EECON NSW 2015
 
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Jeff Allen
Consultant
Jeff Allen has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Sydney University, is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, and has business management qualifications from Deakin University. 

Jeff has had an engineering, management and executive management career in the electricity and related industries spanning 47 years, with a background in both strategic and operational areas of Transmission and Distribution networks as well as the retail energy area. He has held various senior executive leadership positions in his career. These positions include Managing Director/CEO, GM Networks and GM Network Services at Endeavour (previously Integral) Energy. In addition he was the founding CEO of Energy Auctions (now Energy Action Ltd) and have also held the positions of CEO of AK Power Solutions (an Australian power system equipment manufacturer and supplier) and Director Client Services for EMS Solutions (providing asset and works management software solutions across Australia and New Zealand). 

For the past 18 years Jeff has also consulted widely in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia in the areas of network regulatory and pricing submissions, best practice asset management, engineering consulting, business process re-engineering, procurement best practice and culture change management. He has also held a number of board positions over the past 18 years.
 
John Bradley
Energy Networks Association

John Bradley is an experienced chief executive with diverse experience in the electricity, gas, water and resources sectors.

Prior to his appointment as CEO of the Energy Networks Association, he consulted to the International Monetary Fund on State Owned Enterprise reform. As the Director General of Queensland’s Department of Premier and Cabinet until 2012, John was responsible for leading strategic management in the Queensland public sector. Previously, he was Director General of the Department of Environment and Resource Management, from 2009.

John was the CEO of the Queensland Water Commission during the Millennium drought.  He has led reforms to the utilities sector in multiple jurisdictions including 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.

 
Ty Christopher
Endeavour Energy
Ty Christopher started in the Electricity Supply Industry in New South Wales in 1986 as a cadet engineer. Over the last 29 years, his career within the industry has included responsibility for substation and mains design, project management, system operations, network planning, asset strategy and most recently program delivery. 

In his current role Ty accountable to the Chief Operating Officer for overall program management and delivery of the Endeavour Energy network capital and maintenance programs. This includes the management of a Portfolio Management Office to provide end to end project management of all projects, including those undertaken by contract resources and delivery of efficient and effective network asset management services. The portfolio delivered is in the order of $500 million per annum of capital and operating investment. 

Ty has led his current team a period of transformational change required to successfully deliver the largest network investment program ever undertaken by Endeavour Energy or its predecessor organisations, with substantial results delivered by contract service providers.
 
Garth Crawford
ENA

Garth Crawford is Executive Director, Economic Regulation, at the Energy Networks Association. He previously served as a Senior Research Fellow at the SMART Infrastructure Facility at the University of Wollongong undertaking research focused on major international and Australian economic regulatory trends affecting infrastructure investment, pricing and use. 

He holds a graduate qualification in law and postgraduate qualifications in regulatory economics and trade and has worked as a regulatory economic consultant advising firms in the energy, rail and telecommunications sectors.

 
Peter Dulhunty
Dulhunty Works
Peter Dulhunty is the Chief Engineer, Dulhunty Works Pty. Ltd, Sydney.

Peter is secretary in Australia of CIRED, Convenor of WG50 Fittings and Convenor of Asia Oceania Reginal Council of Cigré for Overhead Lines. He represents Australia on IEC (TC11), CIGRE (B2 TAG06), Aust. Standards EL10 & EL52 and member of EESA, EEA (NZ) and CIGRE AP22. 
 
Sean Elphick
University of Wollongong
Sean Elphick graduated from the University of Wollongong with a B.E. (elec) degree in 2002. He obtained an M.Eng (Res) in 2012. 

 In 2003 he joined the Integral Energy Power Quality Centre (now Australian Power Quality and Reliability Centre) at the University of Wollongong. His current role involves providing support for projects that the centre is engaged on. This work includes consulting and research. He is heavily involved in the production of the National Long Term Power Quality Survey (LTNPQS), a power quality survey involving most electricity distributors in Australia. His interests lie in power quality monitoring methodology and instrumentation and power quality standards. 

He is also a past member of CIGRE working group C4.112 (power quality monitoring) and a member of CIGRE working group C4.27 (benchmarking of power quality performance in transmission systems) and Standards Australia subcommittee EL42-3 (AS4777).
 
Greg Finlayson
Schneider Electric
Greg Finlayson is a Product Application Engineer for Automation Solutions within the Energy Business of Schneider Electric, Australia. He has over 15 years experience with roles in Engineering Systems, Protection & Control and Substation Automation providing application support, training, commissioning services and IEC61850 engineering to customers in Australia and New Zealand.
 
Gabrielle Foldes
Professionals Australia
Gabrielle Foldes is a Senior Career Consultant with Professionals Australia, a national professional association supporting the career needs of its members. She has achieved a Masters in Organisational Psychology from UNSW, a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology from Sydney University and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society. Gabrielle has extensive experience in Human Resources, graduate and managerial recruitment, employee selection and career management. 

As a Registered Psychologist Gabrielle has experience in job and competency profiling, personality assessments and psychometric testing and is trained in conducting behavioural interviews. In her current role she has provided coaching to clients on their career direction, along with advising them on job search strategies, networking skills, resume presentation, job application methodology and interview skills. 

Prior to her role with Professionals Australia she worked with Chifley Search & Selection developing a wealth of knowledge and experience in career pathways, training & development opportunities and career direction. 

With over 10 years’ experience in the area of career consulting, working with a variety of clients from students to senior executives in industries such as transport, power, manufacturing, telecommunications, IT, education, engineering, hospitality, finance/banking and retail. These experiences translate to a thorough knowledge of the current labour market, labour market issues, employment options and career paths in industries.
 
Katharina Gerstmann
College of Leadership and Management

Katharina Gerstmann currently serves as Board Member of the College of Leadership and Management with Engineers Australia and only recently stepped down from her role as the first female Executive Chair of the RTSA. In this capacity, she was responsible for operational and fiscal oversight of the RTSA’s activities for its members across Australia and New Zealand. Katharina has worked to lead academic, industrial and commercial relation-building initiatives and advocates for the application of modern railway technology and good management practices.

As part of these efforts, she has increased the number of young members by 50% and improved the representation of women on the Executive committee from 7% to currently 30%.

In addition to her role with Engineers Australia, Katharina works as Rail Market Segment Manager for an Engineering Consultancy. She is a Principal Engineer with more than 17 years’ experience in design and construction of rail and infrastructure projects across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe.

Katharina is a Chartered Professional Engineer, Fellow Member of Engineers Australia and holds a Bachelor and Master of Engineering degree as well as an MBA in General Management. 

 
Mike Griffin
The Australian Power Institute
Mike Griffin B.E (Hons), Grad.Dip.Man., FAICD Mike was appointed to the role of Chief Executive of The Australian Power Institute (a not for profit energy industry organisation established to address the skills gap in power engineering) in January 2007 and since taking up this position has been responsible for: 
• Development of programs and activities to improve the quantity and quality of power engineering graduates and the continuing professional development of power engineers 
• Promotion and marketing of API to its stakeholders, including membership growth 
• Developing relationships with universities and the government education sector to maximise efforts and funding for addressing the skills needs in power engineering 
• Facilitating development of university power engineering curriculum resources to improve power engineering teaching and learning for students and provide “work ready” graduates for industry 
• Organising and managing continuing professional development technical programs for professionals in industry. 

Mike has over 30 years experience in engineering and management roles in the Australian energy distribution industry: 
• General Manager Network Asset Management at Energex 
• Member of Standards Australia Electrotechnology Sector Board • Member of the Energy Networks Association Board 
• Member of National Electricity Market Management Company (NEMMCO) Participant Advisory Committee 
• Board Member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers (APESMA). 
• Technical Program Manager for Distribution 2000/Energy 21C Series of Transmission & Distribution Conferences from 1990 to 2009
 
John Hardwick
Ausgrid

John Hardwick is the General Manager Asset Management for Ausgrid. In this role he is responsible for the overall asset management strategy and management framework for the organisation, with the key objective of realising value through the management of risk and opportunity in order to achieve the desired balance of cost, risk and network performance. 

John is past National Chair of the Asset Management Council and current Chair of the Global Forum on Maintenance and Asset Management (GFMAM). He also represents ENA at the ISO/PC 251 Management Standard Committee. The Committee’s role is to develop the ISO Management Standards for Asset Management due to be published later this year. 

John’s background and experience extends to thirty years maintenance, construction and Executive Management in the NSW Electrical Industry. John is co-author of Living Asset Management.
 
Marcus Leaver
Ergon Energy

Marcus continues to enjoy a very diverse career in the electricity industry spanning more than 30 years, including a  4 year period in the gas sector. Operating in Distribution, Transmission and Retail’s Major Customer sectors , Marcus has gained an extensive understanding and knowledge of the drivers and issues facing both Utilities and their Major Customers in todays every changing environment. This experience combined with a technical background and business/marketing tertiary qualifications has allowed Marcus to develop a broad range of skills in market development, works and project management and estimation.        

Currently leading Ergon’s Energy Solutions business development and estimating teams, Marcus is passionate about bring life to opportunities that deliver both commercial and operational value to the external customer and internal stakeholder. Marcus believes in leveraging your organisation’s strengths, combined with effective industry partnerships at both a customer and supplier level to deliver sustainable business success. Current areas of focus include development of the next generation of mobile/modular infrastructure and high voltage diagnostic services. 

 
Owen Lock
S&C Electric Company
Owen Lock is an Application Director for S&C’s global Grid Solutions team. The Grid Solutions team specializes in the deployment of S&C’s Purewave® suite of inverter based systems in applications ranging from transmission and distribution grids to small islanded micro-grids. S&C’s PureWave range includes Energy Storage, UPS and VAR compensation systems. 

Owen studied Materials Engineering at Monash University before developing a passion for all things data-centre which in-turn lead to half a decade in the in Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) industry where he worked in various roles from hands-on field service engineer to application engineer before he eventually crossed to the dark-side of business development. Owen’s interest in the emerging Energy Storage industry saw him seek employment with S&C Electric Company almost 5 years ago where he currently supports the business development, project delivery and field service teams. Owen has a particular interest in Battery Energy Storage applications and technologies. Having worked with many of the applicable battery technologies, Owen recently completed tours of the manufacturing facilities of Saft, Kokam, Samsung, LG Chemicals and NGK as well as visiting several of the worlds largest and most complex Battery Energy Storage systems. Owen is a frequent speaker at industry events throughout the world and an active participant in the emerging Energy Storage industry in the Asia pacific region. 
 
Peter McIntyre
TransGrid

Peter McIntyre is the Managing Director of NSW transmission network service provider TransGrid.

TransGrid owns and manages one of the largest high voltage transmission networks in Australia, connecting generators, distributors and major end-users in New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and has been delivering electricity to the people of NSW and the ACT for more than 60 years.

Peter has over 25 years experience in the electricity transmission industry, with particular expertise in policy development, asset management and regulatory strategy.

Peter is former Chairman of Grid Australia and currently Deputy Chairman 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.

BSc BE (Hons) MBA (Technology Management) FIEAust FAIE FAICD

 
Andrew Mitchell
Essential Energy
Andrew Mitchell graduated from Sydney University in 1987 and worked for the Electricity Commission of NSW carrying out transmission planning before starting a new career at the department of defence on Garden Island. The work at Garden Island was varied and involved work on the design operation and maintenance of distribution networks, large DC and AC motor drives, building services and material handling equipment. After leaving Garden Island in the new millennium Andrew worked for a small company developing gas powered combined heat and power units both as standalone remote area power supplies and as grid connect units. The market for such units failed to develop but provided Andrew with a very practical background to the realities of grid connecting generation. In 2002 a sea change moved Andrew to Port Macquarie and he began work with Country Energy (now Essential Energy) as a distribution planner. For the last eight years Andrew has been working in the System Control area, ensuring Essential Energy’s high voltage networks are operated in the safest, most efficient and reliable manner possible.
 
Craig Moody
Ausgrid
Craig Moody holds the position of Manager – Project Development within the Asset Management Division of Ausgrid. His primary responsibility is development of all major projects and programs from the early planning concept through to full business case scoping and approval, including options and feasibility, design development, environmental assessment, community consultation and financial authority. Determination of the optional project delivery model (D&C, D then C etc) with subsequent procurement responsibility is an integral part of the development responsibility in order that projects are ‘shovel ready’. Other responsibilities include Ausgrid’s Community Engagement Policy, Systems and good neighbour protocols covering all operations, maintenance and capital works. Over his 30 plus year career in the electricity supply industry, Craig has progressed through all key areas of the Network business including Field Services, Customer Supply and Planning, Major Project Management, Engineering and Design and Maintenance and Replacement Planning.
 
Terry Niemeier
Endeavour Energy
Terry Niemeier is a member of Engineers Australia in the Electrical College, and is a member of EESA. He is currently holds the role of Electrical Safety Authorisations Manager at Endeavour Energy, and is leading an overhaul of the processes used to authorise employees, contract workers and accredited service providers to work on or near the electricity network. Terry’s previous experience is in the field of earthing, driving a change to risked based design methodology in distribution network earthing across Endeavour Energy. He joined Integral Energy (now Endeavour Energy) as a cadet engineer in 2008 before graduating with degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mathematics in 2009.
 
Chris O'Halloran
Tesla
Chris O'Halloran has worked in the electrical distribution industry since graduating from Canterbury University over 20 years ago. Chris has worked for distribution companies and as a protection consultant in both the North and South Islands of NZ. Chris joined Tesla as a protection engineer just over 10 years ago and has enjoyed working for a variety of clients using a variety of manufacturer’s protection equipment on networks up to 110kV.
 
Mattehw Oong
Eaton
Matthew Oong has been involved in Power Distribution and Industrial Automation for more than 30 years. His initial training was with the former Sydney County Council’s Test Branch, where he undertook the Electrical Engineering Certificate and Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical). Matthew has had broad practical experience with Rolls Royce Industrial Power as a Commissioning Engineer, Design Engineer and Project Manager before moving into Sales and Sales Management. 

At Eaton, Matthew is responsible for Energy Automation business development in Australia and New Zealand and East Asia. 
 
Dr Glenn Platt
CSIRO

Glenn Platt leads the Grids and Energy Efficiency program within CSIRO’s Energy Flagship, focussing on solving the energy challenges of consumers, business, and grids. The program’s work ranges from solar cooling, electric vehicles, smart grids and the integration of large-scale solar systems, through to energy futures modelling, economics and understanding people’s response and uptake of particular low carbon energy options.

Glenn is a graduate of Harvard Business School, holds PhD and electrical engineering degrees from the University of Newcastle Australia, and is an adjunct professor at the University of Technology, Sydney. Prior to CSIRO, Glenn worked in Denmark with Nokia Mobile Phones on the standardisation and application of cutting-edge mobile communications technology. Before his time in Denmark, Glenn was employed in an engineering capacity for various Australian engineering consultancies, working on industrial automation and control projects.

Glenn is a Vincent Fairfax Fellow, and a recipient of the Australian Financial Review Young Executive of the year award.

 
Kelvin Proctor
Landis+Gyr
Kelvin is an electrical engineer and software developer with over 10 years experience in power and control systems. He is a specialist in Smart Grid systems, combining electrical engineering domain knowledge with software development. Kelvin in an expert in SCADA systems and has spent much of the last 10 years in both research and development and engineering roles related to SCADA systems. Kelvin is currently a Technical Solution Manager with Landis+Gyr working on AMI and Smart Grid projects across the Asia Pacific region. Previously Kelvin was a Technical Architect at Ausgrid working across the full scope of the Smart Grid, Smart City project. The Smart Grid, Smart City project was designed to demonstrate a fully integrated, commercial scale Smart Grid. Prior to this Kelvin worked for Schneider Electric for 8 years holding a variety of roles covering engineering, product support and product development of SCADA software and substation automation systems.
 
Andrew Reid
Century Yuasa Batteries
Mr Andrew Reid C.P.Eng., B.E.Hons., GradDipBA, M.IEAust 

Andrew Reid is currently the Engineering Manager for the Standby Power Division of Century Yuasa Batteries Pty Ltd. Prior to this appointment, Mr Reid spent 7 years working in Power Station environments, followed by 8 years developing and installing high reliability control and computer systems in the transport industry. Mr Reid holds an Honours degree in Electrical Engineering, majoring in Electronics and Communications, from the Queensland University of Technology, as well as a post-graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Technology Management) from Deakin University. Mr Reid is a member for Engineers Australia and a Registered Professional Engineer Queensland.
 
Tony Saker
Third Horizon
Tony is a senior manager at Third Horizon with 30 years of utility experience leading and product developing a number of complex strategic asset management, optimisation, contract management, process redesign, benchmarking, regulatory, and operational projects for a global range of electric and water utility firms. In particular his clients include all major urban Australian utilities and a vast majority worldwide from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, USA, China, and South East Asia.

Prior to joining Third Horizon, Tony was Managing Director of a specialist utility benchmarking firm UMS Group for 8 years. Prior to that he worked with Ausgrid for over 10 years in a variety of technical and operational roles as a Senior Transmission and Distribution Engineer and ultimately had the role as a Corporate Strategic Adviser to the Board, CEO and Executive Management. Tony is also an Endorsed Asset Management Assessor with the Institute of Asset Management UK.

Qualifications
• Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical), The University of Sydney, 1985
• Graduate Diploma of Management, Deakin University, 1996
 
Mark Stewart
University of Newcastle
Professor Mark Stewart is Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the Centre for Infrastructure Performance and Reliability at The University of Newcastle in Australia. He is the co-author of Probabilistic Risk Assessment of Engineering Systems (Chapman & Hall, 1997), Terror, Security, and Money: Balancing the Risks, Benefits, and Costs of Homeland Security (Oxford University Press, 2011), and Chasing Ghosts: The Policing of Terrorism (Oxford University Press, forthcoming), as well as more than 400 technical papers and reports. He has 30 years of experience in probabilistic risk and vulnerability assessment of infrastructure and security systems. 

Mark currently leads a consortium of five universities in Australia for the $3.5 million CSIRO Flagship Cluster Fund project Climate Adaptation Engineering for Extreme Events (CAEx). The CAEx Cluster is assessing the impact of climate change on damage and safety risks to infrastructure, and assessing the cost-effectiveness of engineering adaptation strategies. A key task is improved understanding of critical infrastructure resilience to existing and future climates.
 
David Sweeting
Sweeting Consulting
Dr. David Sweeting graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering with a thesis on electric arcs. He has broad experience in manufacturing (Brown Boveri), Supply authority (Sydney County Council) and consulting to mainly large consumers. 

He has run his own high voltage-consulting firm since 1989, is an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, a senior member of IEEE, a member CIGRE and a member of Consult Australia. He has published 75 papers and has 3 patents on a range of topics. 

Dr. Sweeting is currently, 
  • A member of the Standards Australia Committee EL34 and an IEC working groups on Power Quality. 
  • A member of the IEC working groups TC73 MT1 and TC73MT2 on short circuit currents, 
  • A visiting professor at the University of Wollongong, 
  • A member of the IEEE/NFPA Technical Advisory Committee for the Arc Flash Collaborative Research and Testing Project.
 
Graham Town
Macquarie University
Graham E. Town received the Bachelor of Engineering degree with First Class Honours from the New South Wales Institute of Technology, Sydney, Australia, in 1984 and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, in 1992. 

From 1978 to 1985, he was with Amalgamated Wireless Australasia, where he was a Trainee Engineer, and subsequently Engineer, and worked on a variety of projects including the Interscan microwave landing system and the development of first generation optical fibre communication systems. In 1985, he joined the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Sydney to undertake research in the area of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and was appointed Lecturer in 1991. In 2002 he joined the Department of Electronics at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, where he established that University's undergraduate engineering degree program. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Engineering. He is author or co-author of more than 200 refereed journal and conference papers and several patents. His research contributions have been diverse, including nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, guided-wave optics and photonics, terahertz wireless technology, power electronics, “smart-grid” power systems, and engineering education.

Professor Town is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia, and a Senior Member of the IEEE.