Stuart holds a Ph.D. in economics and has two decades of experience working as a researcher and a consultant in the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand. Having recently moved from Brisbane to Wellington to take up a role as a Senior Fellow at Motu Research, Stuart is currently researching differences in the economic performance of cities and towns in New Zealand. Over the last decade, Stuart has advised several central and local government organisations on housing and infrastructure policy reforms. Stuart is optimistic about the potential for evidence-based policy reforms to make people’s lives better.

Angus Bargh is a chartered professional engineer and a transport planner with leadership roles at the engineering alliances formed following the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes, and has more recently been involved in the cyclone recovery engineering alliance on the east coast. He is the technical lead for the National Forward Works Viewer and the NZ Underground Asset Register on behalf of Digital Built Aotearoa (the platform owner). His journey with the National Forward Works Viewer started in 2012 where it was extensively used for the rebuild of Christchurch. He is passionate about open data, knowledge sharing and making the world a better place.

Dr Danial Jahanshahi is a Senior Transport Data Innovation Advisor at Wellington City Council. He has nine years of experience in transport policy and strategy, transport technology adoption, transport equity, accessibility, safety, and traffic psychology. Danial brings a systems-thinking and continuous improvement approach to his work, focusing on improving evidence-based decision-making in transport systems.

Team Lead-NZTA

Billy Goble recently completed his Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering at the University of Canterbury, specialising in transport systems and data analysis. His research, conducted within the Complex Transport Systems Laboratory under the supervision of Dr. Mehdi Keyvan-Ekbatani and Cameron Davis, focused on developing an updated microscopic Aimsun model of Christchurch’s transport network. The work examined how the inclusion of bicycles and buses influences network performance and traffic flow across the city. Through scenario-based simulations, Billy analysed the interactions between different transport modes and assessed the impacts of infrastructure changes on overall network efficiency. His interests include transport modelling, sustainable infrastructure, and applying data analytics to improve urban mobility and decision-making. He has strong technical skills in Aimsun, Python, GIS, and Excel, which he uses to model, analyse, and visualise transport systems. Billy plans to continue contributing to projects that enhance the sustainability and performance of New Zealand’s transport networks.

Ashley Thomson holds a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Civil Engineering from the University of Canterbury. During her final year, she conducted research within the Complex Transport Systems Laboratory under the supervision of Dr Mehdi Keyvan-Ekbatani and Cameron Davis. Her research focused on evaluating the impact of cycle lane implementation on urban traffic performance and accessibility, to improve sustainable transport planning in New Zealand. Ashley’s primary research interests lie in transport planning and network design, particularly in developing systems that balance efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability. In 2026, she will join Fletcher Construction as a Graduate Civil Engineer based in Wellington, working on the RiverLink Project, a significant urban development and flood protection initiative in Lower Hutt. Through this role, Ashley looks forward to gaining practical experience in large-scale infrastructure delivery while continuing to apply her expertise in transport engineering to real-world challenges.