Wales Cheung

Said the following about Matt Horvai:

“I would like to nominate Matt for the Rail Project Manager of the Year award. Rail is not Matt’s first industry. His prior role was in the Armed Forces as a pilot which is a complete step change in career, but the way Matt transitioned into the new industry helps showcase rail’s inclusiveness and Matt is truly a role model for others who are considering a change in career path.

Since joining AECOM, Matt has assimilated himself seamlessly into a new industry working as a Project Manager on the South Rail Systems Alliance Framework (SRSA). The SRSA Framework is a contract of national significance, where the renewals of track systems help maintain the reliability and longevity of railway service, underpinning passengers’ journeys and freight distribution. Being a key member of this Framework, Matt effectively has a direct contribution towards the betterment of passengers’ lives and the growth of the economy.

Since starting his role as a Project Manager on SRSA, Matt has grown to now managing a multi-million pound design package, responsible for all the Southern regions’ Switches and Crossings (S&C) sites. He manages over 15-20 schemes at any one time with a team of around 50 designers, covering outline design, detailed design to construction support. It is a substantial achievement considering his change in industry. His rapid development is attributed to his exceptional organisation and communication skills with a sound logical mind. He is a quick learner and has that rare ability to take on any new unfamiliar tasks and proceeds to excel in them with ease.

Matt’s collaborative approach to delivering work has earned him respect among his peers and clients alike. His colleagues and clients trust him and enjoy working with him. His dedication has not gone unnoticed with positive feedback from the Client recently, ‘Matt’s intervention to ensure timely issue of design despite team shortages must be recognised – effectively he gave up a large part of his weekend at short notice to make it happen’.

Matt is considerate, open to sharing his own experience. Matt shared and implemented knowledge learnt from the military, for example, at a recent safety brief, he gave a presentation on lessons learnt on Human Factors, introducing areas with real life examples that can affect/cloud our judgement and performance, such as on complacency, over-confidence, and assumptions. That was well received by the team and there was a clear positive effect on the team from the discussion generated. Matt himself leads by example and has since embedded this into his day-to-day working, managing expectations and ensuring assumptions are carefully managed throughout design delivery.

Matt is also actively involved with STEM events supporting local schools, and acts as a young person mentor with Croydon Voluntary Action. Both reflect his dedication to cause and is a real asset to the Rail Industry.“