RIA Dinner & RISE Awards 2024 – Winners announced!

27 June 2024

Tonight’s prestigious Railway Industry Association (RIA) Annual Dinner & Railway Industry Supplier Excellence (RISE) Awards celebrated the very best of the rail supply chain.

An expert and cross-sector judging panel consisting of experienced industry figures selected the winners from 12 categories.

One of the main winners of the night was Alex Hynes, Director General Rail Services, DfT, formerly Scotland’s Railway Managing Director, who was awarded ‘Client of the Year’ for unique leadership and successful management of both infrastructure and train operations, demonstrating that they can be lead hand-in-hand.

The Awards took place at The Landmark Hotel, London, with over 350 people in attendance. Guests enjoyed the live entertainment including LED Acrobats and a charity raffle in support of the Railway Benefit Fund.

The evening was hosted by broadcaster and former Shadow Labour Minister Gloria De Piero, and featured keynote speeches from Steve White, Managing Director of Southeastern, and RIA’s outgoing and incoming Chairmen, David Tonkin and Noel Travers respectively.

The 12 Award Winners were:

Client of the Year Award – Alex Hynes, Director General Rail Services, DfT & former Scotland’s Railway Managing Director
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Award, sponsored by Gleeds – Transreport
Safety Award, sponsored by Enable Infrastructure – Network Rail partnered with Loccioni
Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Award, sponsored by CBRE Managed Services – Q Sustain Ltd
SME Growth in Rail Award – Forte Engineering
Wellbeing Award, sponsored by AEGIS Engineering Systems – Infinitive Group
Application of Digital Technology Award, sponsored by Arcadis – Rail Delivery Group and Network Rail
Innovation Award, sponsored by Infinitive Group – Q Sustain Ltd
Partnership Award, sponsored by Hitachi Rail – Scott Parnell Ltd and Anchor Systems Ltd
Rising Star Award, sponsored by EqualEngineers – Larisa Timofte, Labour Manager, Enable Resourcing
Employee of the Year Award – Mandana Kazem, Systems Engineering Specialist, Transport & Infrastructure, WSP
Employer of the Year Award, sponsored by Stadler Rail – AtkinsRéalis

The following entries were Highly Commended:

Client of The Year Award – Anit Chandarana, Rail Group Director & System Operator, Network Rail
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award – Ampetronic
Wellbeing Award – Hitachi Rail
Application of Digital Technology Award – Cognizant and Network Rail
Innovation Award – Rail Delivery Group
Partnership Award – Transmission Dynamics partnered with Network Rail, Angel Trains and West Midlands Trains

Commenting, RIA Chief Executive Darren Caplan, said:

“We would like to congratulate the suppliers and individuals awarded tonight as well as those Highly Commended. The standard of entries was very high and the judging panel had a difficult job!

“These Awards highlight best practice and innovation from companies across the supply chain. With the country on the cusp of a new Government, whatever its colours, and the railway at the start of a new Control Period, it is a reminder of the important role dynamic rail suppliers can play in delivering a better and greener railway.

“A special congratulations to Alex Hynes, Director General Rail Services, DfT, who won the ‘Client of the Year’ Award. The RIA Board chose Alex for his work as Scotland’s Railway Managing Director, being an excellent ambassador for rail and for advancing the way the industry tackles complex issues, all during a period where there has been considerable political change to navigate. We now wish him well in his new role as DfT Director General for Rail Services.

“Finally, we hope that all individuals who attended this year’s RIA Dinner & RISE Awards had a great evening and we now look forward to next year’s event!”

Department for Transport Director General for Rail Services and former Managing Director of Scotland’s Railway, Alex Hynes, said:

"I am humbled to receive this award and would like to thank the RIA board for nominating me.

"This award is not for me but for Team Scotland and colleagues across ScotRail, Network Rail, Transport Scotland and the supply chain who work so hard to deliver a better railway for Scotland. I look forward to helping bring the best of this approach to the rest of the UK."

We would like to thank the sponsors of the RIA Dinner & RISE Awards 2024: Platinum Sponsor Hitachi Rail (Partnership Award) and the following Gold Sponsors: Arcadis (Application of Digital Technology Award), Stadler (Employer of the Year Award), Gleeds (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)), CBRE Managed Services (Environmental, Social Governance Award), Infinitive Group (Innovation Award), EqualEngineers (Rising Star Award), Enable (Safety Award) and AEGIS Engineering Systems (Wellbeing Award).

Notes to Editors

About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the voice of the UK rail supply community. We help to grow a sustainable, high-performing, railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products. RIA has over 360 companies in membership in a sector that contributes £43 billion in economic growth and £14 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 710,000 people. It is also a vital industry for the UK’s economic recovery, supporting green investment and jobs in towns and communities across the UK; for every £1 spent in rail, £2.50 is generated in the wider economy. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national companies and SMEs (60% by number). www.riagb.org.uk
The RISE Awards judging panel consisted of:
- Bonnie Price, CEO, Young Rail Professionals
- Daisy Chapman-Chamberlain, Innovation Manager, East West Rail
- Gareth Evans, Head of Rail Technology, Network Rail
- Ian Prosser CBE, HM Chief Inspector of Railways, Office of Rail & Road
- Jo Lewington, Chief Environment & Sustainability Officer, Network Rail
- Justin Moss, Head of Business Development and Electrification, Siemens Mobility
- Raye Fullard, Chair Women in Rail/Railway Industry Association EDI Charter Working Group
- Robert Ampomah, Chief Technology Officer, Network Rail
- Simon Burke, Lead Infrastructure Exports, Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
- Toufic Machnouk, Director, Industry Partnership for Digital Railway, Network Rail
3. Judges feedback:

Client of The Year – Alex Hynes, Director General Rail Services, DfT & former Scotland’s Railway Managing Director
- This award recognises Alex’s unique leadership of Scotland’s Railway, modelling how infrastructure and train operations can be successfully managed hand-in-hand. Alex has been a superb ambassador for the railway and has advanced the way the industry tackles complex issues, all during a period where there has been considerable political change to navigate. We wish Alex well in the new role he has recently taken on as Director General for the new Rail Services Group in the Department for Transport. Alex – we’re sure you will continue to be a role model for how the industry needs to work together and look forward to working with you.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award – Transreport
- The judges felt this entry stood out as a brilliant collaboration with people with disabilities to ensure their needs were met with their flexible travel offering.
Safety Award – Network Rail partnered with Loccioni
- The judges said this was a strong entry with a good practical safety focus which reduces disruptions for passengers.
Environmental, Social & Governance Award – Q Sustain Ltd
- The judges said this entry shows an innovative approach to lowering carbon lighting which doesn’t need a whole new lighting set-up.
SME Growth in Rail Award – Forte Engineering
- The judges said this company has a strong commitment to social value and net zero.
Wellbeing Award – Infinitive Group
- The judges said they show real commitment to transformation and their focus on culture change is particularly impressive.
Application of Digital Technology Award – Rail Delivery Group and Network Rail
- The judges said the winning entry had a particularly clever solution to provide better information to customers, resulting in a better customer experience.
Innovation Award – Q Sustain Ltd
- The judges said the winning entry gave a smart & innovative way of blending technology into a station environment.
Partnership Award – Scott Parnell Ltd and Anchor Systems Ltd
- The judges said this entry had excellent problem definition, and the right partnerships to develop a solution that offers clear benefits.
Rising Star Award – Larisa Timofte, Labour Manager, Enable
- The judges noted how dedicated this person is and the vast scale of projects that they play a key part in.
Employee of the Year Award – Mandana Kazem, Systems Engineering Specialist, Transport & Infrastructure, WSP
- The judges said this individual is a true leader and a shining example of what can be achieved.
Employer of the Year Award – AtkinsRéalis
- The judges said that this company showed strong evidence in training and diversifying the workforce and should be proud of what they have achieved.