As organisations invest in AI, many expect larger volumes of data to deliver better outcomes. We discuss why that expectation often falls short and examine how the quality, context and relationships within information shape the performance of AI systems.

Drawing on Jessica's experience in ontologies, knowledge management and knowledge graphs, we explore practical ways organisations can strengthen the information foundations that support AI. The conversation covers information discoverability, governance, digital twins and the value of a shared vocabulary across complex organisations. We also discuss why building organisational capability remains critical alongside technology investment. 

The discussion examines how infrastructure owners can build confidence in the information that supports operational decisions. It offers a practical perspective on creating connected knowledge, improving insight and gaining greater value from existing data assets.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here: https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

Drawing on our work with Tauranga City Council, we look at what it takes to move beyond fragmented data and build the capability to act on it. We unpack the shift from simply collecting information to strengthening the governance, culture and data literacy needed to treat asset data as a critical operational advantage.

This conversation highlights how stronger organisational capability unlocks better visibility, improves collaboration across teams and supports more resilient decision-making. We also look ahead to what this means for asset owners, and where affordability, scale and integrated thinking will shape the future of infrastructure management.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here: https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

In the second part of this Transform conversation, GHD’s Dave Clark and Mary Kelly go deeper, exploring how organisations can better integrate social considerations into closure planning and what it really means to create lasting benefits beyond mining.

They discuss:

• Why social closure should be treated as a core design input from day one
• The role of transparency, open data and shared decision-making in building trust
• How community expectations are evolving from participation to ownership and equity
• Practical approaches to repurposing infrastructure and shaping post-mining land use

The episode highlights how the success of mine closure will be shaped by the relationships, decisions and conversations built over time.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here: https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Dave Clark and Mary Kelly explore the evolving expectations around mine closure and site transitions. From the importance of starting earlier to the growing role of communities in shaping outcomes, they discuss why legacy is becoming just as important as production.

Together, they explore:

• Why closure needs to be embedded across the full mining lifecycle
• How trust, transparency and continuity influence long-term outcomes
• The shift towards meaningful community involvement and co-decision making
• Why social data and engagement are as critical as technical planning

The conversation demonstrates that mine closure today is about co-creating a future that communities can stand behind.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here: https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

AI is reshaping how organisations generate insights from their data, changing both processes and expectations. But how do leaders make the business case for AI while managing risk in safety-critical environments?  

GHD’s Tom Bedeman (Data Insights Business Group Leader) and Jon Jarritt (Data & Insights Market Leader) return in the final part of this three-part series to discuss how to navigate this AI shift.  

Some organisations are already investing in multiple AI tools intended to accelerate performance. But done too quickly, this can introduce new risks across their systems and decision-making. There is a clear momentum for organisations to join this AI journey and progress does not need to come at the expense of safety.  

By putting data first — clarifying meaning and strengthening data — organisations can position themselves to adopt AI in a way that suits their operations and risk profile. 

Listen to the final episode of our three-part series on putting data at the heart of the AI revolution.  

Find out more about Transform by GHD here:

https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

We rely on applications to turn data into insight. Over time, organisations have invested in new platforms to modernise these applications. While this approach has delivered benefits, especially when it comes to legacy applications, it’s also introduced new challenges.

In this episode of Transform, we explore how the industry tackles these shifts. GHD’s Tom Bedeman (Data Insights Business Group Leader) and Jon Jarritt (Data & Insights Market Leader) unpack why technology alone rarely fixes data challenges. From platforms layered over legacy systems to automation powered by AI, they explore why insight still breaks down when data lacks clarity and shared meaning.

AI is reducing the cost and time needed to build systems and platforms, making it easier to automate data aggregation and system interoperability. But this pace of progress raises an important question: are we moving too quickly without fixing the foundations? Because with or without AI, insight is only as strong as the data behind it.

Listen to part two of our three-part series on data and tune in to understand the evolution of data insights.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here:

https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

The importance of data systems is clear to both public and private sectors. The challenge is turning data into workable insights.  

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Tom Bedeman (Data Insights Business Group Leader) and Jon Jarritt (Data & Insights Market Leader) explore the common challenges in data infrastructure, drawing on their work across the UK and a recent trip across Australia, where they spoke with 27 infrastructure clients across multiple asset sectors. 

This episode tackles a fundamental question: when everyone is investing in similar technology, why do results still vary so widely? 

Some of these gaps are foundational. When systems use different or unclear definitions for the same data, results become harder to trust. Another gap is treating data investment as a one-off capital expense rather than the ongoing operational capability it needs to be.  

Part one of a three‑part series on data foundations, this conversation explores why technology alone isn’t the answer and why leadership and shared meaning matter more than ever. 

Find out more about Transform by GHD here: https://www.ghd.com/en/campaigns/transform---tomorrows-thinking-today

In this episode GHD’s Frank Penry (Senior Traffic Project Manager) and Sarah Dods (Technical Director – Advanced Analytics) explore how driver behaviour data is changing the way we identify risk and improve road safety.

Drawing on observations from Australia and the United States, they unpack how drivers in both countries respond differently to speed limits, congestion and emerging hazards, and why approaches that work in one country can fall short in another.

The conversation encourages listeners to look beyond crash data alone, using near‑misses and braking events to help reveal patterns of risk earlier and test whether safety interventions are actually working.

Listen for a practical perspective on how driver behaviour insights can support safer transport decisions.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here.

In this episode, we explore how water planning is evolving, from taking a more holistic view of water’s role across industry and community, to the growing importance of adaptability and partnership. Drawing on insights from the Connected by Water conference and examples across Western Australia, the conversation examines how organisations can avoid locking into the wrong solutions too early, including how tools like adaptive pathways planning can help decision makers keep options open as conditions change.

GHD’s Sophie Barton is joined by Petja Albrecht (Industrial Water Leader, GHD) and Daniel Visser (Technical Director – Water Treatment & Desalination, GHD) to reflect on what these shifts mean for industrial water planning in Western Australia and around the world.

Find out more about Transform by GHD here

The trio of visionaries joining podcast host and GHD Digital President, Kumar Parakala, to discuss all of this and more are Sonia Adams, Chief Client Officer at GHD, Rai Fergusson, Chief Digital & Data Officer at Infrastructure Australia and David Murphy, Director of Transformation and Innovation on Level Crossing Removal Project – LCRP.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Tai Hollingsbee (Head of Sustainability, Asia Pacific) is joined by Andrew Morrison (Australian Market Leader for Property and Buildings, GHD), Samuel Benson (Co-Founder, OceanBit) and Harqs Singh (CTO and Co-Founder, InfraPartners).

Together, they unpack the challenges of powering data centres in a world of limited grid access, rising AI demand and evolving sustainability expectations.

 From behind-the-meter energy solutions to prefabricated construction and offshore data centres, the conversation dives into how the industry is responding with bold, unconventional strategies.

Listen now, the race to innovate is just beginning.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Divya Sarin sits down with Darren Henderson, Technical Director, GHD, and Declan Lucas. Vice President of Business Development, Transmax, to explore the urgent challenges facing global transport systems. The conversation covers how digital technology and bold leadership are reshaping the way we plan, move and connect. 

They also dive into the power of partnership, the role of AI and real-time data in optimising networks and why equity and community engagement must be at the heart of transport innovation.

Listen now for insights on future-proofing transportation infrastructure.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Transform, host Divya Sarin (Senior Manager – Digital Strategy and Innovation at GHD) is joined by Enrico Ronchi (Associate Professor at Lund University), Dan Stockdale (Senior Advisor – Movement Strategies, GHD), and Kamryn Kubose-Peutz (Transportation Planner, GHD) to explore how climate change is reshaping emergency management.

From the challenges of evacuating communities in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) to the development of cutting-edge simulation tools like WUI-NITY, the conversation dives into how technology, planning, and community engagement are converging to build more resilient futures. Tune in to hear the role of VR and AI in planning and the cultural and policy shifts needed to adapt to a rapidly changing climate.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Transform, host Divya Sarin is joined by Emily Gallant, Technical Director of Engagement, Innovation and Partnerships, GHD, and Daniel Fusca, Manager of Public Consultation, Parks and Recreation Department, City of Toronto, to examine how our engagement processes are transforming across industries. From qualitative data analysis to deliberative dialogue, they discuss how innovation is opening new doors to building trust and fostering collaboration.

Tune in to hear insights on the shifting culture of engagement, the balance of technology with human connection and the challenges of integrating AI into traditional practices.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this first episode of 'Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today', generative AI is the focus, as GHD Digital’s President Kumar Parakala explores the topic with Dr. Maria Singson, VP of APAC Customer Success at IBM and Grant Stewart, GHD Digital’s Southern Hemisphere Practice Director - Digital Intelligence. 

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Divya Sarin (Senior Manager - Digital Strategy and Innovation at GHD), is joined by Satish Tripathi (Managing Engineer at City of Houston) and Freddie Guerra (Digital Water Market Lead at GHD) to unpack what it takes to build an AI-ready water industry. From predictive maintenance to digital twins, the conversation dives into the practical insights, pilot successes and the cultural shifts necessary to unlock AI’s full potential in water management.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harm Ellens, Director of Virtual Ink Australia and Sarah Dods, GHD Digital’s Southern Hemisphere Region Leader for Advanced Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, have been advising and implementing AI systems for many years. They're also involved in the development of international standards for AI.

Both Harm and Sarah join host, Kumar Parakala to discuss.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Transform, GHD’s Andrew Morrison (Australian Market Leader for Property and Buildings, GHD) continues the conversation with Tai Hollingsbee (Head of Sustainability, Asia Pacific), Samuel Benson (Co-Founder, OceanBit) and Harqs Singh (CTO and Co-Founder, InfraPartners). This time, the focus shifts to the future — regional data centres, sovereign AI models and ultra-low latency infrastructure. 

They explore how decentralisation is changing the investment landscape, why regional hubs are critical to closing the digital divide and how sustainable innovation is driving new forms of community value.

Listen to hear insights on the next wave of data centre development and what it means for the future of intelligence, infrastructure and inclusion.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transform - Tomorrow's thinking, today is produced for GHD Digital by:

SoundCartel
+61 3 9882 8333

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.