Michael Schabas

Michael is an expert in the development, finance and management of rail passenger, freight, and urban transport systems. He has played leading roles in the development of Vancouver Skytrain, the London Docklands Light Railway and Jubilee Line Extension, and Britain’s first High Speed Railway (the Channel Tunnel Rail Link).

When British Rail was privatised, Michael was a founder of the GB Railways Group, which won the award-winning Anglia Railways franchise, launched GB Railfreight and backed the formation of Hull Trains, Britains’ first “open access” train company.  He also led the Great Southern Railway’s acquisition of Australia’s trans-continental passenger train services, and conceived the plan which restored them to profitability. He has advised a wide range of private and public clients in more than 20 countries, including the UK Department of Transport, Transport Canada, City & County of Honolulu,World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank, British Telecom, Transport Innovations Edinburgh, Queensland Rail, Railtrack, the East London Line Group, Haliburton, Angel Trains, and AMEC plc.

Mr Schabas received a Masters Degree (Distinguished Achievement) in Transport Planning from Harvard University’s J F Kennedy School of Government and Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Toronto. Michael Schabas has published extensively – many documents are available for download on his website at www.schabas.net.