastructure planning and delivery. He served as a key leader with the AECOM/SKM consortium on the Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies for High Speed Rail in 2013.
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Sharon Mawhinney
Sharon is a senior executive with 30 years of experience in the infrastructure and transport sector.
She has held numerous leadership and senior management roles in client side and private
sector organisations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Sharon has a thorough understanding of governance, due diligence and the planning and delivery
requirements to successfully achieve the desired outcomes on major infrastructure
projects, as well as service delivery and business improvement programs.
Victor Prados-Valerio
A Chartered Engineer and transport industry advisor with experience that includes
transport infrastructure and fleet design coordination and management, procurement,
commercial, financial and technical due diligence assessments.
Victor has extensive experience in operational readiness and handover, interface
management, commercial strategy and modeling, design and fit out of asset
maintenance facilities, train and rail systems project management, key stakeholder
management and workshop facilitation.
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Advisory Board
The AuHSR Advisory Board is to be chaired by John Alexander.
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The Advisory Board will provide strategic guidance to the Association in supporting the High Speed Rail Authority and in achieving the Association's goal of ensuring that Australians have better access to high quality jobs, affordable housing, advanced education facilities and specialised medical services via fast, modern and sustainable rail services.
The Advisory Board will be made up of prominent leaders in national and state politics, business, sports,
academia and the media who support John's bipartisan approach to programs of national significance. Under John's leadership, the Advisory Board will raise public awareness of the need for a national settlement strategy to rebalance future population growth and connect cities and regions by a network of high speed inter-capital and fast regional rail services.
The Advisory Board will announce its inaugural members at national media events being planned for early 2025.
Individual and corporate members interested in supporting these events are invited to contact Joe Langley or Damien Ottaviano.
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Sharon Mawhinney
Sharon is a senior executive with 30 years of experience in the infrastructure and transport sector.
She has held numerous leadership and senior management roles in client side and private
sector organisations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Has a thorough understanding of governance, due diligence and the planning and delivery
requirements to successfully achieve the desired outcomes on major infrastructure
projects, as well as service delivery and business improvement programs.
John Alexander, Advisory Board Chair
John Alexander served in Parliament as Liberal Member for Bennelong between 2010 and 2022. During his tenure in Parliament, John led many initiatives into high-speed rail and regional development, including serving as Chair for the Parliamentary Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities; the Parliamentary Committee on Economics; the Parliamentary Committee on Tax & Revenue; and the Coalition Policy Committee on Infrastructure & Regional Development.
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As the Liberal Member for Bennelong, John balanced his local duties with a role leading the Liberal Party Sustainable Cities Policy Taskforce and Chair of the Vision 2020 Policy Group. He also established the bi-partisan Parliamentary Friends of Medicines Group and Parliamentary Friends of Rail Group which invite industry leaders to present emerging issues, research and opportunities to parliamentarians.
A passion for public health led John to manage a variety of sport-related small businesses and the development of multi-activity sports centres as the Managing Director of Next Generation Clubs Australia. This role included the construction of the Ryde Aquatic Centre for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The Centre provides health and recreation services to over one million visitors every year.
Before entering politics, John was a professional tennis player, rising to #8 in the international singles rankings, and #2 in doubles, winning 7 singles and 27 doubles titles. He represented Australia from 1968-83, including leading the victory in the 1977 Davis Cup Final in Sydney. In 1978, he played the first ever professional tennis match in China, against Bjorn Borg in Guandong.
Independent Panel of Experts
The Australian High Speed Rail Association is establishing an Independent Expert Panel to support its objectives.
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​The Panel will support the Association's purpose of providing independent, non-partisan, expert advice to the Australian government, State and Territory government agencies, and other stakeholders involved in planning and developing high speed and faster rail networks.
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The Panel will be comprised of highly experienced and capable experts in transport, infrastructure, urban and regional development, rail operations and other sectors required in planning and
delivering an Australian high speed rail network.
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Panel members may be asked to assist the Association on a voluntary basis in developing policies, informing media responses, and preparing advocacy and education materials in support of high
speed and faster rail development.
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A register of Independent Expert Panel members will be published on this website page and will be made available to government agencies, private sector organisations, community associations and other stakeholders seeking independent advice and information on high speed and faster rail.
If you have demonstrated expertise in any of the eight key subject areas listed below and wish to be considered for membership on the Panel, please complete and submit the Independent Expert Panel Application form.
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Transport, Land Use and Property Advisory
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Project Controls and Services
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Commercial, Delivery Strategy and Industry Engagement
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Economics, Funding and Financing, Demand Modelling and Economic Development Strategy
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First Nations People Participation and Engagement Services
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First Nations People Cultural and Heritage and Advisory Services
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Network Rail Operations Planning Services
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Technical, Advisory, Environmental & Sustainability, Community and Stakeholder Engagement
Panel applicants must be current financial Members of the Association . Not currently a Member? To join, follow this link to complete and submit the Membership Application form.