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Planning Team Leader, Cubic Transportation Systems Limited, Prestige Project (Oyster Smartcard System for London)

START Date: 
September, 1998
END Date: 
March, 2005

Planning Team Leader

Cubic Transportation Systems Ltd. (1998 – 2005)

Employed by Cubic, at Contract Award in September 1998, to work on the Prestige project as part of the TranSys consortium (Cubic, EDS, ICL and WS Atkins). The project involved the design and supply of the ‘Oyster’ contactless smartcard system for London covering tube, trains, buses and trams over a 17-year franchise period. The project was, at the time, the largest PFI contract in the UK transport sector. Responsibilities included:

  • Initial setup of the programme and work breakdown structures for the entire project
  • Setting up, running and mentoring a team of up to 9 planners across 3 sites
  • Development of Primavera P3 programmes from detailed engineering and installation plans up to level 1 Client reports for a portfolio of projects across multiple clients
  • Training project managers in planning, project control, bid preparation and EV techniques
  • Management of partner programmes from ICL and EDS
  • Monthly management reporting to Cubic directors, TranSys, LUL, TfL, the banks and their technical advisors
  • Management of programmes for all variations to contract (presently around 950 variations)
  • Programme management, Primavera & SureTrak training to engineers and team leaders
  • Setting up and running Earned Value reporting for all significant Cubic projects
  • Preparation of bids and subsequent development of the Cubic bid process and planning procedure

Assigned to the Cubic claim team to defend claim of unfair contract termination against Cubic and pursue Cubic’s counterclaim of non-performance. Claim involved working closely with counsel and expert witnesses for almost a year up to the point of arbitration. Cubic successfully defended the Contractor’s claim and received a settlement in excess of £10 million for their counter claim.