Meet a Member | Marion Guesnier, Principal Transport Planner, Arcadis
May 2024
What is your current role?
I am a Principal Transport Planner at Arcadis. I lead and manage the development of transport studies, plans, strategies and multidisciplinary transport options assessments. I generally focus on multimodal, public transport and active transport projects and I have recently delivered a series of place-based transport projects.
What first attracted you to get involved in the transport industry?
As a child I spent countless hours on the beach or on city map play mats, designing and redesigning city plans, and thinking about how people could move around these miniature cities. Growing up in a rural area around a satellite city, I then witnessed firsthand the effects of urban sprawl, car reliance, and the importance of connecting people together. By grade 12, I pretty much knew that I wanted to play a role in shaping future cities and making them more equitable and environmentally sustainable.
I went on to study Urban System Engineering, a masters degree that blends Urban Planning, Architecture, Civil Engineering and Transport Panning. I am also a keen traveller and user of collective modes of transport. Before moving to Australia, I lived in several cities in France, in China and in Switzerland, where I experienced diverse urban and transport environments.
I believe both my passion for exploring places (locally and further away) and concerns about liveability in growing cities got me into transport planning.
Could you explain some key opportunities in your career and how they contributed to your development?
Being surrounded by an inspiring and dedicated team at the start of my career and being exposed to a range of disciplines over time (transport modelling, traffic management, cost-benefit analyses, public transport network studies, rail operations, digital, innovation, secondment, active transport…) got me off on the right foot. It enabled me to gain both a good technical basis and a taste for new challenges.
I’d say that a few people I’ve met have also been critical in my professional development, with a special mention to the people who enabled me to come from France and thrive in Australia. Working here also enabled me to expand my interpersonal, communication and business development skills.
What has been/will be your involvement with AITPM?
I have been a member of AITPM for a few years, and I have attended the online conference, as well as a few events online and in QLD. I also really enjoyed attending the two last national conferences and being a speaker in Melbourne. It has been great being able to share ideas and passion with industry leaders and peers, especially in interactive events such as the recent technical workshop we hosted in Brisbane about SEQ’s transport challenges. I am looking forward to more of these discussions and debates!
What are your aspirations for your contribution to the AITPM?
I would like to support AITPM in making knowledge sharing and networking events possible and attracting more people, in particular with more diverse background and profiles.
What has been a memorable moment in your career?
It often takes a while to see transport recommendations you have worked on being implemented – if they get to that stage. When it does happen, I have found the sense of satisfaction that comes from leaving some sort of a legacy very fulfilling. I’ve been involved in developing a public transport network optimisation tool from scratch with a team of enthusiast and dedicated transport planners - seeing it still being used and updated six years later, in several countries, has been quite rewarding.
What are your personal and/or professional career plans for the future?
I want to keep learning on the technical, team management and business development fronts, while working on environmentally sustainable transport projects.
From a more personal perspective, I am aiming at completing my level 1 Yoga Teacher Training this year, and I am building a sailing dinghy with my partner, to keep moving and exploring places!
Do you have any advice you would like to share to professionals in the transport/traffic industry?
Working with inspiring people and people sharing similar values has been incredibly beneficial for my professional and personal growth. I believe it’s easier to tap into our own potential when we are surrounded by uplifting individuals who exude passion, creativity, dedication, respect and support.
I also think being able to broaden horizons by getting exposed to diverse contexts, approaches and techniques can be invaluable. My experience working at different stages of transport projects and in different countries and states has helped me feel confident to take on new challenges, while being able to stand back and question things, to be pragmatic, and to recognise good practices.
What do you do in your spare time to unwind?
I love practising yoga and immersing myself in nature - whether it's by the ocean or in the bush. When I am not spending time with friends or family, I am often found on the move: I enjoy travelling, hiking, surfing, scuba diving, cycling...
