Speakers at the 4th annual Eastern Australia's Energy Markets Outlook 2015 conference
Sydney, Australia
Lance Balcombe
Chief Executive Officer
TasNetworks
Lance Balcombe is the Chief Executive Officer of TasNetworks (Tasmanian Networks Pty Ltd).
He was appointed in October 2013 where his initial responsibility was leading the integration of Tasmania’s electricity distribution (formerly Aurora Energy Pty Ltd) and transmission (formerly Transend Networks Pty Ltd) businesses to form TasNetworks, which commenced operation on 1 July 2014.
Prior to this, Lance was the Chief Financial Officer at Hydro Tasmania where he held senior management positions for 13 years. In this role Lance oversaw Hydro’s financial management, capital structure, capital allocation and financial risk management. He also served on Hydro’s subsidiary and joint venture company boards including Roaring 40s, Momentum Energy, Entura and Bell Bay Power Pty Ltd. Prior to his employment at Hydro Tasmania Lance was Chief Financial Officer at Tasmanian ship builder Incat.
Lance holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Tasmania and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and CPA Australia. Lance served the accountancy profession for many years including with the Institute of Chartered Accountants as a State and National Councillor, Chairman of the State Council, Member of the National Board and its Governance Committee, as a State Councillor of the Taxation Institute, as well as a member of the Tasmanian ASIC Liaison Group. Lance is also a Director of Liferaft Systems Australia Pty Ltd.
Paul Balfe
Executive Director
ACIL Allen Consulting
Paul Balfe is a Director of ACIL Allen Consulting, formed in April 2013 through the merger of ACIL Tasman and the Allen Consulting Group and now Australia’s largest independent economic consultancy company. Paul has worked for 35 years in the Australian energy and resources sectors, and has overall responsibility for ACIL Allen’s gas business. He has lead the development and commercialization of ACIL Allen’s detailed gas market models and their application to strategic and policy analysis throughout Australia and internationally. Prior to joining ACIL in 1995, Mr Balfe held a number of senior executive positions in the Queensland Department of Mines and Energy. He has advised government and corporate sector clients on commercial and regulatory matters relating to the coal, oil and gas industries including CSG, shale gas and other unconventional hydrocarbon sources, as well as alternative and renewable energies. With qualifications in geology and business administration, his experience ranges across both technical and commercial aspects of project evaluation and development.
Cr Conrad Bolton
Mayor
Narrabri Shire Council
Conrad Bolton was appointed local Chair of North West LLS on 3 October 2013.
Over the years Conrad Bolton has maintained a high level of community involvement. He has developed an appreciation of the difficulties facing rural communities, from a practical, social and environmental perspective in his role as Councillor and current Mayor of Narrabri Shire Council.
These roles have involved the development of proposals and submissions to local, state and federal governments to secure funding for local community projects. He has liaised and engaged with various agencies, departments and contractors and has played a key role in many complex projects.
As a farmer, Conrad has gained experience in key environmental and natural resource management issues. He has a thorough understanding of efficient, environmentally sensitive farming practices designed to have the best possible impact on soils, water, native vegetation and native animals.
Conrad joined the board of the Namoi Catchment Management Authority in 2012.
Conrad has a record in building relationships and working with others. He has broad knowledge and practical skills in the following areas: primary production; natural resource management; social and economic analysis; Aboriginal cultural heritage; community education; conservation and the environment; local government; consultation, negotiation and facilitation; communication; community capacity building; and business administration.
Conrad has been involved with a wide range of committees in his local community, over a long period time, and devotes time and resources to support local, regional and national fund raising events.
Conrad was a member of the Royal Australian Navy in the late 1970’s during which time he was awarded a Queens Bravery Award.
John Bradley
Chief Executive Officer
Energy Networks Association
John Bradley is an experienced chief executive with diverse experience in the electricity, gas, water and resources sectors. He has been a consultant to the IMF on State Owned Enterprise reform and served as the Director General of Queensland’s Department of Premier and Cabinet until 2012. He was the Director General of the Department of Environment and Resource Management from 2009 to 2012 and the CEO of the Queensland Water Commission during the Millennium drought. John led the restructure and economic regulation of the Western Australian electricity industry in 2006 and the South East Queensland Water industry in 2010. Earlier in his career, he undertook regulatory reforms in Queensland’s gas industry and led significant power and gas infrastructure projects.
John holds an MBA from QUT and BA from the University of Queensland. He serves as a non-executive Director of Greening Australia Limited.
Cheryl Cartwright
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Pipelines and Gas Association
The Australian Pipelines and Gas Association represents the interests of more than 450 members involved in all sectors of the industry – constructors, owners, operators, advisers, engineering companies and suppliers of pipeline products and services. The gas transportation sector is a major part of Australia’s national energy economy, but APGA also represents companies involved in the transportation of water, slurry, oil and other liquids.
Before working in the gas industry, Cheryl had two decades of experience in media and politics, as a political reporter for print, radio and television, then as a political adviser including as Chief of Staff to then-Agriculture Minister the Hon Warren Truss MP, who is now Deputy Prime Minister.
Under Cheryl’s leadership, APGA has introduced new opportunities for young people in the industry, developed engineering competency standards for the industry, both of which are internationally recognised, expanded the Association’s work in natural gas and energy policy and broadened the focus of the many networking events around the nation.
Through her position as a director of the Australian Gas Industry Trust, which is Australia’s representative in the International Gas Union, she was appointed to the IGU’s high-level executive committee.
Richard Cottee
Managing Director
Central Petroleum
Richard’s first involvement with the oil and gas industry was working for Crusader Oil in the negotiation of the Cooper Basin Liquids Scheme following which he joined Santos as a Senior Marketing Officer for LPG. Following the Jackson Oil field discovery, he moved to Brisbane on the opening of its Qld Office as Commercial Manager. In 2002 he became Managing Director of QGC, a company which then had 9 employees and a market capitalization of $30 million. In 2009 QGC was taken over by BG for 5.75 Billion. At QGC, he was instrumental in creating a gas market in Qld and the formation of the LNG export industry. He has also been a CEO of CS Energy, a government owned electricity generator and in its 3 years doubled its profits and tripled its generating capacity. In his working life he has been involved in creating around 10,000 permanent jobs primarily in Qld.
John Cotter
Commissioner and Chairman
Queensland Gasfields Commission
John Cotter, Chairman of GasFields Commission Queensland works with his fellow Commissioners to manage and improve sustainable coexistence among rural landholders, regional communities and the onshore gas industry in Queensland.
Mr Cotter is a landholder and beef producer with more than 30 years of experience in rural advocacy. He is a former President of AgForce, the peak rural industry organisation in Queensland and has successfully negotiated the rights of rural property owners in challenging times.
Mr Cotter has a track record of bringing onshore gas company senior executives, landholders, heads of government and advocacy groups to the table and leading open and frank discussions.
Steve Davies
National Policy Manager
Australian Pipelines and Gas Association
Steve Davies is the National Policy Manager at the Australian Pipeline Industry Association, with responsibility for government relations and policy development and response. Policy issues on Steve’s mind this year include: economic regulation, gas market development and Short Term Trading Markets, clean energy regulations, fugitive emissions, energy efficiency, transparency, the treatment of pipelines in planning legislation, coal seam gas and today’s topic: workforce development and training.
Steve came to APIA from the Federal Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (DRET), Offshore Resources Branch of the Resources Division in 2008. He has a Bachelor of Petroleum Engineering, but long ago, through positions in industry associations and government, realised he preferred economics to engineering, and now he prefers to avoid technical matters.
Jeff Dimery
Chief Executive Officer
Alinta Energy
In March 2011 Jeff was appointed to the position of CEO of Alinta Energy and brings with him approximately 25 years experience in the energy and water resources industry.
Prior to joining the private equity firm TPG Capital as a senior Energy Advisor in September 2010, Jeff spent the past 15 years with AGL Energy. During his time at AGL, Jeff held executive and senior management roles in the areas of Wholesale Markets (Gas & Electricity), Power Generation, Sales and Corporate.
Jeff has held numerous energy industry directorships including The National Generator’s Forum (NGF), the Australian Wind Energy Association, the Renewable Energy Generator’s of Australia, the Clean Energy Council and the Australian Energy Market Commission’s Reliability Panel. Jeff has also held directorships in a number of AGL investment companies including GEAC (owned in partnership with TEPCO, Mitsui, MTA, Transfield and others minorities) and ActewAGL) in addition to Not For Profits such as the OTIS Foundation (Cancer Care Organisation).
Jeff’s formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Business degree from RMIT University and he has also completed an Executive Programme at IMD in Switzerland.
Martin Ferguson
Non-Executive Director
BG Group
Martin Ferguson has a long history of public service and work in economic and social policy.
From 1984 until 1990 Martin served as the General Secretary of the Miscellaneous Workers Union and from 1990 until 1996 as President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). As a senior trade union official, from 1984 until 1996 he sat on the ACTU National Executive, participating directly in shaping and implementing many of the economic reforms of the Hawke and Keating Governments.
In March 1996, Martin was elected as a Member of the Federal Parliament in the seat of Batman, in Melbourne, which he held until retiring at this year’s election. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in June 1996.
During the Howard Government, Martin served in a range of economic shadow portfolios, including Employment and Training; Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Regional Development, Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Services and Population; Urban and Regional Development, Transport and Infrastructure; Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism; and Transport, Roads and Tourism.
Upon the Rudd Government assuming office in December 2007, Martin was appointed the Minister for Resources and Energy and the Minister for Tourism, and acted as the Chair of the Standing Council on Resources and Energy and the Ministerial Council for Tourism. He held the Resources, Energy and Tourism portfolios until March 2013, when he resigned from the Ministry.
Martin chairs a Tasmanian Government advisory panel into the state’s timber industry; is chair of an advisory board to the Australian oil and gas industry association, APPEA; is a special adviser to the current Federal Minister for Industry on gas development in New South Wales; and is an executive with the Seven Group Holdings with responsibility for natural resources. In late 2013, Martin was appointed as a non-Executive Director of British Gas.
Martin is also a pro bono member of the University of Western Australia’s advisory board on resources and energy. Martin has an honours degree in economics from Sydney University.
Alex Fraser
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Energy Retailers Association of Australia
Alex is the Interim CEO of the Energy Retailers Association of Australia.
She has extensive experience in the energy sector and has worked for over a decade as a senior advisor for energy, water and climate change at both a State and Federal level in Australia and in the UK.
Michael Fuge
Chief Executive Officer
Pacific Hydro
Michael joined Pacific Hydro in July 2014 as Chief Executive Officer. With 20 years of international experience in the energy sector, his career has focused on driving transformations in performance in the areas of growth, productivity, efficiency, safety and people engagement. Michael has deep energy experience across exploration, production and distribution, having led large teams and complex, large-scale developments in New Zealand, Oman and Brunei. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Commerce, Chemical and Process Engineering, Hons) and a Master of Commerce (Hons) from the University of Canterbury.
Miles George
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
Infigen Energy
Miles is the Managing Director of Infigen Energy and has over 20 years’ experience in business development, investment, financing and management roles in the infrastructure and energy sectors in Australia, the US and Europe.
Over the past 13 years Miles has been focused on development, investment, financing and management in the renewable energy industry.
Miles undertook a leading role in the development of Infigen’s first wind farm project at Lake Bonney in South Australia, commencing in 2000. In 2003 Miles jointly led the team which established the renewable energy business now known as Infigen Energy. In 2005 Miles jointly led the Initial Public Offer and listing of Infigen’s business on the ASX.
Following listing, Miles continued to work on the development, financing and management of Infigen’s wind farm investments in Australia, the US and Europe. He was appointed as Managing Director of Infigen Energy in 2009.
Miles holds degrees of Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Business Administration (Distinction) from the University of Melbourne. Miles was appointed as Chairman of the Board of the Clean Energy Council in December 2013.
Barry Goldstein
Executive Director Energy and Resources
South Australian Department of State Development
Barry Goldstein has more than 30 years international experience in energy businesses.
He is Executive Director for South Australia’s Energy Resources Division, leading a team of geoscientists, engineers, licensing and royalty specialists, and support staff. This is a team of both hunters and games-keeper e.g. both attracts and regulates investment. This team is focused on the delivery of regulatory nirvana for resources projects and published a roadmap for unconventional gas projects in December 2012. This team is also responsible for developing policies for, auditing and collecting petroleum and mining royalties.
He serves on several national (Australian) government committees focused on the deployment of leading practice regulation, the direction of research and investment attraction for petroleum, geothermal energy, and greenhouse gas storage – providing advice to State, Territory and Commonwealth Minerals and Energy Resource Ministers.
Prior to joining the South Australian Government, Barry was Exploration Manager and Chief Geologist for Santos, Chief Geologist - Bridge Oil, and Chief Geologist – Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Corporation after starting with Phillips Petroleum. He has explored for and discovered energy resources the North Sea, Indonesia, Australia, PNG, and South America.
Barry serves as the American Association of Petroleum Geologist’s Asia-Pacific EMD Councillor, AAPG House of Delegates representative for the Asia – Pacific region, member of the Australian (Federal) Government Expert Panel for geothermal energy, and also serves on the South Australian Centre for Geothermal Energy Research and the Australian School of Petroleum.
Barry is also the Chairman of the organising committee for the World Geothermal Congress 2015 in Melbourne, the Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency’s Geothermal Implementing Agreement, the Chairman for the 2015 World Geothermal Conference, a member of the Board for the Geothermal Resource Council (USA) and Chairman of the Australian Geothermal Energy Group.
He is a past President of the Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia (PESA), and has served on the Boards of PESA (2001-7), the Australian Geoscience Council (2004-7), and the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technologic Societies (2004-7). He is a Coordinating Lead Author for the IPCC’s 2012 Special Report on Renewable Energy (Geothermal), provided the entry covering geothermal energy in Springer’s Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology and was a member of Australia’s Carbon Storage Task Force. In recognition of his work for the betterment of geoscience, Barry received the AAPG’s Distinguished Service Award in April 2008. He graduated from the University of New York (Bachelors – Geology, 1975) and the University of Missouri (Masters – Geology, 1977). Last, Barry has a sense of humour.
Brian Green
Energy and Regulatory Manager
Australian Paper
Chairman
Energy Users Association of Australia
Over 20 years experience in the power generation and transmission industry in the UK (CEGB) and Australia (SECV) covering engineering and operational management roles.
23+ years experience in the pulp and paper industry working with AMCOR, PaperlinX and Nippon Paper Group.
Experience includes design and installation of HV electrical distribution systems, management of operational and engineering groups, project management.
Current role encompasses all aspects of energy policy and regulation for Australian Paper including relationships with regulators and government bodies.
Following 25 years in the generation and transmission sectors Brian moved across to the manufacturing side in 1991 when he joined AMCOR to manage their energy plant at Maryvale Mill, the largest energy user in Victoria. In his current role Brian is responsible for Australian Paper’s energy policy, procurement and management and is based in Mount Waverley.
“Australia is at the crossroads of energy development in the 21st century and is poised to become a superpower in the energy world. The challenge before us is how to embrace and develop the new LNG export markets whilst maintaining a competitive domestic industry at the same time.
Eastern Australia’s Energy Markets Outlook 2015 conference is an ideal opportunity for industry professionals to hear the issues first-hand and engage in developing an energy policy for Australia."
Kylie Hargreaves
Deputy Secretary, Resources and Energy
NSW Department of Industry
In October 2013, Kylie was appointed to the position of Deputy Secretary, Resources and Energy, a specialist division within the NSW Department of Industry (formerly known as NSW Trade and Investment). Her division has a variety of roles related to the effective, sustainable exploitation and management of the State’s Resources and Energy sectors.
Within NSW Department of Industry, Kylie has previously held the roles of Acting Deputy Director General for Industry, Innovation Hospitality and the Arts, Executive Director for Investment and Export Services and Executive Director for International Markets and Trade.
Prior to joining NSW Department of Industry in July 2009, Kylie spent 10 years overseas as Australia’s Senior Trade Commissioner for the UK, Ireland and Israel; Senior Trade Commissioner for West USA and Senior Trade Commissioner for Spain and Portugal.
Ellen Lambridis
Executive Director, Energy Wholesale & Group Capital Management
Alinta Energy
Ellen Lambridis is responsible for Alinta Energy’s wholesale energy function including market trading activities. Ellen is also responsible for the management of the Alinta’s capital requirements. Ellen has worked at Alinta since 2008.
Ellen has over 16 years of experience in energy and natural resources sectors. Prior to her appointment as Executive Director Ellen held the position of Group Treasurer at Alinta for over 4 years. Ellen lived and work in London for 6 years prior to commencement at Alinta working in various senior roles for resource giant Anglo American where she used her financial expertise in trading and financial markets’ functions within Anglo’s Corporate Treasury function. Over the years Ellen has also gained experience in project management, strategic planning and risk management through central and leading roles in large and complex M&A transactions.
Jock Laurie
NSW Land and Water Commissioner
Jock Laurie was appointed as NSW’s first Land and Water Commissioner in December 2012.
Mr Laurie has served as President of the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) since November 2010. He was President of the NSW Farmers’ Association from 2005 to 2009.
Mr Laurie currently chairs the Doyles Creek Mine’s Community Consultative Committee. Jock Laurie has also served as Chair of the Rural Mental Health Network and on the Agricultural Ministerial Advisory Council, the Natural Resources Advisory Council, the NSW Workplace Health & Safety Strategy Review Committee, the AgStart Ministerial Advisory Board, and the Noxious Weeds Advisory Council.
Mr Laurie and his family run fine wool sheep, cross-bred lambs and cattle at their property near Walcha.
Meg McDonald
Chief Operating Officer
Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Ms McDonald was CEO of Low Carbon Australia prior to its merger with the CEFC. She has significant career experience in business and carbon policy. Ms McDonald had roles with Alcoa as President of Alcoa Foundation and Director, Global Issues, Alcoa Inc. in New York and General Manager, Corporate Affairs for Alcoa in Australia. Before joining Alcoa, she was a senior Australian diplomat, holding roles including Australia's Deputy Ambassador to the United States, where she played a central role in the establishment of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement. As Australia's Ambassador for the Environment in 1997-98, Ms McDonald was Australia's lead negotiator for the Kyoto Protocol and played a key role in shaping those negotiations and other environment treaties.
As CEO of Low Carbon Australia, Ms McDonald led the development of innovative financial solutions to Australian business, government and the wider community to encourage action on energy efficiency, cost-effective carbon reductions, and accreditation for carbon neutral products and organisations. Low Carbon Australia financed a range of individual energy efficiency projects, and significant investment partnerships in excess of $80 million, generating a flow of new financing of more than $270 million for energy efficiency and low emissions technologies in the marketplace.
Ms McDonald holds an Honours Degree in Applied Science from the University of NSW.
Peter McIntyre
Managing Director
TransGrid
Peter McIntyre is the Managing Director of NSW transmission network service provider TransGrid.
Peter has over 25 years experience in the electricity transmission industry, with particular expertise in policy development, asset management and regulatory strategy.
Prior to his appointment as Managing Director, Peter’s held three Executive positions with TransGrid: General Manager/System Operations, General Manager/Network Performance and Development, and General Manager/Network Development and Regulatory Affairs.
He holds a degree in science, an Honours degree in electrical engineering and an MBA.
Peter is Chairman of Grid Australia and a Board member of the Energy Networks Association. Peter is also a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Energy, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ian McLeod
Chief Executive Officer
Ergon Energy
Regarded nationally as a thought leader and innovator, Ian is passionate about creating value for customers, employees and shareholders. Ian is leading the transformation of Queensland’s (Australia) regional poles and wires business, Ergon Energy, from a monopoly transporter of electricity to an open access platform that enables the efficient integration of distributed energy resources and user applications within an effective market construct.
Ian has led key innovations including the development of a spatial intelligence and situational awareness capability, ROAMES (2015 Edison Award International Finalist), and the development and delivery of Townsville Energy Smart Community Smart Grid Program which was a(An Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Smart Grid demonstration project and Queensland Premiers Award Finalist, as well as receiving the EPRI Technology Transfer Award.
Chief Executive of Ergon Energy Corporation Limited since 2007, Ian has more than 30 years’ experience in the energy industry in a broad range of roles and functions. Ian also holds the positions of Chairman of Ergon Energy Queensland Pty (Retail), Ergon Energy Telecommunications, SPARQ Solutions Pty Ltd (ICT) and Queensland Futures Institute Energy Committee, and is Deputy Chairman of Energy Supply Association of Australia (ESAA).
Martin Moore
Chief Executive Officer
CS Energy
Martin Moore is Chief Executive Officer of CS Energy, a merchant generator which owns, operates, and trades electricity from a portfolio of power station assets. CS Energy’s assets are valued at approximately $2.0bn, with annual operating revenues of over $600m.
Martin has forged a successful career working for a range of blue chip companies across multiple industries. He is known as a courageous leader with outstanding business acumen, and is attracted to businesses in turnaround.
Prior to joining CS Energy, Martin spent five years at Aurizon (formerly QR National), where he was an integral part of the Executive team that took the company to one of the largest and most successful IPOs in Australian corporate history.
Martin holds an Executive MBA from the Brisbane Graduate School of Business (QUT), and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.
Rob Murray-Leach
Executive, Policy and Advocacy
Energy Efficiency Council
Rob Murray-Leach is the Executive, Policy and Advocacy at the Energy Efficiency Council, the Australian peak body for energy efficiency, demand-management and cogeneration. Since its formation in 2009, the Council has put energy efficiency at the centre of Australia's energy policy. Rob was formerly a member of the Prime Minister’s Task Group on Energy Efficiency and the Garnaut Climate Change Review. He has a background in behaviour and sustainability from the Universities of Oxford and Adelaide and has contributed to several award-winning books on these topics. In 2011 he received the EcoGen Young Clean Energy Industry Leader award.
Tim O’Grady
General Manager Policy and Government Engagement
Origin Energy
Tim O’Grady is General Manager Public Policy and Government Engagement at Origin Energy, responsible for developing and advocating for energy, resources, carbon and general policy positions across Origin’s portfolio of business interests. Tim has over 25 years experience in the energy industry with senior positions in policy, strategy and wholesale and retail energy markets. Tim holds degrees in engineering, mathematics and business.
Keith Orchison
Director
Coolibah Pty Ltd
Keith Orchison has been engaged in the Australian energy industry for 33 years, of which he spent 24 as chief executive of national industry associations representing the upstream petroleum and electricity supply sectors.
He was a founder of the Australian Industry Greenhouse Network, which he chaired in 2000. From 2003 to 2007 he served on the Critical Infrastructure Advisory Council set up by the Howard government and was chairman of its energy committee. He was also chairman of CSIRO's energy technology advisory committee in the late 1990s and was deputy chairman and the overseeing manager of the Australian Electricity Supply Industry Research Board through most of the 1990s.
In 2011-12 he was a member of the Federal Government's energy white paper reference group.
Keith was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2004 and was awarded the 2012 Sir Willis Connolly Memorial Medal by AusIMM for communication services to the resources sector. He also is a holder of the APPEA Gold Medal (now the Reg Sprigg Medal), awarded in 1994 for services to the petroleum industry.
Keith has been principal of consultancy Coolibah Pty Ltd since retiring from ESAA at the end of 2003 and has numerous clients for his communications services across the spectrum of energy stakeholders.
He edited the "Powering Australia" yearbook from 2007 to 2012.
He is a commentator on energy issues for "Business Spectator" electronic newspaper and has a new column in "Gas Today" magazine.
His "This is Power" blog and monthly newsletter on the Coolibah website are widely read in the energy industry.
In late 2012, in partnership with media company ArmstrongQ, he launched the "OnPower" website and yearbook to provide a new media focus on eastern Australia's electricity supply business.
Hugh Outhred
Associate Professor
UNSW
Hugh Outhred is Managing Director of Ipen Pty Ltd, a boutique company established in 1998 to provide advisory and educational services in the interdisciplinary area of energy, society and the environment.
Hugh holds the degrees of BSc, BE (First Class Honours) in Electrical Engineering and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Sydney.
He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Energy and a Life Member of The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. After a 35-year career at the University of New South Wales, Hugh retired in September 2007 as Presiding Director, Centre for Energy and Environmental Markets and Head, Electrical Energy Research Group, School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications. Hugh has been a Fulbright Senior Fellow at the University of California Berkeley, a Lead Author for the IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation, a Board Member of the Australian CRC for Renewable Energy, an Associate Director of UNSW’s Centre for Photovoltaic Devices and Systems, a Member of CSIRO’s Energy Flagship Advisory Committee, a Member of the National Electricity Tribunal and a Member of the NSW Licence Compliance Advisory Board. He has provided advice and taught 120 short courses on competitive electricity industry design and renewable energy integration.
Brendan Pearson
Chief Executive Officer
Minerals Council of Australia
Brendan has been the Chief Executive Officer at Minerals Council of Australia since January 2014. Previously Mr. Pearson served as Vice President of Public Policy for Australia at Peabody Energy and as the Deputy CEO at the MCA. He has also worked as a diplomat, serving in Washington, and as a journalist for the Australian Financial Review, based in Tokyo. He holds degrees in international politics and history from the University of Cambridge and the Australian National University.
John Pierce
Chairman
Australian Energy Market Commission
Commissioner Pierce was appointed AEMC Chairman in June 2010. His commitment to industry and regulatory reform has underpinned his contribution to national energy reform through a number of senior roles including his tenure as Secretary of the Federal Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism which followed 12 years of service as Secretary of the New South Wales (NSW) Treasury. He was a key adviser to Government and Chairman of the NSW Treasury Corporation.
Prior to his time at NSW Treasury he was Pacific Power Chief Economist. John holds a BCom (Hons) (UNSW). He was a Visiting Scholar at Boston University during 2004-2005 working on public sector performance management.
Tennant Reed
Principal National Adviser – Public Policy
Australian Industry Group
Tennant Reed is Principal National Adviser – Public Policy at the Australian Industry Group. For the last six years he has worked heavily on climate and energy issues, advising Ai Group’s Leaders’ Group on Energy and Climate Policy, helping establish the Australian Climate Roundtable, and developing reports on natural gas supply, energy prices and energy efficiency. He also works on a range of issues related to manufacturing and innovation. Previously he was an adviser in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, working on fiscal policy, stimulus and infrastructure. Tennant lives in Melbourne with his wife and son.
Will Rifkin
Chair in Social Performance
Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining
Will Rifkin is the Chair in Social Performance in the University of Queensland’s Centre for Coal Seam Gas and Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining. His current focus is a project to get industry, government, and the community to collaborate in identifying salient and credible indicators of cumulative social and economic impacts of coal seam gas development on communities in Queensland’s Western Downs region. He was recognised in 2015 as one of 20 leaders in natural gas in Australia by the trade journal, Gas Today. Rifkin has completed consultancies and research with organisations such as Fletcher Challenge Energy, BHP Coal and Coke, and Western Australia’s Water Corporation.
He is an engineer-turned-sociologist with degrees from MIT (physics), the University of California-Berkeley (energy and resources), and Stanford University (sociotechnical studies). His focus is communication among experts and relative non-experts in settings ranging from steel mills and public hearings to doctors’ offices, press conferences, and university classrooms. He has synthesised insights from fields such as conversation analysis, anthropological study of witchdoctors, organisational change, and adult learning.
Rifkin has worked to improve communication between technical and nontechnical people for the past 25 years. His current efforts are around engaging non-experts in communities, industry, and government in informed and productive conversations around energy resource choices.
Malcolm Roberts
Chief Executive Officer
APPEA
Before joining APPEA in June 2015, Malcolm Roberts was Chairman of the Queensland Competition Authority.
He has considerable experience in industry associations, having held leadership roles with the Energy Networks Association, The National Generators’ Forum, the Australian National Retailers Association and the Housing Industry Association.
Dr Roberts has also worked in government as a policy adviser to ministers and in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. He was an adviser and then chief of staff to Ian Macfarlane in 2001-04 and 2006-07.
Cr John Rosenbaum
Mayor
Gloucester Shire Council
I am currently the Mayor of Gloucester Shire Council and have a strong background in the agricultural industry (cattle and pastures). My home town of Gloucester has, during the last 10 years, been subjected to activities by extractive industries including coal seam gas which could dramatically change the agricultural landscape of our region and our way of life. I have witnessed firsthand the negative effect this has had on both individuals and the community at large and on our beautiful valley’s landscape. I have grave concerns for the long term future of our pristine region and its present and potential future residents, the viability for business operators and the experience being offered to visitors. As a result of this invasion by extractive industries, I believe Gloucester’s future and potential growth will be immeasurably compromised.
Keisuke Sadamori
Director for Energy Markets and Security
International Energy Agency
Keisuke Sadamori became the IEA Director for Energy Markets and Security in 2012, leading an administrative structure that includes several core functions of the IEA, including monitoring global oil markets and responding to energy-supply disruptions. Prior to joining the IEA, Mr. Sadamori, a Japanese national, held many senior positions at the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), including Deputy Director-General at the Minister’s Secretariat. Mr. Sadamori served as the executive assistant to the Prime Minister in 2011, when the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan, causing the Fukushima Nuclear Plant accident. Before this, he worked on international energy affairs and was the representative of the Government of Japan in such fora as the IEA Governing Board in 2008 and 2009. He also served as the chief negotiator for trade and investment agreements with Asian countries in 2009 and 2010. Mr. Sadamori received an LL.B. from University of Tokyo in 1983 and a Masters in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University in 1990.
Margaret Sewell
Head of Division, Energy
Department of Industry and Science
Margaret has been the Head of the Energy Division since March 2015. Prior to that she led the Taskforce which produced the Australian Government’s Energy White Paper.
Before moving to the Taskforce in November 2013 she was the Head of the Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Division in the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, administering policy and programs to accelerate the development and deployment of emerging energy technologies. This included low emissions coal and carbon capture and storage, emissions abatement from coal mines and industrial scale energy efficiency and working closely with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency in developing policy in the renewable sector. The Division also coordinated the Department’s involvement in a range of bilateral and multilateral trade and technology forums in the resources and energy sectors.
Prior to the establishment of ARENA, Margaret was the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy, in the Department and was responsible for the Government’s Solar Flagships and CCS Flagships program. She has previously been the General Manager of the Low Emissions Coal and CO2 Storage Branch in the Department and the Taxation and Projects Branch, looking after mine safety, minerals and petroleum taxation and the cement industry. She has also worked in Invest Australia, with responsibility for promoting investment opportunities in the Australian mining, energy, infrastructure and agribusiness sectors.
Rod Sims
Chairman
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Rod Sims was appointed Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in August 2011 for a five year term.
Rod has extensive business and public sector experience. Immediately prior to his appointment to the ACCC, he was the Chairman of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales, Commissioner on the National Competition Council, Chairman of InfraCo Asia, Director of Ingeus Limited, and member of the Research and Policy Council of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. Rod was also a Director of Port Jackson’s Partners Limited where he advised the CEOs and Boards of some of Australia’s top 50 companies on commercial corporate strategy over many years. Rod relinquished all of these roles on becoming Chairman of the ACCC.
Rod is also a past Chairman of the NSW Rail Infrastructure Corporation and the State Rail Authority and has been a Director of a number of private sector companies. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Rod worked as the Deputy Secretary in the Commonwealth Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet responsible for economic, infrastructure and social policy and the Cabinet Office. He also worked as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Transport and Communications.
Rod Sims holds a first class honours degree in Commerce from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Economics from the Australian National University.
Jim Snow
Executive Director
Oakley Greenwood
Jim spent 12 years in the Natural Gas Industry (AGL) holding several senior executive positions involved with the technical end use of energy, regulations and tariffs, contract pricing, analysis of energy projects investment, strategy, mergers and acquisitions and the promotion and marketing of energy.
Jim has senior executive experience running a major Development and Construction business for listed entity Energy Developments Ltd. This encompassed power station developments and CNG and LNG facility developments in Australia. Jim has also been the CEO of a major electrical power systems contracting company specialising in the design and construction of overhead power lines and electrical contracting.
Jim also has some 16 years experience in consulting to the energy industry, industrial energy consumers and the water industry in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East. This has involved him in the development of consulting businesses including the founding of two leading practices (Energetics and CRA International) and several smaller undertakings in that time (including Snowshill Consulting Pty Ltd).
Areas of expertise cover full senior management and leadership capability, advising on and implementing utility strategy and restructuring internationally, corporate management and governance, detailed economic regulation, greenhouse gas mitigation and policy, regulatory undertakings and regulatory affairs, detailed contractual matters, market development, and JV development and management.
Mike Swanston
Former General Manager Customer Advocacy
Energex
Mike was formerly the Group Manager - Customer Advocate at Energex. As well as carrying responsibility for the stakeholder and industry relationship management team for Energex, his team was focused on ‘stepping outside the company’ and fostering a healthy and productive community and customer focus.
Mike is a power systems engineer of 25 years experience in technical, regulatory, public affairs and strategic management positions across utilities in three states.
Before his position with Energex, Mike was Senior Network Manager for Powercor Australia.
Kane Thornton
Chief Executive Officer
Clean Energy Council
Kane Thornton is Chief Executive of the Clean Energy Council, the peak body for the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry in Australia.
Kane has over a decade's experience in energy policy and leadership in the development of the clean energy industry. Kane has advocated for and helped design the policies that have been critical to the clean energy industry's growth, and continues to be an active political advocate, public presenter and spokesperson for the clean energy industry.
His previous roles include senior manager and advisor for Hydro Tasmania – Australia's largest generator of renewable energy – and executive officer of Renewable Energy Generators Australia.
Kane has broad international management experience including holding a range of advisory and board roles with government and non-government organisations in the climate change and energy sector.
Kane is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, has a Masters in Social Science and Bachelor of Information Technology.
Garry Tuckwell
Vice President
CGI
In over 25 years of experience, spanning a variety of senior roles across the Retail, Financial Services, Mining and Utility industries, Garry has been at the intersection of many technology disruptions that industries, and businesses within, have had to navigate their way through. Having worked closely with many of the Victorian market participants through the deployment of smart energy technologies, Garry brings a wealth of insight and experience from his digital perspective, to the discussion about the future direction of the Eastern Energy Market in Australia.
Anthony Vassallo
Delta Electricity Chair in Sustainable Energy Development
The University of Sydney
Professor Tony Vassallo holds the Delta Electricity Chair in Sustainable Energy Development at the University of Sydney, in the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. He took up this position in October 2008. Prior to this, he held the position of Senior Principal Research Scientist with the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, followed by a period of consultancy to industry and government in the field of sustainable energy technology. Tony has a PhD in Chemistry from Macquarie University.
Matthew Warren
Chief Executive Officer
Energy Supply Association of Australia
Matthew Warren joined esaa in January 2012, having spent 15 years working as an environment and energy policy specialist. An economist by training, his objective at esaa is to ensure that esaa’s research and advocacy assists the downstream electricity and gas sector to continue to provide a safe, reliable and affordable energy supply for Australia.
Matthew was previously CEO of the Clean Energy Council, where he made a significant contribution to Australian policy debate on the role of renewable energy in meeting the challenges of reducing emissions.
Matthew has also worked for the mining industry in NSW, as an environmental consultant to both government and industry and was a trainee in the Environment Directorate of the European Commission. He has also worked as a journalist, most recently as the environment writer for The Australian newspaper.
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Economics with Honours from the University of Adelaide.
Jason West
Senior Energy Market Consultant
Energy Exemplar
Jason is the Senior Energy Market Consultant for Asia-Pacific. Jason has over 20 years’ global experience in energy markets, including 7 years with a global energy trader in London. His expertise is energy market analysis. Jason has worked in the UK, US, The Netherlands and Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Business Systems from Monash University and is a full member of the Society of Technical Analysts in the UK.
Ben Wilson
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Gas Networks
Previously, Ben was the Director of Strategy and Regulation and Chief Financial Officer at UK Power Networks (UKPN), a large electricity distribution company in the UK with 8 million customers, and also owned by the CK Group. Before joining UKPN in 2011 Ben was a utilities investment banker for fifteen years, working Europe, Asia and Latin America, most recently at Deutsche Bank.
Ben commenced with Australian Gas Networks Limited in March 2015.
Tony Wood
Energy Program Director
Grattan Institute
Tony Wood has more than 30years’ experience in the fertiliser, chemical, transport and energy industries. He was an executive at Origin Energy, and it precursor Boral Energy, from 1994 until 2008. Tony is the Program Director, Energy at the Grattan Institute, an independent think-tank focused on Australian public policy. He is also with the Clinton Foundation in the role of Director of the Clean Energy Program, where he leads their activities on accelerating the deployment of low emission energy technologies in the Asia-Pacific Region and coordinates their international partnership with the Global CCS Institute. Tony is on the Executive Board of the Committee for Melbourne and he was seconded to the Garnaut Climate Change Review in 2008.
Gordon Wymer
Chief Financial Officer
Snowy Hydro
Gordon began his career as a product development actuary at Westpac Life, before moving to investment bank, Fay, Richwhite in 1995 to focus on energy M&A and cost of capital and capital structuring mandates. His involvement in the energy industry extends from advisory work to NSW Treasury on vesting contracts, through gas pipeline acquisitions and a takeover defense of a listed oil producer in 1999. A common thread that runs though his career is advising the shareholders of Snowy Hydro, an engagement that he carried from Fay Richwhite through five years at UBS, where he again focused on energy M&A before joining Snowy Hydro in 2003. He has been CFO since July 2006 and has led the development of Snowy Hydro's risk management framework and the company's evolution from generator to market risk manager and, since the acquisitions of 2015, to its position as the fourth pillar in the NEM.
Speaking Opportunities are still available for Eastern Australia's Energy Markets Outlook 2015
Interested in speaking at the Eastern Australia’s Energy Markets Outlook 2015 conference? Demonstrate your expertise to high level decision makers!
To discuss sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jon Treherne on +61 (0)2 8188 7536 or email jont@questevents.com.au