We’re so proud of all our winners and finalists of the Informa NZ Rail 2025 Excellence Awards.
On 23 October 2025, we celebrated our winners in three of the six categories:
- Emerging Leader of the Year: Head of Train Crew Danielle Ah Kuoi
- Industry Legend: CRL Testing & Commissioning Manager Mark Jones
- Unsung Hero Award: Depot and Facilities Delivery Manager Chris Ten-Wolde
The Emerging Leader of the Year Award recognises exceptional early-career rail professionals demonstrating outstanding leadership, technical excellence, and innovation with clear future leadership potential.
Danielle has consistently demonstrated the qualities of a dynamic, forward-thinking leader leads with clarity, compassion, and purpose and is deeply committed to the wellbeing of her team and the success of our wider operations. Danielle has taken on the complex challenge of managing a large and diverse team of train crew members, navigating operational, performance and financial pressures while maintaining a strong focus on safety, performance, and morale. Her ability to build trust and rapport across all levels of the organisation has been instrumental in fostering a culture of accountability and mutual respect. Just a few months into the role, her impact is already significant. She has introduced several initiatives aimed at improving crew engagement and operational efficiency and has had a measurable impact on team satisfaction and performance.
The Industry Legend Award recognises individuals who have become true icons in New Zealand’s rail sector, earning legendary status through their groundbreaking contributions –fundamentally altering the trajectory of New Zealand’s rail industry.
Few individuals have shaped Auckland’s modern rail network as profoundly as Mark Jones. Over a career spanning nearly 47 years, Mark has combined broad and deep operational knowledge, steady leadership, and an unwavering commitment to safety and reliability. His work has left a lasting imprint on daily rail operations.
Since 1978 Mark has been developing a wide-ranging understanding of passenger and freight operations. He is a leader of operational excellence and has overseen major initiatives that set new benchmarks for standards and professionalism. His work has created lasting improvements that continue to underpin the safe and efficient delivery of the Auckland’s rail network. As the ‘go-to’ for CRL design advice, Mark has worked in various capacities, representing future operational interests. He now leads the stations team to test and commission CRL stations and operator systems for AOR and is critical in supporting CRL for system and operational readiness.
The Unsung Hero Award recognises those individuals whose contributions often go unnoticed and exemplify dedication, with vital contributions, unwavering commitment and behind-the-scenes expertise vital to the success of the rail industry.
For over 13 years, Chris Ten-Wolde has kept train depots, stabling yards and stations operating reliably and safely. As well as managing AOR’s team of station facilities coordinators, he manages a large number of maintenance contractors and collaborates closely with key stakeholders like Auckland Transport (AT) and KiwiRail (KR). The standard of his care and oversight is critical to AOR’s operations and reputation – the issues he deals with can directly affect AOR’s ability to deliver reliable passenger train services on behalf of AT. his responsiveness and proactive attention to maintaining station quality directly impacts customer experience and safety. Chris has been described as a ‘silent leader’ and a ‘safe pair of hands’. He is widely known among his colleagues for his proactive approach, reliability, constructive and collaborative ethic and can-do attitude.
Congratulations also to our finalists, who are stars to us:
- Willie Staniland: finalist for Lifetime Achievement Award
- Grant Dowie: finalist for Industry Legend Award
- Rommel Pereira: finalist for Unsung Hero Award
