National Power Australia 2008 speakers
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John Geesman
Former Commissioner
California Energy Commission
Co-Chairperson
American Council on
Renewable Energy
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John Geesman has been a prime mover in California's energy policy for the past 30 years, most recently as a California Energy Commissioner from 2002 to early 2008. He was the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the California Power Exchange during the ill-fated market restructuring in the late 1990s, and also served on the Board of the California Independent System Operator. His first service in government was as Executive Director of the California Energy Commission from 1979 to 1983. An attorney by training, he worked as an investment banker in the bond markets for nearly 20 years. He is the co-Chair of the American Council on Renewable Energy and the originator of the provocative blog, GreenEnergyWar.com.
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Dr David Crossley
Managing Director
Energy Futures Australia Pty Ltd
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Dr David Crossley is Managing Director of Energy Futures Australia Pty Ltd. He has over 30 years experience in the energy sector, both in Australia and internationally, providing advice to governments, regulators, energy companies, industry associations and NGOs.
During the 1970s, David pioneered the introduction into Australia of social science research on energy policy and consumer energy conservation behaviour. During the 1980s, he was the first director of energy planning for the Victorian Government where he was responsible for the development of energy policy and programs across all energy forms, including initiating and establishing a state-wide energy planning program.
From 1990 to 1995, David was the inaugural senior executive responsible for demand side management and energy efficiency in Pacific Power, which was then the monopoly electricity generation and transmission utility in NSW. During this time, he wrote the demand management sections in the National Grid Protocol, the original design for the Australian National Electricity Market (NEM) and coordinated national policy on demand management and energy efficiency in the development of the NEM.
In early 1996, David established the Sustainable Energy Development Authority for the NSW Government, with a mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through promoting energy efficiency and increased use of renewable energy.
In mid-1996, David established his consultancy company, Energy Futures Australia, to provide consultancy services on sustainable energy policy and programs. Since then he has completed more than 40 consultancy projects for a broad range of clients, including managing the corporatisation of the Snowy Mountains Hydro electric Authority for the NSW Government and directing three multi-national research projects for the International Energy Agency Demand Side Management Programme.
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Carlo Botto
Director, Portfolio Management
TRUenergy
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Carlo Botto has extensive energy industry experience having worked in various roles in the electricity supply industry in Australia and North America over the last 20 years. These roles have included senior positions responsible for wholesale trading in generation, retail and trading sectors of the industry.
Carlo is currently Director, Portfolio Management in TRUenergy a wholly owned subsidiary of CLP responsible for managing the wholesale position of the gas and electricity assets market.
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Colin Chambers
Chief Executive Officer
GridX Power
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Colin commenced his career by establishing Chambers Electric Pty. Ltd. in 1965, a company providing specialist electrical contracting services during the computer boom as well as industry Showcase and property development.
Chambers Electric was subsequently bought out by the management in 1982. In 1983, Colin founded Clean Line Systems Pty Ltd, a company specialising in the design, manufacture and distribution of power electronics products primarily UPS.
Cleanline was sold in 1992 returning a multiple of 14 times that invested to the VC, Venture Management (operated by Roger Buckeridge at that time).
Colin has extensive experience in Asian low cost and quality mass manufacturing, negotiating with multinational companies, product distribution and strategic business growth.
Colin co founded GridX and provided the engineering and basis behind the embedded generation platform that has heralded the Company for its innovation in the unique approach to embedded generation winning many national awards for the contribution to reduction of emissions, whilst being mindful of the commercial imperatives that are required to attract banker partners.
Colin has won the respect of many institutional banker partners due to his success in bring products and services to the energy industry to market.
Colin has maintained a continuous position of Managing Director or CEO of Companies of which he’s has either founded or co-founded for 40 years.
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Andrew Grant
Managing Director
CO2 Australia
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Andrew was previously the National Head of Ernst and Young’s environmental advisory division (and prior to this held the same role with Andersen) and was the lead advisor to the New South Wales Government in relation to implementing its Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme. Just prior to joining CO2 Group, Andrew was the Executive Manager, Sustainable Packaging, at Visy Industrial Packaging. Andrew has extensive experience in broad acre land management and has managed extensive areas of public land (National Parks, State Forest, Coastal Parks) in Victoria. He is a widely recognized authority on climate change and business risk management. Andrew has advised many of the major corporations across Australia and Internationally on climate change and emissions management and has performed design and audit roles in many carbon trades.
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David Headberry
Public Officer
Major Energy Users
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David Headberry is a professional engineer and after many years being involved with the developing, design, costing and construction of many facilities including pipelines, power lines, substations and power stations, he was the national energy manager for Amcor, responsible for sourcing over $200M of electricity, gas, coal and oil for the group, which operated out of over 140 separate sites through out the six Australian states. He developed and then implemented the Amcor energy program which operated to reduce the total costs for energy supplies, reduce the amount of energy used, and identifying and instituting alternative lower cost methods for meeting the company needs.
Over the past eight years he has been a consultant specializing on advising energy consumers in ways to minimize the cost of their supplies of gas and electricity, identifying future trends for energy supply and costs, and representing the consumer views to governments and regulators.
He is currently a Director (consumer representative) of the Victorian Electricity Ombudsman scheme and Public Officer of Major Energy Users, Inc. He is consultant to the Electricity Consumers Coalition of SA, the Energy Users Coalition of Victoria, the Major Employers Group of Tasmania and the Northern Territory Major Energy Users group. He has also been a consultant on energy matters to a number of community sector groups concerned about electricity and gas supplies to residential, disadvantaged and rural consumers.
He has advised a number of companies regarding their specific needs with regard to electricity and gas, including developing and implementing strategies to deal with regulated businesses and retailers, and costing alternative supplies as part of the negotiation strategies.
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Peter McIntyre
General Manager, Network and
Regulatory Affairs
TransGrid
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Peter McIntyre is the General Manager/Network Development and Regulatory Affairs with NSW transmission network service provider TransGrid.
Peter has over 25 years experience in the electricity transmission industry, with particular expertise in policy development and asset management.
Peter’s current role is his third Executive position with TransGrid, having previously held the positions of General Manager/System Operations and General Manager/Network Performance and Development.
Peter is responsible in TransGrid for the delivery of network planning and the associated National Electricity Market regulatory consultations for new projects, non-network alternatives to augmentation projects, regulatory strategy, transmission pricing, customer access and connections and regulated revenue assurance.
He holds a degree in science, an Honours degree in electrical engineering and an MBA. Peter is a Director of the Australian Power Institute.
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Francois Nguyen
Senior Policy Advisor – Electricity
International Energy Agency
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François is a Canadian citizen, with over twenty years of professional and leadership experience in the energy sector. He obtained a Master of Arts degree in Economics from Queen’s University (Canada), a post-graduate degree in Business Management from McGill University (Canada) and a B.A. in Social Sciences & Applied Econometrics from University of Fribourg, Switzerland.
As principal electricity expert at the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA), Francois is responsible for assessment of international power and fuel markets, energy and climate change policies, and regulatory frameworks, with the aim to provide policy recommendations on issues related to security of supply, economic efficiency and environmental sustainability. His analyses cover a broad range of electricity, coal and gas issues, including power generation technologies and economics, investments in generation and transmission, nuclear and renewable energies, and policy measures to facilitate investments. He also provides expert advice on electricity market reforms, energy regulation and power sector investments.
In his current position with the IEA, Francois has co-authored a book titled Tackling investment challenges in power generation in IEA countries (published by the OECD/IEA in May 2007). His current research focuses on challenges and opportunities for investments in electricity transmission. Francois has contributed to several IEA’s publications, including the World Energy Outlook 2007 with special focus on China and India.
Prior to joining the IEA, Francois acted as Team Leader at the National Energy Board (NEB), the main federal energy regulator in Canada. He managed a team of professionals mainly responsible for assessing electricity regulatory applications (exports and cross-border power lines) and monitoring North American electricity markets trends and issues, including market reforms and regulation.
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Gerry Grove-White
Chief Executive Officer
Geodynamic
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Mr Gerry Grove-White was appointed as the Company's new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and commenced on 27th August 2007.
Gerry was previously the Chief Operating Officer of Tata Power, the largest private power company in India. Gerry brings extensive domain knowledge and expertise to this role, as well as an effective combination of management and leadership competencies, and a strong track record as a power industry Chief Executive Officer. He has also been the Managing Director of Eraring Energy, the NSW Government owned power generation company. Prior to this, he was a successful power station project developer with PowerGen in the UK and internationally.
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Gordon Jardine
Chief Executive Officer
Powerlink
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Since 1995, Gordon has held the position of Chief Executive of Powerlink Queensland. He is also a member of the System Reliability Panel of the National Electricity Market (NEM). Before joining Powerlink, he held senior management positions at one of Australia’s largest computer software companies, Mincom. During his 14 years with the company, he spent 3 years in the United States as President of its North American subsidiary, before being appointed Deputy Managing Director of Mincom in 1990. Gordon is a director of ElectraNet SA (the South Australian electricity transmission utility), following Powerlink’s acquisition of a 40-percent interest. Gordon holds university degrees in engineering, commerce and environmental science.
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Grahame Foulger
General Manager, Sustainability and Innovation
Ergon Energy
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With more than three decades of experience in the electricity industry, Grahame is currently fulfilling the role of General Manager Sustainability and Innovation at Ergon Energy.
Some of Grahame’s current responsibilities include managing the development of Ergon Energy’s response to climate change and sustainability and innovation strategies, with a focus on beyond the meter.
Grahame was instrumental in Ergon Energy winning the bid to host a $30 million solar city in Townsville, enabling him to pursue his interest in energy efficinecy and demand management.
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Hugh Gleeson
Chief Executive Officer
United Energy Distribution
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Hugh Gleeson is CEO of United Energy Distribution (UED), and has been in this role since the restructure of the companies in July 2003.
UED and Multinet are both unlisted Victorian energy distribution companies owned by the Diversified Utility and Energy Trusts (DUET), and Alinta Limited. UED distributes electricity to approximately 600,000 end customers, and Multinet distributes gas to approximately 630,000 end customers.
Hugh currently sits on the Board of the Energy Network Association (ENA), the industry association that looks after the interests of electricity and gas distribution businesses nationally, previously holding the positions of Deputy Chairman and Chairman. Hugh has been on the board of the ENA since its formation in 2003, and prior to that was a director of the Australian Gas Association.
Hugh has over 20 years experience in the utility sector. Prior to taking on his current role at UED and Multinet Gas , Hugh worked for United Energy Limited since its establishment in 1994, holding various general management positions over that 9 year period including regulation, distribution and utility operations.
Before joining United Energy, Hugh worked with the SECV (State Electricity Commission of Victoria) in corporate strategic roles, and prior to that in engineering roles. Hugh is a qualified civil engineer with extensive experience in both the engineering and financial fields.
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Jeff Dimery
Group General Manager, Merchant Energy
AGL
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Jeff Dimery holds the dual roles of Group General Manager Merchant Energy and
General Manager Victoria.
Jeff has more than twenty years experience in the energy and water resources
industry, having been employed with AGL Energy for the past 13 years. During
this time Jeff has held senior management roles in the areas of Sales, Power
Generation and Wholesale Trading.
Jeff has held numerous industry directorships during his time with AGL including
the National Generators Forum (NGF), the AEMC Reliability Panel and the Clean
Energy Council.
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.
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Jim Mitchell
Managing Director
Synergy
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Jim Mitchell has been Managing Director of Synergy, Western Australia’s largest energy retailer, since January 2006, leading the new energy retailer’s transition and development in the emerging energy market in Western Australia.
Prior to joining Synergy, Jim was Chief Financial Officer of state government owned Ergon Energy in Queensland, both a retail energy business with more than half a million customers in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and the ACT, and a distribution business covering 97% of the state outside the south east corner.
Prior to this, Jim held senior executive positions with Epic Energy, AIDC, Thiess, Queensland Treasury and MIM Holdings.
Jim is also a Chairman of the Uniting Church Investment Fund here in WA.
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John Corbett
National Manager, Project & Structured Finance
Suncorp Metway
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As National Manager, John has led the establishment of Suncorp’s Project and Structured Finance business, in particular the development and execution of strategy and market positioning as well as the origination and execution of infrastructure finance transactions.
John brings to the role 22 years experience in corporate and institutional banking and has held a variety of senior corporate roles over the past decade. Prior to joining Suncorp in 2003, John spent 18 years with ANZ Banking Group and occupied senior corporate banking and institutional banking roles in Sydney and Brisbane.
Over the past ten years, John has arranged the financing for a variety of major infrastructure and development projects across the mining, transport, agriculture, health, energy and education sectors.
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Kim Wood
Chief Executive Officer
Stanwell Corporation
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Kim commenced as Chief Executive Officer at Stanwell in February 2007. Prior to this, he spent four and a half years as Managing Director of the Northern Territory utility Power & Water Corporation. His previous roles include Managing Director of Datafast Telecommunications, Chief Executive Officer of Victorian electricity transmission business GPU PowerNet, Managing Director of City West Water and, prior to that, the Sydney-based Managing Director of GEC Plessey Telecommunications. Kim has more than 20 years of management experience through career roles, including General Manager at Bell South, Regional Manager, Hewlett Packard, and Engineering Officer with the State Electricity Commission. He has also been a Director of the Indigenous Housing Authority of the Northern Territory, as well as chairing the two gas subsidiaries of Power & Water Corporation.
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Michael Williams
General Manager – Commercial, Adelaide
Brighton Limited
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Michael is responsible for strategic business management within the Cement & Lime Division of Adelaide Brighton Limited which includes accountability for energy risk management. Michael led the business in developing and implementing an electricity risk management demand side response strategy that has significantly reduced expenditure within their SA operations. Previously, Michael has been General Manager for the Angaston (SA) and Northern Cement (NT) Operations for Adelaide Brighton and spent 19 years with BHP and BHP Billiton in various process engineering, plant commissioning and line management roles in SA, TAS, NSW and WA. Michael has a Bachelor of Engineering (Metallurgy), a Bachelor of Economics and Masters of Applied Finance and Investment.
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Nick Sankey
Head of Utilities, Energy and Renewables
Commonwealth Bank
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Nick leads Commonwealth Bank's Utilities, Energy and Renewables Group which provides financing solutions to major institutions within the utilities and energy sector. With extensive industry experience, Nick has transacted financings for power generators, transmission and distribution utilities, integrated energy retailers and renewable energy companies. Whilst working within institutional and investment bank divisions of global financial institutions in Australia and the UK, Nick has lead teams and executed project, acquisition and corporate infrastructure financings throughout Australia, New Zealand, Europe, US and Asia.
Nick holds B.Comm, B.A and M. App Fin degrees, all gained from the University of Melbourne and is a National Councillor for Environment Business Australia.
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Cesare Tizi
Country Manager
Gentrack
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| Cesare is the former CIO of Australia’s largest energy utility AGL. He is currently the Country Manager at Gentrack – a leading provider of enterprise billing and customer management solutions for energy and water utilities. Cesare’s career spans 17 years in some of the most successful Tier 1 organisations in Australia such as AGL, Transurban and Motorola, where he successfully lead teams to transform business capabilities and performance. Cesare takes a challenging and active role in the Gentrack business, and his knowledge and experience in implementing and supporting large ERP solutions assist’s Gentrack to better understand the technology investment and business transformation decisions within utility organisations. |
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Paul Topfer
Executive Manager, Advanced Metering
EnergyAustralia
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Paul has worked for 27 years in the electricity industry covering all sectors including generation, transmission, distribution, retailing and regulation. In particular, Paul has been heavily involved with network pricing and regulation through numerous inquiries from both regulator and business perspectives.
Paul has occupied many senior positions with electricity distribution companies including Manager, Network Commercial Operations (EnergyAustralia), General Manager, Regulatory Strategy (NorthPower), Group General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Development (Country Energy) and CEO of PowerServe (a privately owned electricity network construction company). In these roles he has managed key functions including financial reporting, marketing, business development, strategic planning, pricing and regulation.
Paul has also chaired a number of industry committees including the development of “NSW Electricity Distributors Accounting Guidelines” for the Electricity Council of NSW, and the Capital Contributions Working Group on behalf of IPART. In addition Paul has managed the development of joint industry submissions to regulators and represented regulators and distribution businesses at public and industry forums.
As a management consultant with PB Associates, Paul managed numerous projects including a review of Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) for the Federal Government DOCITA, capital and operating expenditure reviews for a number of network businesses, and managed transmission and distribution expenditure reviews for the ACCC. Paul has also prepared cost models for public lighting and assessed the tradeoffs between capital and operating expenditures for distribution businesses.
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Peter Davis
Chief Executive Officer
Aurora Energy
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A Tasmanian, Dr Peter Davis was appointed Aurora Energy's Chief Executive Officer in March 2004. Prior to that he was head of Aurora Energy's Retail division from the company's establishment in 1998, and previously held senior management positions with the former Hydro Electric Corporation.
His extensive experience is backed by academic qualifications which include business, engineering, science and education, including an emphasis on alternative energy technologies.
In 2002 Aurora released Dr Davis to further develop his knowledge and experience with periods of senior management placement at world leading companies in Europe and North America, and he has continued his exposure to international best practice since that time.
Peter now leads Aurora during a period of challenging transition to the National Electricity Market, and the engagement of new competition and new business ventures both within Tasmania and nationally, including expansion into telecommunications.
He is taking a lead role in the Electricity Supply Industry Association’s response to the climate change challenges confronting the energy sector.
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Roger Wilkins AO
Head of Government & Public Sector Group
Citigroup
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Roger Wilkins is Head of Government and Public Sector Group Australia and New Zealand with Citi and Citi’s global public sector leader on climate change. Mr. Wilkins was the Director-General of The Cabinet Office in New South Wales, Australia from 1992-2006. During his time in The Cabinet Office he played a leading role in areas of reform in administration and law, in corporatisation and micro-economic reform, in Commonwealth-State relations including the negotiation of agreements on competition policy, international treaties, mutual recognition, electricity, the environment and health reform. Mr. Wilkins chaired a number of national taskforces and committees dealing with public sector reform, including the Council of Australian Government Committee on Regulatory Reform, the National Health Taskforce on Mental Health and the National Emissions Trading Taskforce. He was New South Wales’ representative on the Senior Officials Committee for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) which advises and works up proposals for the consideration of Heads of Government
Climate Change; Was responsible for the Greenhouse Office; introduction of an emissions trading scheme in the state of NSW; design of a national emissions trading scheme for Australia as chair of a national taskforce.
Roger is currently leading the strategic review of the Australian Government’s climate change policies. Federalism; Advises different federal systems especially on fiscal issues. Mr. Wilkins is a member of the Board of the International Forum of Federations
Paul has worked for 27 years in the electricity industry covering all sectors including generation, transmission, distribution, retailing and regulation. In particular, Paul has been heavily involved with network pricing and regulation through numerous inquiries from both regulator and business perspectives.
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Srian Abeysuriya
Principal
E3 International
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Srian leads E3 International’s presence in Australia and has been deeply involved in industry responses to Australian climate change policy. He has led a wide range of projects in the climate change domain for major Australian companies, including assessing greenhouse policy options and their impacts on the energy and energy intensive manufacturing sector, commercialising new technologies, developing strategy responses and supporting their implementation.
His pre E3 experience includes 14 years in the New Zealand and Australian electricity industries where he held senior corporate positions in strategic development, market management and energy retailing in both countries, and consulted to leading energy sector companies on strategy development and execution, business process analysis and change management.
He has a BSc (First Class) from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and a MBA from the University of Otago, New Zealand.
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Stephan Boras
General Manager, Strategy & Trading
Eraring Energy
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Stephan holds the position of General Manager Strategy & Trading for Eraring Energy. Eraring is a state owned generator with a portfolio of coal fired, wind and hydro generation of 3000MW participating in the deregulated electricity market in Australia.
Stephan is responsible for electricity trading (spot and derivatives), purchase of coal, trading of green/carbon instruments and energy risk management. He is also responsible for the development of longer term strategies with regards to Eraring’s competitive position, future carbon liabilities and fuel procurement options.
From 2005 to 2006 he was also the Vice President of the Finance and Treasury Association (FTA) Australia.
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Steve Edwell
Chair
Australian Energy Regulator
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Steve Edwell has been appointed by the Ministerial Council on Energy as inaugural Chair of the Australian Energy Regulator, a position he has held since 23 May 2005.
Steve has over 15 years experience in reform of utilities, in particular electricity and water, where he has driven a number of comprehensive reform projects, and has worked in both the public and private sectors.
Immediately prior to this appointment, Steve worked for the Western Australian Government leading the implementation of comprehensive electricity reform in that State. Steve was also the CEO of the Queensland Electricity Reform Unit, which implemented a range of electricity reforms culminating in Queensland joining the National Electricity Market. His other assignments have included being commissioned by the Queensland Government to implement the COAG water reforms and as head of the Queensland Office of Energy.
Steve is a member of the Economic Regulation Authority of Western Australia.
Steve has a commerce/economics degree from University of New South Wales and an MBA from University of Queensland.
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Terry Jones
CenDEP Director
CSIRO
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Terry Jones is a Chartered Engineer and has 20+ years experience in the Utilities industry globally. During this time he has led teams in SCADA, Protection and Control, Communications, Metering and Energy Trading. He has worked extensively in Europe and Scandinavia, the Middle East and most recently in Australia and the USA.
In Australia Terry has been involved in deregulation of the Australian Electricity industry and energy trading. Currently Terry is Theme Leader of the Low Emissions Distributed Energy Theme in the Energy Transformed Flagship and Director of the Centre for Distributed Energy and Power, and industry association promoting DE solutions
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John Geesman
Former Commissioner
California Energy Commission
Co-Chairperson
American Council on
Renewable Energy
Francois Nguyen
Senior Policy Advisor- Electricity
International Energy Agency
Steve Edwell
Chair
Australian Energy Regulator
Roger Wilkins AO
Head of Government & Public Sector Group
Citigroup
Peter Davis
Chief Executive Officer
Aurora Energy
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