Knowledge Leadership Group Mildred Chua Ulger explains why she is passionate about sharing learning and experiences from across the world of asset management Why asset management? In the early 2000s, I was Head of Capital Planning and Budget at my organisation New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Bridges and Tunnels which placed me at the heart of developing the agencys long-term capital improvement programmes. A cornerstone of these were long-range facility masterplans that were founded on a life-cycle management approach to operate and maintain some of New Yorks iconic bridges and tunnels. Asset management was not a familiar term at the time, but the planning concepts we used had the hallmarks of what would eventually be understood and formalised in the ISO 55000 standard. In 2013, I became the executive sponsor for my agency when the MTA established a formal asset management function. During my tenure, I focused our programme on aligning operations and finance to derive best value from our asset base, and to optimise safe delivery of services to the New York Metropolitan region. How do you describe your job to your family and friends? I say that asset management means different things to different people. It is not just about the obvious perspectives of engineering, maintenance, IT, etc. It is about understanding the touch points between these functions and connected systems thinking. My role as an asset manager is to facilitate, integrate and collaborate across various disciplines to help them manage, operate and maintain assets throughout their life, while maximising their value. It means considering how people, process, technology and data work together to achieve desired outcomes. I tell everyone that asset management touches every discipline and that, whatever your role is, asset management is a part of what you do for the organisation. We must develop our leaders and workforce to have the right tools, skills and capabilities as they plan and build smart infrastructure for the long term Tell us more about your role on the IAM Knowledge Leadership Group I am honoured to join the Knowledge Leadership Group (KLG) at a momentous time for the IAM. The new leadership is inspiring and is positioned to take the IAM to the next level. One of my remits is to help re-energise the knowledge management process at the IAM, coordinate asset management knowledge development, and enable global access to asset management knowledge, tools, guidance and standards for IAM members and interested parties alike. To get started, I am engaging with IAM leadership and knowledge contributors across the globe. This is very enjoyable for me as I am learning so much from the stimulating discussions and diverse perspectives. As a practitioner, I was a consumer of asset management knowledge. As KLG Chair, I am enjoying seeing the other side of knowledge from its ideation stage, development, dissemination and eventual use by the industry at large. Most of all, I am excited to be in the midst of kindred asset management champions whose passions not only drive the IAM to excellence, but also the world of infrastructure at large. What are the three most important issues in the profession at the moment? Some of the key trends affecting the industry today include: climate change and the worldwide commitment of governments and organisations to achieve net zero emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050 a shift towards strategic asset management and systems thinking, powered by digital tools, technologies and robust asset data and information a heightened emphasis on assets delivering value and achieving social outcomes. In response to these trends, we must instil a multidisciplinary approach to stewardship of assets and develop our leaders and workforce to have the right tools, skills and capabilities as they plan and build smart infrastructure for the long term. It also calls for ensuring that asset management knowledge is accessible, relevant, fit for purpose, and dynamic in responding to ever changing industry shifts and demands. How do you like to relax? I love watching historical films that bring to life people who played prominently in the history of civilisation. Watching these films transports me to a different time and place, and gives me a respite from the demands and stresses of the day. It never fails to bring forth the realisation that humanitys issues and problems in the past are not that much different from present times, and that making good decisions based on fact-based solutions is, and always will be, key to human existence. Get involved The IAM Knowledge Leadership Group (KLG) is a standing IAM committee, established to ensure that the IAM has a structured and strategic view of members knowledge needs and developing learning throughout the Institute. KLG recommends priorities, and the potential approaches to meeting them, to Faculty. It is then responsible for driving, but not delivering or managing, the resulting projects. Read more about the group or contact the IAM to find out more and get involved. Where would you like to be right now? I would like to be on one of those world-itinerary cruises, hopping from one exotic city to another and immersing myself in culture, sightseeing, sampling culinary delights and acquiring mementos that would bring me back to these experiences for years to come. In my travels, every memento has a story from the cultural significance of the item to the circumstances of acquisition. These stories form my repository of memories that bring a special kind of joy and entertainment when getting together with family and friends. If you werent doing your current role, what job would you like to be doing? If not for the pandemic setting back and constraining travel, I would be exploring opportunities to work in the travel and hospitality industries perhaps being a travel blogger who reviews and recommends vacation venues, or owning a travel agency where I can help plan travel itineraries to suit every taste and whim. If you think about asset management and the travel industry, they connect through the customer experience and the impact of asset performance (planes, trains, automobiles, ships, etc) to deliver exceptional services to the customer.