Sharon Gan

Said the following about Ajmal Akram:

“It is with great pleasure to nominate Ajmal Akram for consideration for the 2016 Rail Person of the Year award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and tireless efforts in revolutionising rail management standards through technology innovations at Old Oak Common HST Depot, Great Western Railway.

Ajmal has long exemplified a level of commitment to the railway that can serve as a model for others. His career in the railway spans over 27 years. He started as an apprentice in 1989 at Wembley Traincare and was promoted to Relief Team Leader immediately after completing his apprenticeship. He joined Old Oak Common (OOC) in 2000. From the beginning he was a strong voice for change and initiated a number of new initiatives at the depot including creating computer based in-house training programmes. In 2006 he was promoted to Depot Engineering Manager and has led many improvements at the depot.

Ajmal has been a big proponent of using technology to improve depot management. He led the partnership with Navaho Technology Ltd to create the digital signage solution, MediaCAT to improve communication within OOC. The installation of these digital screens immediately showed its benefits, enabling OOC to distribute important information in a more effective manner. Digital Screens were distributed around the depot, being visually accessible to all members of staff. This system was further developed to also record and display train positions around the yard in real-time. The next depot technology advancement that Ajmal introduced was the implementation of tablets, which allow direct access to the GWR Intranet and enabling instant viewing of all technical documents using WIFI or 4G. This was enhanced with the development of a mobile app specific for Class 180 Maintenance Manual which is accessible offline. In the railway industry, up to date information is key for safety, these implementations have been crucial to improving working practice at OOC. Information is guaranteed to be updated live, providing current and accurate details.

A true leader is someone who is progressive, never hesitates to take on any challenges and believes in continuous improvements. Ajmal embodies this. In 2014, he recognised the potential in Sirenum, workforce management software to revolutionise and consolidate staff management at rail depot into one system. He embarked on a yearlong development to customise the software to cater for depot management (rostering, payroll, competency) and fatigue/risk management. Sirenum was successfully implemented in OOC in May 2015. The customised version of Sirenum at OOC is a novel staff management system for rail depot. This is a first for UK railway.

Ajmal is very talented and multi-skilled. He produced, directed and edited the safety video for visitors and contractors. The video is informative, engaging and prevent any inconsistencies when the brief is given by various individuals. He also created and installed a virtual presenter to greet all depot visitors. All his efforts contribute towards creating an audio visual environment at the depot.

Ajmal’s influential leadership has helped advance the depot’s mission and priorities in very positive ways. His courage to change, vision and ability has led OOC to many accomplishments such as RIQC Best Practice for the Railway Industry (2014) – MediaCAT, Rail Staff Award – Depot Team of the Year (2014), RIQC Best Practice (2015) – Sirenum, 2015 Mobile Technology Award – MediaCAT, 2015 Modern Railway Innovation Award – Sirenum, 2015 GWR Gold Award – Depot and Digital Initiatives.

Never one to shy away from challenges, Ajmal is very generous with his time and always ready to provide support and guidance to colleagues. He is a problem-solver, innovator and trouble-shooter extraordinaire. His dedication towards the depot is admirable and his continuous improvement efforts are inspiring.

Ajmal has truly made a difference not only for OOC but also GWR and the railway industry. Many of his initiatives have been rolled out to other depots and departments within GWR. The MediaCAT systems have also been adopted by other TOCs including FHT and Govia (ex FCC). 2016 marks a significant year where the MediaCAT solutions and Class 180 VMI apps have been enhanced and roll out completed. The Sirenum system has been launched at other depots and enhanced with new features. Although OOC will be closed by 2018, Ajmal shows no sign of slowing down. He is truly passionate about making positive changes in the railway, no matter the scale.

Ajmal epitomises all the right values of a leader and team player and he is a deserving candidate for the Rail Person of the Year award. I have witnessed first-hand the impact of his initiatives. He is an outstanding professional, mentor and colleague and I feel very privilege to be working with him.“