RSSB’s Director of Assurance announced as guest speaker at RSN 2022

Antony Howard, Director of Assurance – RISAS & RISQS at RSSB has been announced as one of six speakers at the Rail Business Daily Conference at Rolling Stock Networking (RSN) 2022.

The full line-up of industry-leading speakers for the event at Derby Arena on July 7 can be viewed here.

Tony was appointed in August 2020 with responsibility for the Supplier Assurance function and joined RSSB from the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) where he was a director setting up standards, apprenticeship schemes, assessments, and industry certification schemes.

Prior to BESA, Tony was at the Construction Industry Training Board as Head of New Business Development, with responsibility for health and safety, engineering, construction and facilities under UKAS accredited and other externally approved Schemes as well as global CITB delivery.

Tony has in depth knowledge of revitalising, developing and setting up accreditation, assessment and assurance schemes across an industry footprint.

He also has experience in developing industry wide sector bodies and strategies to gain support, and stakeholder buy in, to progressing the industry in a safe and sustainable way.

Tony originally learned how to accredit, assess and assure at the CITB with schemes which held millions of individuals and tens of thousands of entities.

During his speech at the conference, Tony will discuss how the schemes he has always been involved in eventually grow – and how.

He said: “Assurance as a stick is not getting us anywhere, assurance should be a carrot – showing industry how to innovate and improve to win work.

“Consultants should nurture and develop, not help camouflage and create a false feeling of competency to the entities they serve, after all that false façade that may inadvertently be created isn’t helping anyone grow.

“We at RSSB should lead by example, help entities develop and drive schemes to innovate and change.

“We should help innovation into rail and through existing entities in the sector, helping them benchmark themselves against their own competition and the near scope activities that others may provide.

“We should signpost and inform on areas for improvement, improving their own visibility to procurement.”

This year, Inspiring Rail People by Inspiring Rail People is the theme for this year’s Rail Business Daily (RBD) conference at Rolling Stock Networking (RSN).

The annual conference is this year designed to Inspire, Inform, Impact and offer Insight to help you grow your business.

With speakers in procurement roles from several well-known rail companies, the presenters will undoubtedly have something of interest to showcase for all delegates.

The conference will also include panel discussions and Q&A sessions with host Nigel Wordsworth.

The conference – held upstairs, above the main exhibition hall – begins at 10am and runs through until 3pm.

It is free to attend and there is no need to book.

Download article