Speakers at the Carbon Abatement Forum 2015
Sharon Claydon
MP
Secretary ALP Caucus Sustainable Australia Committee
Federal Opposition
Sharon Claydon was elected as the Federal Member for Newcastle in September 2013, becoming just the sixth member since Federation in 1901.
Sharon is a fifth generation Novocastrian with more than 15 years’ experience working in her local community.
After graduating from Lambton High School, Sharon completed an Honours degree in Anthropology and worked in remote Aboriginal communities and the community-based disability services sector.
Sharon is a strong advocate for social justice, democracy and equality and is driven by her conviction that everyone deserves a fair go.
As the Federal Member, Sharon makes sure Newcastle is included in the national debate, and strongly advocates for the community to secure jobs and provide opportunity for all.
John Connor
Chief Executive Officer
The Climate Institute
Whilst qualified as a lawyer, John has spent over twenty years working in a variety of policy and advocacy roles with organisations including World Vision, Make Poverty History, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the NSW Nature Conservation Council.
Since joining The Climate Institute as CEO in 2007 John has been a leading analyst and commentator on the rollercoaster that has been Australia’s domestic and international carbon policy and overseen the Institute’s additional focus on institutional investors and climate risk.
John has worked on numerous government and business advisory panels currently including the NSW Government’s Climate Council. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Corporate Directors and a Board member of the Environment Defenders Office and the Asset Owners Disclosure Project. He is also a “Governator” with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition.
Jim Craigen
Deputy Director Technology
ACALET Callide Oxyfuel Project
Jim is a chemical engineer with a 35 year career spanning oil refining, alumina refining, gold extraction and the Commonwealth Public Service prior to joining the coal industry in 1992. Jim played a role in establishing and running the industry’s collectively funded research program, ACARP, where the focus is on improving the safety, productivity and environmental performance of mining operations. In 2006 Jim moved the newly formed COAL21 Fund, which is another collectively funded industry program established to invest in demonstrating technologies to reduce emissions from the use of coal. The Callide Oxyfuel Project was the first investment under the COAL21 Fund and Jim has been involved from the beginning.
Kieran Donoghue
General Manager Policy
Energy Supply Association of Australia
Kieran manages the Association's policy, statistics and analysis functions. Before joining esaa in February 2010 as Policy Development Manager, Kieran spent 3 1/2 years at Ofgem, the UK energy regulator, most recently as Head of Networks Financial Issues. Prior to that, he qualified as a chartered accountant with Deloitte in London and spent several years in a variety of finance roles at international companies.
Kieran holds Masters degrees from Oxford University and the University of London.
Steve Fieldus
Managing Director
Transforce
Steve has been involved in the heavy transport industry for 30 years. In this time he has established Transforce as a modern and progressive transport company. Steve’s vast experience in all areas of the transport industry led to his appointment to the Board of Natroad – the peak Australian body representing road transport operators.
Steve established the Natroad Youth Committee, which aims to engage emerging leaders in the road transport industry to identify and address issues affecting the future of road transport in Australia.
Steve is also the President of Grain NSW.
Rowan Foley
General Manager
Aboriginal Carbon Fund
I am a Ranger by trade first coming to Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park shortly after hand back in 1989. I later returned with my family to once again live at Mutitjulu, this time as the Park Manager. Working with the Board and park staff we successfully developed the $21m sunrise area, established the Mala (Hare Wallaby) paddock and introduced the summer seasonal closure of the climb.
In between time at the rock, I worked for the Kimberley Land Council in 1995 as their first Land Management Officer where I negotiated the first Indigenous Protected Area at Paruku (Lake Gregory) in WA and with a National Heritage Trust Co-ordinator established their Land and Sea Management Unit.
As the CFI was being developed in 2010-11 I worked with a dedicated team of people to ensure Indigenous interests were acknowledged and supported through the establishment of the $22m Indigenous Carbon Farming Fund, a co-benefits report and Indigenous Negotiation Roundtables with the Australian Government.
I come from the Wondunna clan of the Badtjala people, Traditional Owners of Fraser Island (N'gari) in Queensland. I live in Alice Springs.
Alex Gosman
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Industry Greenhouse Network
A long term Canberra resident, Alex has been CEO of the Australian Industry Greenhouse network for the past three years. Alex has had extensive policy development and advocacy over 25 years including leadership of an industry association, and executive positions with Ericsson Australia and GlaxoSmithKline. In prior roles, he was responsible for industry policy development in Federal Government agencies in Canberra.
Martin Haese
Lord Mayor of Adelaide
Adelaide City Council
Martin was born and raised in Adelaide. As a city resident, business owner and educator, Martin is committed to serving the City of Adelaide. Martin is married to Genevieve, an advertising and global communications professional, with whom he operates a city-based consultancy firm.
At 27 years of age, Martin opened his first retail store in Regent Arcade and grew that business into a successful national enterprise, with 16 stores and 220 employees. Martin went on to study an MBA and became the General Manager of the Rundle Mall Management Authority between 2010 and 2013.
Martin co-founded the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation in South Australia and has served on a number of boards including the South Australian Youth Arts Board (SAYAB), Rundle Mall Management Authority (RMMA), Adelaide Convention Bureau (ACB), Property Council of Australia’s Mainstreets Committee and the Bay to Birdwood Run Inc.
Martin has also worked as a lecturer for MBA students where he has taught entrepreneurship, new venture creation, strategic marketing and other subjects in Adelaide and interstate.
As Lord Mayor, Martin is focused on further enhancing the City of Adelaide’s reputation as a great place to live, learn, work, play and visit.
Martin and Genevieve enjoy the arts, music, cycling, heritage and cultural tourism.
Samantha Hepburn
Research Director
Deakin Law School
Dr Samantha Hepburn is an Associate Professor at the School of Law, Deakin University. Previously, she was an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at the Australian National University. Samantha teaches and publishes in the area of property and land law as well as mining, energy and environmental law. Samantha has a strong research interest in coal seam gas regulation in Australia and is currently involved in a detailed research project examining how the regulatory frameworks for CSG should be developed to respond to the particular needs of the Australian landscape.
Chris Leptos
Senior Advisor
EMI Partners
Chris Leptos has been a Senior Partner with KPMG, and Managing Partner Government at Ernst & Young where he had national responsibility for leading the public sector practice. He has conducted numerous reviews for State and Federal Governments, such as lead adviser on the creation of a competitive gas market in Victoria.
In his earlier career Chris was the General Manager of Corporate Development for Western Mining Corporation, and has lived and worked in Jakarta, Shanghai, Tokyo, Toronto and London. Chris is also Deputy Chairman of Linking Melbourne Authority, and a non-executive director with Arete Capital Partners (a private equity fund focused on the resources sector). Chris is a Governor of The Smith Family, and in 2000 Chris was designated a Member of the Order of Australia for services to business and the community.
Chris has an MBA from the Melbourne Business School and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and Fellow of CPA Australia.
Clare Luehman
General Manager Global Sustainability and Carbon
Incitec Pivot
Clare Luehman is General Manager Global Sustainability and Carbon for Incitec Pivot Limited, an ASX50 listed global company which manufactures, markets and distributes a range of fertilisers, industrial explosives and related chemicals. Clare is also the Vice Chair of the Australian Industry Greenhous Network. A Chartered Accountant with over twenty years finance experience in both public practice and industry, Clare combines her strategy, financial acumen and communication skills to creating and implementing the IPL sustainability and carbon strategies. Joining IPL in September 2008, Clare was charged with creating IPL’s first sustainability strategy and preparing the company for greenhouse reporting in a new role designed for her. This role was both a first for the company and for Clare who had previously held more traditional finance roles. Within five years the company has achieved a number of sustainability and carbon milestones and in 2012 was recognised as a leading chemical company by the Dow Jones Asia Pacific Sustainability index. Clare views sustainability through the profit/ planet /people lense. She acknowledges that many shy away from highlighting economic sustainability but believes it is a critical part of the sustainability equation.
Monique Miller
Director - Corporate and Project Finance
Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Monique is a Director of the Investments Team at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, negotiating transactions across the spectrum of renewable technologies and CEFC investment structures. Monique has over 13 years' experience in environmental financial markets, including at Macquarie Bank and Baker & McKenzie. She is currently managing the team responsible for the CEFC's $250m Large Scale Solar program.
Chloe Munro
Chief Executive Officer
Clean Energy Regulator
Chloe Munro has had a distinguished career leading cutting edge change in both business and government organisations. She is currently the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Clean Energy Regulator, putting into effect the market mechanisms at the heart of Australia’s climate change policies.
Prior to this appointment, in April 2012, Ms Munro held a portfolio of non-executive positions including as Chair of the National Water Commission, independent Chairman of AquaSure, the consortium building Victoria’s desalination plant; and director of Hydro Tasmania.
Until July 2009, Ms Munro was an executive director at Telstra. Her roles included leadership positions in human resources, business operations, information technology, public policy, and communications and customer service.
Serving in the Victorian public sector between September 1996 and February 2004, Ms Munro was Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries, Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Treasury and Finance. In the Department of Treasury and Finance, she headed the division implementing Victoria’s energy reform and privatisation program. Her early career spanned the public, private and not-for-profit sectors in Kenya, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Ms Munro holds master’s degrees in mathematics and philosophy from Cambridge University and in business administration from the University of Westminster. She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and was awarded a Centenary Medal for outstanding contribution to public administration in 2001.
John Newton
General Manager Sustainability and Environment
Orora
John has over 25 years experience in managing environmental and sustainability issues as a regulator, consultant and now within an industry. Formerly a Director with the Australian Environment Business Network, John is currently the General Manager, Sustainability & Environment for Orora Ltd. Orora, formerly Amcor Australasia & Packaging Distribution, is a packaging company employing over 5,000 people across over 60 sites in Australia and New Zealand. In this role John drives the development of sustainability strategies and coordinates the implementation of Orora’s sustainability programs.
Susanne Nies
Manager Corporate Affairs
European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity
Susanne Nies is a European energy policy and regulatory affairs expert, focussing in particular on electricity and the power sector in Europe.
She is Corporate Affairs Manager with ENTSO E, the European Network of Transmission System Operators, fulfilling legal tasks. She is overseeing energy policy and corporate strategy, stakeholder relations and communication.
Previously she was tworking for EURELECTRIC as respectively Head of Unit Distribution System, and Energy Policy and Power Generation.
German national by origin, she holds a PhD and a habilitation from Bonn University, Berlin Free University, as well as Sciences Po Paris, in Political Sciences, as well as an economics degree from London School of Economics. Until 2008 she was heading the French Institute for International Relations Brussels branch and was affiliated as a senior researcher to the energy programme of the institute, focussing in particular on gas and oil. She has a long track of academic publication, affiliation to research and lecturing, as well as consulting.
She is teaching at Cologne University/ EWI Summer Classes on Energy policy and Energy Economics. Before focussing on energy policy she worked extensively on transition economies in Eastern Europe, international conflict and social policies.
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.
Neil Ormerod
Professor of Theology
Australian Catholic University
Neil Ormerod is Professor of Theology and member of the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry at Australian Catholic University. He is widely published with 12 books and over 110 refereed articles and book chapters in leading Australian and international outlets. His most recent books include Creator God, evolving world and A Public God. He has also written numerous opinion pieces for Eureka St, ABC Religion and Ethics and the SMH.
Neil is married to Thea Ormerod, Chairperson of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change. They have four children and seven grandchildren and are passionately concerned about the future of the planet.
Phil Polglase
Former Head of Agriculture and Forest Ecosystems – Eco Sciences Division
CSIRO
Phil is a forest ecologist with 25 years experience and skills in carbon balances, soil fertility and nutrient cycling, ecohydrology and process-based modeling. He was with CSIRO for 22 years and led the Forests Systems Program of about 35 staff covering carbon sequestration, forest production and fire science. He has a well established international reputation with more than 130 research publications. He has consulted widely to government and industry across a range of sectors in natural resource management. He recently led a major effort to develop spatial tools and capability to identify opportunities in Australia for new forest plantings to sequester carbon and which was the basis of the chapter on land use change in the Garnaut Climate change report.
Miles Prosser
Chief Executive Officer
Aluminium Council of Australia
Miles Prosser is the Executive Director of the Australian Aluminium Council, the peak association for the bauxite mining, alumina refining and aluminium smelting industry sectors. Miles has twenty years experience in industry policy issues. He has previously worked for the pulp & paper and forest industries on a range of issues relating to resource allocation, sustainability and climate change. Miles has experience in the development and implementation of policy from the perspective of Government, resource suppliers, major processing companies and industry associations. The priorities of the Australian Aluminium Council include an effective response to climate change, the renewable energy target and the reputation of the aluminium industry and its products.
Matthias Raab
Chief Operating Officer
CO2CRC
Dr Matthias Raab is Chief Operating Officer and Program Manager for the CO2CRC’s carbon storage research program and Project Director of the CO2CRC Otway project.
He has held leadership positions in industry, research and government, and managed complex geoscientific projects in both the petroleum and geological carbon storage industries.
Dr Raab has extensive experience in project management, exploration, geoscientific research, marine seismic and geological carbon storage.
His areas of specialisation are geological carbon storage and thermochronology.
Tennant Reed
Principal National Adviser
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.
Cameron Reid
Carbon and Renewable Policy Manager
AGL
As Carbon & Renewable Policy Manager Cameron is responsible for influencing, understanding and communicating the impact (short and long term) of climate change, carbon policy and renewable energy policy on AGL operations. Key responsibilities include coordinating and consolidating stakeholder engagement across government, NGO and corporate peer organisations, monitoring international and national policy developments and assessing opportunities for organisational development. Previously Cameron was AGLs Manager of Customer Hardship & Social Policy. The role centred on understanding, shaping and responding to the impact of regulatory and operational change on the full customer base and minimising the incidences of vulnerability in the community.
Prior to August 2009 when Cameron joined AGL he worked with the National Australia Bank where he was responsible for the global coordination of NABs Corporate Responsibility Reporting, simultaneously managing report production, process change verification for the GRI Accredited reports and Dow Jones Sustainability Index submissions.
Monica Richter
Business and Industry Engagement Manager
Climate Change Program
Monica Richter heads up the Business Engagement part of WWF’s Climate Change program. She is an economist and Social Ecologist by training with 23 years post-graduate experience as a project manager with extensive experience in environmental policy and advocacy. For over 15 years Monica has worked in the not for profit environment sector including at the Australian Conservation Foundation for 10 years prior to working at WWF in different roles including corporate engagement around sustainable supply chains.
Some of her career highlights include establishing the Business Roundtable on Climate Change (with companies such as BP, IAG, Origin, Swiss Re, Visy, and Westpac) which prosecuted the case for a ‘long, loud and legal price signal’ on greenhouse gas emissions reductions, successfully getting the 20% Renewable Energy Target passed into legislation, getting Bunnings to commit to not stocking illegally sourced timber, supporting Federal government around leadership in urban policies including greater investment in public transport. Monica also managed ACF’s “Sustainable Cities Index”, a Banksia Award finalist.
Monica is a thought leader and has been invited to participate in a number of forums including the Visions and Pathways 2040 – scenarios, visions and pathways for a low-carbon, resilient, built environment, the Sustainability by the Sea forum hosted by Waverley Council as well as being an advocate for the 202020 vision for 20 per cent more green space in Australian cities by 2020.
Ben Stuart
Director of Carbon Strategy
Carbon Trade Exchange
Ben has been involved in the Carbon and Environmental markets since 2008 as a broker in London for the EU ETS and UK Power markets trading both spot and future contracts. Ben made the move to Carbon Trade Exchange in 2010, and has been integral to the design and functionality of the Exchange Platform and the key features that differentiate it from other exchanges. As Director of Carbon Strategy, Ben is responsible for sales and trading on the exchange globally across all markets.
Rob Sturgiss
A/g First Assistant Secretary, Climate Change and Renewable Energy Division
Department of the Environment
Rob Sturgiss is the acting head of the Climate Change and Renewable Energy Division in the Australian Government Department of the Environment. Rob’s responsibilities include: providing advice on the Renewable Energy Target scheme and other renewables policies; oversighting the Government’s inventory of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and projections of Australia’s emissions and carbon abatement challenge; supporting Australia’s participation in international climate change negotiations; and advising on climate change adaptation. Prior to joining the Department of Environment, Rob has worked with the Department of Climate Change, Department of Treasury, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade and the OECD.
Shayleen Thompson
Acting Chief Executive Officer
Climate Change Authority
Ms Thompson is the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Climate Change Authority. Previously she was the First Assistant Secretary of the Emissions Reduction Fund Division in the Department of the Environment. She has extensive experience with international and domestic climate change policy and programmes including the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme, the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, the Carbon Farming Initiative and the Renewable Energy Target.
Julia Trafford
Director
EMI Partners
Julia Trafford is a founder of EMI Partners and is an experienced Project Director.
Julia specialises in managing complex projects within tight timeframes, including developing policies and processes which are compliant with regulatory obligations.
Julia has developed numerous compliance management systems (including ISO9000) across a range of industry sectors, including manufacturing, financial services, information technology and defence. In her earlier career Julia was a Senior Consultant with KPMG.
Julia holds a Bachelor of Training & Development (Melb) and Prince2 accreditation.
Colin Wain
Policy Development Manager
Hydro Tasmania
Colin is Policy Development Manager at Australia’s largest renewable energy generator and water manager - Hydro Tasmania. Colin has a specific focus on environmental and renewable energy policy particularly carbon pricing, the Renewable Energy Target and the development of the Government’s Direct Action Plan. He has been with the business since 2007 and has a Degree in International Relations and Economics.
Colin represents Hydro Tasmania on various national industry associations including the energy supply association of Australia’s (esaa) and the Clean Energy Council (CEC) policy directorate. His role also incorporates Government and stakeholder relations, strategy and communication. Colin provides strategic policy support and advice to Hydro Tasmania’s consulting business ‘Entura’ offering consulting services in power and water in Australia and internationally; and retail subsidiary Momentum Energy which sells electricity on mainland Australia and on the Bass Strait Islands.
Mark Wakeham
Chief Executive Officer
Environment Victoria
Mark Wakeham is the CEO for Environment Victoria, one of Australia’s leading environment non-government organisations. Environment Victoria focuses on campaigns for a safe climate, healthy rivers and sustainable production, consumption and communities.
Prior to that he worked as an Energy campaigner for Greenpeace Australia Pacific for three years where he helped build a movement of Australians wanting climate change action and successfully worked for the introduction of renewable energy and energy efficiency targets in Victoria, New South Wales and nationally. He has worked in the solar industry, was Coordinator of the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory for 5 years, was a lecturer at the Northern Territory University, and was a radio operator in the Army.
Phil Woods
Principal Analyst – Eco Efficiency
Sydney Water
Phil’s role as Principal Analyst Eco-Efficiency is to champion resource efficiency projects across Sydney Water that help make Sydney a more liveable city.
Phil leads Sydney Water's efforts to identify and assess carbon mitigation opportunities across the business through the development of a Cost of Carbon Abatement Tool. He works with Sydney Water’s planners on low carbon and resource efficient design principles and is developing new resource recovery opportunities for the co-digestion of trucked organic waste.
Prior to Sydney Water Phil spent 16 years with Insurance Australia Group (IAG), most recently in climate change and sustainability research.
Phil holds an Honours degree in Mathematics and a Masters in Environmental Management.