Has the IDS Project Been Worth the Effort – NZ’s Asset Management Success Story Revealed (Video)

Transcription

Good morning I’m Ross Waugh from Inframanage.com and today we’re talking about IDS New Zealand Infrastructure Decision Support model and project that’s been running for the last 18 years. This is the last of the series of 9 videos. In this one, we’re going to ask the question, “Has the project been worth it?”

With me I have David Fraser and Theuns Henning, both have been involved in this project from its inception 18 years ago.

So Theuns, we’ll start with you. Has the project been worth it?

Theuns: Ross, absolutely. I think that a question that I have to ask myself every now and again, is this still worthwhile being involved with? If I get the choice, will I do it again?

And I think it’s been a wonderful journey of learning. And in the end, I can put my hand on my heart today and believe that I’ve made the difference to this country’s understanding of asset management and understanding of investment needs so by all means, yes, I will do it again.

David:  Yes, and Ross, just picking up from where Theuns left off. Every now and then I have the privilege of mentoring some young folks that are coming into the asset management industry. And I share some experiences and some ideas with them and some concepts and many of those have been picked up through the work I’ve done with IDS.

And I just get so much pleasure when I see these young people grabbing the concepts and running with them and really catching the passion if you like to get this right into the long term. And I think it’s a wonderful opportunity.

It’s created an environment and a platform where we can actually move forward together as a nation and develop our young people into something that will actually be of benefit to society into the long term. I think it’s great.

Ross:   And as I’ve looked in on the outside of this project over quite a long period of time and seeing the gains to our industry in New Zealand, the incremental improvements that have gone on year after year, the huge return on investment by just taking that strategic view and then applying it within calibrated models back to operational delivery of service to our road users and to our networks in New Zealand, I have to say, it’s been well worth it.

I think it’s just an absolutely fabulous project. It’s been an example that’s been used in international case studies. We’ve been privileged to have a strong vendor and a strong association with Deighton, in terms of what we’ve delivered here.

Being new Zealanders, we don’t talk too much about our successes. We’re a bit like our sports teams. We like to let our talking happen on the field. But this has been a great project.

We encourage you to continue to being involved in it if you’re here in New Zealand; to have a hard look at it if you’re out of New Zealand and see how you can adapt our learning to your asset management situation, to make sure you’re thinking strategically, delivering operationally, getting your optimum investment profile for your network over a long period of time.

Thank you very much for watching. I trust that these videos have been an encouragement to you on your work and giving you some ideas to take forward in whatever field of asset management you’re involved in. Thank you!