Official Event Advisory Panel
Quest Events would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the panel members below who are contributing their valuable time and expertise to ensure the conference agenda is timely and relevant for all stakeholders in the domestic energy sector.
Jonathan Dutton FCIPS (Panel Chair)
Director
JD Consultancy
Jonathon Dutton was the founding Managing Director of CIPS Australasia for over eight years up until February 2013. He was responsible for all aspects of CIPS activities as the global peak body for professional procurement & supply management in the region. He represented the profession and its standards to the highest levels of business and government. As a former qualified procurement manager himself, as well as sales manager turned marketing director, Jonathan can easily draw on experiences from both sides of the negotiating table. Jonathan has worked in senior positions for British Airways, QANTAS, Regus & CHUBB, and is a fellow of four institutes covering procurement, marketing, management and the royal society of arts. He is also a graduate diploma member of the institute of company directors, and has a degree in economics with accountancy and business law.
Jonathan is married with two young children and lives in Melbourne, and can be reached easily through LINKED IN or his website.
Mike Blanchard
Chief Procurement Officer
Sydney Trains
Mike , General Manager (CPO) heads up Procurement within Sydney Trains running the Strategic Procurement Group within the finance, IT and Corporate Services directorate. He is responsible for Managing the spend ($1.7BN AUD) through enabling valued business outcomes via cost effective supplier solutions. His Team of 66 delivers direct categories to all stakeholders and is also for managing the interface with Transport Shared Services who deliver the indirect categories for Sydney Trains in an outsourced model.
Mike is the Process Owner for Procurement for Transport NSW in the delivery of the new SAP environment and is a member of the Global Practice Advisory Board for Public Sector Procurement for CIPS.
Prior to this role Mike headed up Procurement within Transpower NZ ( The National Grid ) running there Sourcing, Supply and Contracts Group (SSC) Responsible for over $3.8b NZD of infrastructure spend managing the cradle to the grave elements of for all of the National Grid and IT Procurement and Supply chain. Mike originally has a Telecoms and IT background with previous roles as Managing Director (APAC) of a UK software company TeleWare, Commercial Manager for Gen-I (a Telecom NZ company) and Various General Management, Sales, Marketing and Technical Management roles with Ericsson around the world.
Mike is always looking to assist organisations that understand the need for growth or are looking to build and divest, but have not necessarily developed a strategy and/or able to translate it into delivery. He understands the bottom line having P&L responsibility for small startups and large Corporates
“I can translate concept and theory through innovative thinking into clear and decisive plans resulting in short and long-term organisational success”
Mikes passions outside the work environment are Rugby, Art, and his family and he also spends some of his time Coaching and Mentoring graduates to executive level.
“There is nothing more satisfying than watching people grow and achieving success that at times surprises all”
"Public Sector Procurement is challenged as countries and governments restle with the competing prorities of delivering cost savings and effciences whilst extending the level of service delivery. To be informed of is imperitive when tasked with delivery of these objectives"
Michael Byrne
Chief Procurement Officer
Brisbane City Council
Michael has been CPO for Brisbane City Council for the past seven years. He has led the transformation of procurement to a full centralised function. Prior to being CPO Michael was the Contracts and Risk Manager for Council which led procurement governance and wider strategic risk management.
Michael’s career includes periods as executive in audit and internal consulting, plus extensive experience in Corporate Planning. Michael has worked in Local Government, electricity and banking industries over a long career spanning 45 years.
Marc Diaz
Director Strategic Procurement
Curtin University