Driving Digital Innovation on Suburban Rail Loop East: Salam Taouk’s Journey from Architecture to Infrastructure Leadership
As Digital Engineering Manager at CPB Contractors, Salam Taouk is helping shape the future of one of Victoria’s most ambitious infrastructure projects—the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East. Responsible for leading digital engineering across the southern tunnel section between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley, Salam plays a pivotal role in advancing innovation, improving project delivery, and embedding cutting-edge digital practices across the project lifecycle.
Her journey to this leadership position has been anything but conventional. Beginning her career as an architect in the Middle East, Salam developed a passion for design and the transformative impact that the built environment can have on communities. While architecture provided the creative outlet she initially sought, it was her growing interest in Building Information Modelling (BIM) and digital collaboration that ultimately guided her toward major infrastructure projects and a career focused on innovation.
During her early professional years, Salam worked on several large-scale developments across the Middle East, gaining valuable experience within multidisciplinary project teams. Her portfolio included landmark projects such as the Riyadh Metro in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi Airport in the United Arab Emirates. These complex infrastructure projects introduced her to the power of digital engineering tools and reinforced her belief that technology could significantly improve project coordination, efficiency, and delivery outcomes.
After relocating to Australia in 2018, Salam initially returned to residential architecture. While she enjoyed the design process, she soon realized she wanted to contribute to projects with a broader societal impact.
“Architecture was always my passion, particularly the design side of the profession,” Salam explains. “But over time I felt drawn back to major infrastructure. I wanted to be involved in projects that shape communities, improve mobility, and create lasting benefits for people.”
This desire led her to some of Australia’s most significant transport infrastructure developments. One of the defining chapters of her career was her involvement in the Sydney Metro City & Southwest project, where she led BIM implementation and contributed to the architectural design of the award-winning Gadigal Station.
The project provided an opportunity to combine her architectural expertise with advanced digital engineering methodologies. Working within a highly collaborative environment, Salam helped drive model-based design processes while contributing to one of Sydney’s most recognizable new transport hubs.
Reflecting on the project, she describes Gadigal Station as one of the most rewarding achievements of her career.
“It was one of the most challenging projects I’ve worked on, especially because it was delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she says. “But every time I walk through Gadigal Station, I feel proud knowing that something that started as an idea on paper has become a place that connects thousands of people every day.”
Her positive experience collaborating with CPB Contractors on Gadigal Station inspired her to take the next step in her professional journey. Determined to broaden her expertise beyond architectural design and gain direct experience in contractor-led delivery, she joined CPB Contractors on the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport Station Box and Tunnelling project.
The transition, however, proved more challenging than anticipated.
Moving from architecture into civil and structural construction required learning an entirely new language, understanding unfamiliar technical concepts, and adapting to different project delivery methodologies.
“When I first started, I felt completely overwhelmed,” Salam recalls. “Everything was new, from the terminology to the engineering processes. Even understanding common acronyms used every day on site felt like learning a new language.”
Despite the steep learning curve, Salam credits the support of her colleagues and mentors for helping her navigate the transition successfully.
“The support from the team was incredible,” she explains. “People were patient, encouraging, and genuinely invested in helping me succeed. There were times when others believed in my potential more than I believed in myself.”
Determined to accelerate her learning, Salam took a proactive approach. She spent countless hours studying drawings, reviewing technical documentation, and deepening her understanding of construction methodologies and engineering processes.
This commitment reinforced a philosophy she continues to champion today: digital engineering professionals must be deeply integrated into both design and construction processes if they are to create meaningful value.
Her willingness to embrace new challenges ultimately transformed her perspective on the industry.
“At times, I questioned whether I’d made the right decision,” she admits. “But the encouragement from my managers and colleagues helped me push through. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Today, Salam’s architectural background remains one of her greatest strengths. Her understanding of design development, consultant workflows, and project coordination enables her to bridge the gap between engineering, construction, and digital delivery teams.
She has played a key role in transitioning projects from traditional two-dimensional workflows to fully model-based delivery approaches. On large-scale infrastructure projects such as SRL East, where complexity is immense and coordination requirements are constantly evolving, digital engineering tools provide critical visibility and decision-making support.
“Large infrastructure projects cannot always be effectively communicated through drawings alone,” Salam explains. “Digital engineering creates a shared understanding across teams, helping everyone—from designers and engineers to construction crews—work from the same source of information.”
At SRL East, she is leading numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing digital maturity and project performance. These include implementing model-based project delivery frameworks, rolling out CIMIC Group’s artificial intelligence tools, improving digital collaboration across project disciplines, and establishing consistent digital engineering standards.
Her contributions also extend to the development of advanced 4D construction sequencing methodologies, which integrate schedule information with digital models to improve planning, visualization, and execution of complex construction activities.
Beyond technology and project delivery, Salam is passionate about mentoring the next generation of professionals, particularly women seeking careers in engineering, construction, and digital innovation.
She believes diversity of thought and experience is essential to solving the increasingly complex challenges facing the infrastructure sector.
Today, as she helps lead digital transformation on one of Australia’s largest rail projects, Salam reflects on her journey with gratitude and pride.
“I’m not looking back,” she says. “The move challenged me, pushed me beyond my comfort zone, and opened opportunities I never imagined. It allowed me to combine design, technology, problem-solving, and collaboration into a career that I genuinely love.”
Her story highlights the evolving nature of modern infrastructure delivery and demonstrates how digital innovation, continuous learning, and strong mentorship can create new pathways for success. As Suburban Rail Loop East progresses, Salam Taouk’s leadership is helping ensure that technology remains at the heart of one of Australia’s most transformative transport projects.
Source Link:https://www.cpbcon.com.au/
