Speakers
(in alphabetic order by surname)
Susanne Bahn
Senior Lecturer in the School of Management, Faculty of Business and Law
Edith Cowan University
Dr Susanne Bahn is a Senior Lecturer (Research) in the Centre for Innovative Practice in the faculty of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University. Her doctoral study focussed on management values and safety culture. She has worked on several safety and social research projects over the past five years. Her interests lie in OH&S practice and processes, risk management, middle management change processes, and vocational educational training in the construction and mining industries. She has published extensively about health and safety process and practices focussing on organisational and management issues and responsibilities.
Tony Caccamo
Director of Operations
Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA)
Tony leads AMMA’s national team of consultants and is recognised as an industry leader in his field with extensive experience in the management of teams, project industrial relations and the provision of consulting and representation service to companies in the mining, oil and gas, aviation and metal industries.
In addition, he has extensive knowledge and experience in the maritime industry having represented maritime employers in bargaining negotiations, dispute resolution and lobbying activities. His detailed knowledge of the legislative framework, together with his knowledge of operational requirements of companies across a range of industries enables him to provide practical, strategic advice on a wide range of industrial relations and human resource matters.
Tony has also had direct involvement in managing off-shore construction projects and managed employee relations on a wide range of offshore and onshore resource projects. Tony’s industry support activities include lobbying governments on a range of matters.
Tony is currently the:
• Chairperson of the Hydrocarbons Special Interest Group
• Deputy member on the Seacare Authority representing Oil and Gas Vessel Operators; and
• AMMA Representative on the AMMA Board Reference Group.
Director - Mines Safety, Resources Safety Department
WA Department of Mines and Petroleum
Andrew Chaplyn has over 25 years of professional experience in the mining industry, including extensive experience in complex mining operations and various commodities in Western Australia and New South Wales.
He has worked in a variety of roles from a graduate mining engineer through to senior leadership roles, within a diverse range of management systems in mining and contract companies and government.
Since 2009, Andrew has worked for the Department of Mines and Petroleum, Western Australia, as a District inspector, Regional Inspector and, since November 2012, as the Director Mines Safety. He has been a key member of the management team that has delivered the reform and development strategy for Resources Safety since 2010.
Mathias Cormann
Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation
Federal Opposition
Mathias is the Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation.
He is also the Chair of the Senate Select Committee on the Scrutiny of New Taxes.
He was appointed to the Senate to represent the State of Western Australia in June 2007.
Mathias was born in Belgium and decided to migrate to Australia permanently after first visiting Perth in 1994, attracted by the great lifestyle and opportunities on offer in Western Australia.
Before migrating to Perth, Mathias had graduated in law at the Flemish university of Louvain (Leuven).
He has worked as a Ministerial Chief of Staff to WA State government Ministers, as Senior Adviser to then Western Australian Premier Richard Court and as an Adviser to then Justice and Customs Minister Chris Ellison.
Between 2003 and 2007 Mathias worked for major Western Australian health insurer HBF in a range of senior management roles, including as General Manager HealthGuard and as General Manager of HBF Health Insurance.
In 2001, realising a childhood dream, Mathias obtained his Private Pilots Licence through the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia.
Having joined the Liberal party in Western Australia in 1996, Mathias was elected Senior Vice President of the Perth Division in 2000, State Vice President in 2003 and State Senior Vice President in 2004, a responsibility he fulfilled until March 2008.
Mathias is married to Hayley, a lawyer with the Perth office of Clayton Utz.
Vito Forte
Chief Information Officer
Fortescue Metals Group
Vito Forte, CIO at Fortescue, has nearly 30 years’ experience in the construction, engineering and resources sectors, and combines a comprehensive knowledge of IT strategies with a proactive attitude to provide innovative and effective resolutions to expanding global organisations.
Vito is constantly striving to ensure that better, faster and more efficient outcomes are delivered across the business as it grows. He recognizes these needs, and successfully leads his team in the development of strategies that align with Fortescue’s business objectives.
Matt Fusarelli
Senior Economist
AME Group
Matt Fusarelli, B.Ec is a Senior Economist for AME. Prior to joining the company, Matt worked as an industry economist and researcher in real estate strategy with the Macquarie Group. His commercial experience also includes working as a project finance analyst for the resources sector and in risk management at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He also worked for a number of years in government affairs consultancy. Matt is responsible for AME’s strategic and economic analysis and base metals research.
Tim Griffin
Deputy Director General, Approvals Group
WA Department of Mines and Petroleum
Dr Tim Griffin is the Deputy Director General – Approvals at Department of Mines and Petroleum in Western Australia.
Previously, Dr Griffin held the position of the Executive Director at Geological Survey of Western Australia.
Dr Griffin has extensive experience in the resources sector, with over 15 years at senior management level. He has worked with a range of leaders inside and outside government, mainly in the upstream resources sector.
Dr Griffin also has strong technical background in geosciences, and thorough understanding of Western Australian policy and legislation relating to the mineral and energy sectors.
“The AMPAC Summit 2013 will help to explain challenges governments face to streamline approvals and meet community expectations for tougher controls on the resources industry.”
Steve Hall
Director, Western Australian School of Mines
Curtin University
Steve Hall is a leading Australian academic in mining education. He is the Director of Curtin University’s Western Australian School of Mines with responsibility for multiple campus delivery of programs in applied geology, spatial sciences, exploration geophysics, mining engineering and metallurgical engineering to around 1800 students. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Mining Education Australia, a collaborative venture in curriculum development and delivery involving three partner Universities (New South Wales, Queensland and Adelaide).
Steve is a metallurgical engineer with interests in socio-environmental aspects of mining, including mine closure. He has taught and researched in the UK, Canada and Australia. He is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) and an Academician of the Russian Academy of Mining Sciences. He has extensive experience of African mining and leads the AusAID-funded Short Courses for Africa project on mining regulation and management.
Ray Hince
General Manager Recruitment - Australia
JDA Applus Velosi
A specialist in people sourcing strategy and workforce planning, Ray has built his reputation in the recruitment industry on the back of a successful career in finance and human resources, working for Westpac and Coles Myer.
In a recruitment career that began in 1998, he has worked for Management Recruiters Australia, Management Search Australasia and Chandler Macleod, engaged in a wide variety of senior management roles, servicing major accounts including Siemens, Iluka Resources, Honeywell and BHP Billiton.
Having worked client side for BHP Billiton as their Head of People Resourcing and Strategy, Ray knows the industry inside out. He has also operated as an independent Workforce Planning and Skill Shortage Strategy consultant for Site International Group (an Australian training organisation) and Atco Gas, a Canadian-owned gas infrastructure organisation operating in Australia.
Joining JDA Applus Velosi in his role as General Manager – Recruitment in November 2012, Ray is responsible for the delivery of Professional and Industrial recruitment solutions to client groups throughout Australia.
Jonathan Law
Director, Minerals Down Under Flagship
CSIRO
Jonathan Law is a graduate of the University of the Witwatersrand. He is a geologist by training and has worked across the value chain of the mineral resources industry and in many countries around the world. A major focus of his working career has been managing the interface between research and practical applications in industry.
He currently leads CSIROs mineral exploration, mining, processing and sustainability research program as director of the Australian Minerals Down Under National Research Flagship. The Flagship brings together CSIRO research with global partners in academia, government and industry to tackle short and longer term challenges to the sustainability of the Australian Minerals industry.
Gavin Lind
Director - Education & Training
Minerals Council of Australia (MCA)
Gavin is a mining engineer with early career experience in both the deep level gold mines and underground coal mines in his native South Africa. With a keen interest in financial and operational risk management, Gavin pursued and completed his Ph.D. in this topic at his alma mater, The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Johannesburg, in 2004, before joining the ranks of the academic world at the universities of Pretoria, Wits and most recently Curtin University (at the Western Australian School of Mines in Kalgoorlie).
Following various professional roles in industry, academia and government in both South Africa and Australia, Gavin joined the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) in 2010, first as its Assistant Director of Higher Education, and now as its Executive Director of the Minerals Tertiary Education Council (MTEC). As of September 2012, Gavin was additionally appointed as the Director, Education and Training for the MCA’s policy development and advocacy on careers, vocational education and training, higher education, workforce skills and participation and skilled migration related to the minerals industry.
Ron Manners
Executive Director
Mannwest
Ron Manners is Chairman of the Mannwest Group of private companies and a Director of QUBE Subiaco Development Pty Ltd. Mannwest Group evolved from the 1895 commencement of the mining engineering business in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, when his grandfather, W.G. Manners (the son of a Ballarat prospector) headed West to establish an engineering business, designing and building mining plants.
In 2012 the family company celebrates its 117th anniversary, but the long 117 year journey has not been “without some adventures”.
In terms of Australian history, 117 years is a long time, as his family’s firm commenced six years before Australia had a national flag, six years before the various States joined together to form the Commonwealth of Australia.
He is an active member of several Joint Venture Groups involved in property development.
Ron Manners describes himself as a fourth generation prospector (with over 50 years experience in the mining industry. Commencing as an Electrical Engineer (Kalgoorlie School of Mines), followed by 40 years of active prospecting for nickel and gold. Ron was also the founder and Chairman of Croesus Mining NL; during his time with the company it produced 1.275 million ounces of gold and paid 11 dividends.
He is Emeritus Chairman and a Patron of the Australian Mining Hall of Fame, the $25M project completed as part of Australia’s Centenary of Federation celebrations in 2001 and he was a subsequent Inductee in November, 2011.
In addition to being a Fellow of both the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, he is an active member of the Mont Pelerin Society, an international organisation formed in 1947 by a group of economists, including F.A. Hayek and Milton Friedman, to promote the values of free enterprise, minimal government and an open society of free individuals.
He is also on the Co-ordinating Committee for the Commonwealth Study Conference. In 2010 he was appointed to the Board of Overseers for the Atlas Economic Research Foundation in Washington, DC.
Ron’s contribution to industry and Australia have been marked by several awards, including being elected as a “Mining Legend” at the 2005 Excellence in Mining & Exploration Conference in Sydney, joining an impressive group of individuals selected each year for their contributions.
Ron has a broad range of interests, including his Mannkal Economic Education Foundation, a free-market think-tank with an annual budget of $500,000, which sponsors scholars and events in Western Australia.
Magued Moftah
Principal and WA Manager – Perth
Evans and Peck
Magued has a unique blend of Executive General Management and Project Management skills that have been acquired in the Western Australian and Asian engineering and construction markets. With a proven track record in engineering, construction and infrastructure development spanning a period of thirty years, Magued has extensive experience in management and project execution of substantial civic and urban projects including an exposure to industries such as railways, oil & gas, alumina and Water & Waste Water Projects and social infrastructure projects.
Complementary to the successful management of projects and activities, Magued has also extensive experience in Management Consulting for the Public and Private sectors, understanding client expectations, having developed the appropriate skills to communicate effectively with industry, government and stakeholders.
Magued has also been responsible for strategy development, facilitation and implementation of project delivery and procurement planning in the Public and Private Sectors for economic and mining infrastructure projects.
In senior positions Magued has held, he has honed his skills in being perceptive and incisive in making commercial decisions, providing strategic contribution and management expertise to assist in the execution management of large multi-disciplinary capital projects.
Stephen Pearce
Chief Financial Officer
Fortescue Metals Group
Mr. Pearce joined Fortescue in March 2010 as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Fortescue, Mr. Pearce served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Cross Electrical Engineering Limited and Chief Financial Officer of Alinta Limited. Mr. Pearce has previously served as Chairman of Amadeus Energy Ltd., and Chairman of Surtron Technologies Pty Ltd Mr. Pearce is a non-Executive Director of the Lions Eye Institute.
Mr Pearce received a Bachelor of Business from RMIT and a Graduate Diploma in Company Secretarial Practice. Mr. Pearce is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, a Chartered Secretary and Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ian Plimer
Director
Roy Hill Holdings and Queensland Coal Investments
Prof. David Plowman
Winthrop Professor, Management and Organisations
University of Western Australia
Professor Plowman holds an Honours degree in Economics (UWA), an MA (Melbourne) and PhD (Flinders). He has taught extensively at Australian and overseas universities and has been a Visiting Professor at a number of American and European institutions. From 1980 until 1991 he was the Australian academic Liaison Officer with the Japan Institute of Labour. He was the Foundation Director of the Graduate School of Management at UWA and in 1994 Professor Plowman was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia in recognition of his scholarly achievements. His writings include the authoring or co-authoring over 20 books 130 articles. He has also written on wage determination, employer associations, trade unions and Australian industrial relations. Three of his books and a number of his articles have been translated into other languages. His consultancies include a commissioned report to the Western Australian Government on defining, determining and adjusting the State’s minimum wage under the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act. The report formed the basis of the State’s minimum wage for a number of years. In 2012 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to child migrants and higher education.
Gina Rinehart
Executive Chair
Hancock Prospecting
Since becoming Executive Chairman of the Hancock Prospecting Group (HPPL) in 1992, she has been responsible for the protection and substantial growth of the company group. She applied for tenements at Roy Hill in West Australia, shortly after assuming her chairmanship, and later also the Alpha and Alpha West coal tenements in Queensland, together with adding to the company's initial minor holding in Kevin's corner. The earlier company holding in Kevin’s corner being too small by itself to be able to base a project given its long distance from the coast and the vast infrastructure required.
Mrs Rinehart has also continued to expand the pipeline of future projects for the HPPL group, including:
In 2007, Mrs Rinehart entered the Jacaranda Joint Venture Alliance, which has applied for additional tenements and holds tenements across Australia (uranium, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, diamonds and petroleum). HPPL manages the joint venture alliance.
In 2011 and 2012 entering joint venture interests in extensive prospective coal tenements in Queensland, which HPPL also manages.
But the focus of her efforts and investments since becoming Executive Chairman has been on Hope Downs, taking these tenements from a status of temporary titles to state agreement, then undertaking extensive expenditure and exploration and studies of them and undergoing an enormous approval process to building three mines and related facilities – Hope North, which commenced in 2007; Hope South, which commenced in 2008; and the nearing completion Hope 4 mine. This being in conjunction with JV partner, Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) since July 2005.
After the first mine was built at Hope North and the second under construction at Hope South, Mrs Rinehart also increased expenditure and effort on Roy Hill.
In 2010 Mrs Rinehart invested in and opened the first mine pit in the Galilee and in 2011 sent the first coal from the Galilee by ship to Asia. This relatively small private company was working on four tier one world class projects, virtually entirely acquired (not inherited) by a female chairman, who with only a very few executives, had brought these four major projects to a stage of bankable feasibility and early construction. In 2011 this small company, chaired by a West Australian woman, had more world class projects at this stage of development than even some of the world’s largest mining houses, and had a third major iron ore mine under construction with its partner, RTIO.
At the end of 2011 after the Galilee had been first opened by an Australian company as above, HPPL secured a JV partner, GVK of India, whose country needs the coal, which at that time was the largest joint venture between Australia and India without government or investment bank assistance.
In 2010 HPPL introduced STX of South Korea into Australia and welcomed the chairman for his first visit to West Australia.
In 2012 HPPL secured Asian steel mills (who need the iron ore) and Asian companies into Roy Hill, again without the assistance of investment banks, just with its small executive team.
Recent years have also seen Mrs Rinehart become increasingly concerned about Australia's high costs especially for industries that need to sell their commodities off-shore, and the growing problem of Australia's record debt. She has turned her mind to vision and policies as to how Australia can cope with and best prepare itself to address these problems and founded ANDEV, Australians for Northern Development and Economic Vision, on which executive she serves and chairs.
Recently she has been awarded global recognition for her vision with a global CEO vision award.
Craig Robertson
Head of Industry Skills Division
Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
Craig Robertson is currently the Head of Division, Skills Connect in the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education.
Skills Connect represent a range of Commonwealth programs aimed to assist Industry and Employers to improve the skill level of the workforce and build jobs and opportunities for Australians. The key programs include Australian Apprenticeships, the National Workforce Development Fund and several that offer employability, literacy and numeracy training.
Craig has held several roles across the Commonwealth government including in the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace relations where he has worked on national policy for vocational education and training and schooling, and labour market policy and programs in joint work with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
His qualifications include a Bachelor of Education and a Masters in Public Administration from the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG).
Anthony Robinson
Partner (Consulting)
Deloitte
Anthony is a mining and utilities consulting specialist with expertise in operational excellence, capital productivity and translating strategy into action. Anthony’s role is targeted at infrastructure intensive businesses with his team focused on helping clients generate operational, cost and capital efficiencies across process and project life cycles. He has been involved in operational and business improvement projects in mining across Australian, South Africa and Chile.
Anthony has work as a consultant at GEM Consulting and Momentum Partners prior to joining Deloitte in 2010. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) - Honours and a PhD in Structural Engineering.
Andrew Shook
General Manager Human Systems Integration
Rio Tinto
Andrew has held a wide variety of roles in many locations in his 20 years with the mining and processing industries, and has worked in R&D, Iron & Steel, Uranium, Titanium, Rare Earths and Copper in Australia, Canada and the USA.
Andrew recently joined Rio Tinto as General Manger Human Systems Integration, based in Perth. Andrew’s current responsibilities include improvements to human supervisory control as part of the Delivery group within Rio Tinto Technology and Innovation.
Andrew was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and has a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, and a Masters degree and a Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of British Columbia. Andrew is a co-inventor on 5 US patents and has published a number of technical papers on process control, process simulation and flash smelting.
Andrew enjoys sailing, music, reading and astronomy. Andrew and his wife, Leanne, have two children.
Peter Simko
General Manager IT & Business Systems
St Barbara
Peter joined St Barbara in December 2007 and is responsible for the delivery of IT services, and to lead continuous improvement in business systems capability across St Barbara. Peter has 25 years experience in the mining, defence and engineering industries with 17 years experience working for mining companies including WMC and Wiluna Mines Limited, in addition to IT management roles with Tenix. Peter has extensive operational experience working in Australia and overseas across a number of industries.
Peter’s technical experience and strong business focus enables him to appreciate and realise the role that IT investment can play in decreasing operating costs and increasing productivity.
Allan Trench
Professor of Mineral & Energy Economics at the Graduate School of Business
Curtin University of Technology
Dr Allan Trench is a Professor of Mineral & Energy Economics at the Graduate School of Business, Curtin University of Technology and Research Professor (Value & Risk) at the Centre for Exploration Targeting, University of Western Australia. Allan has previously worked for WMC Resources, Barrick Gold & Woodside Energy and is a former consultant at McKinsey & Company. He is currently an independent director to a number of emerging minerals companies and is the author of nine books. Allan is a graduate of the Royal School of Mines (RSM), Western Australian School of Mines (WASM), Oxford University and Glasgow University.
"Productivity and competitiveness as strategic themes have just become fashionable once again in the mining world in 2013: Neither aspect of the global mining industry should ever have gone out of fashion in the first place."
Kobus van der Wath
Founder & Group Managing Director
The Beijing Axis (China)
Kobus is the Founder and Group Managing Director of The Beijing Axis (www.thebeijingaxis.com), a China-focused international advisory and procurement firm operating in four principal areas: Commodities, Capital, Procurement and Strategy. Clients include global multinationals with a ‘China/Asia agenda’; and Chinese/Asian multinational firms with a ‘go-global agenda’.
Kobus has been working in Asia for over 17 years and is based in Beijing. Before founding The Beijing Axis, he was Head of Investment Strategy and Global Market Research for Asia Pacific for Standard Chartered Bank Plc and, prior to that, he was a Senior Strategy Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Asia. In his early career, he was an Emerging Market Investment Strategist in London; a Treasury Economist with Standard Merchant Bank in Johannesburg; and an Economist with the South African Reserve Bank in Pretoria.
He holds an MBA from INSEAD in France, a Master of Business from Curtin in Australia and BCom Honours degrees in Finance/Investments and Economics from UJ and Unisa respectively in South Africa.
He has published extensively and has been invited to present as the keynote speaker and to lead discussions in over 20 countries.
Carolyn Viso
Workforce Planning and Development Manager
SkillsDMC
Carolyn Viso is the Workforce Planning & Development Manager in Western Australia for SkillsDMC, the national Industry Skills Council for the Resources and Infrastructure Industry.
Carolyn has held a number of positions across multiple industries including automotive, rail and resources and infrastructure, drawing on her experience in vocational education and workforce and organisational development.
“For SkillsDMC, the vital key ingredients for productivity in the Australian Resources and Infrastructure Industry are relevant and continuously improved skills specification through the Industry Training Package; accurate workforce planning and development supported by relevant learning and assessment materials; and appropriate skills investment. I look forward to contributing to the debate at the AMPAC Summit.”
Manager Buy – Procurement
Rio Tinto
Tom joined Rio Tinto in 2005 and currently leads a large team located in Australia and India responsible for the end to end management of $1b operational spend across fixed plant, HME, LME, mining consumables and process chemicals categories for Rio Tinto Iron Ore. Prior to this, Tom held responsibilities for the procurement for Rio Tinto Rail Division and hydrocarbons including operational and capital projects with time spent in the Pilbara and Perth.
Linda White
General Manager, Industry Skills Branch, Skills Connect Division
Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
Linda White is General Manager of Industry Skills Branch in the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Working in the Skills Connect area of the department, the Branch is responsible for policy advice on skilling the Australian workforce to meet industry needs and managing a range of programs aimed at training new workers and up-skilling existing workers to increase productivity and participation. The Branch has strong relationships with industry bodies including managing the Industry Skills Councils who develop the industry competency standards that underpin the nationally endorsed qualifications delivered in the Australian training system. The Branch is also overseeing the National Resources Sector Workforce Strategy announced in 2011. Linda has worked in the employment and vocational education and training area of the portfolio for more than 20 years and been responsible for introducing a number of major industry skills initiatives.
Innes Willox
Chief Executive
Ai Group
Innes Willox is Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group, a leading industry organisation representing businesses in a broad range of sectors including manufacturing, defence, ICT and labour hire.
Innes joined Ai Group as Director International and Government Relations in 2008 with responsibility for policy development and advocacy across the federal and state government systems including in the areas of trade, defence, climate change, industrial relations and communications. He was appointed Chief Executive in May 2012.
Prior to joining Ai Group he held a number of senior roles in both the public and private sectors. He served as the Australian Consul General to Los Angeles from 2006 to 2008, where he represented wide-ranging Australian interests on the west coast of the United States. He was Chief of Staff to the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, from 2004 to 2006. Earlier, he was Manager of Global Public Affairs for Singapore Airlines based in Singapore (2000-04).
Innes began his working career as a journalist. His positions included Chief of Staff at The Age newspaper in Melbourne and Chief Political Correspondent for The Age in the Canberra Parliamentary Press Gallery.