Experience

Low Emission Technology Australia

• Australia
• Research
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Executive Officer

  • Dec 2018 - Present

  I am the CEO of Low Emission Technology Australia. LET Australia is an investor in technologies critical to reducing carbon emissions from industry. Our collective goal under the Paris Agreement is a zero emission future. Low emission technologies are critical to achieving this goal and will help manage the emissions generated by industries and the way we live. Until recently LET Australia was called COAL21. We changed our name because Low Emission Technology Australia much better reflects what we do, which is invest in technologies that significantly reduce carbon emissions. The innovations of these technologies can reduce and remove existing and future sources of industrial emissions. This includes from coal fired and other electricity generation, steel and cement manufacturing, mining processes and other future energy sources, such as hydrogen. The technology doesn’t discriminate against where carbon comes from, but will be critical to reaching a zero carbon emissions future. Since 2006 Australia’s black coal producers have committed $550 million to identify, research and develop technologies that can make a real difference to how we produce energy, steel and other materials so that the carbon dioxide can be captured and permanently stored, prevented, or reused in other applications. LET Australia continues this important work.



ANLEC R&D

• Australia
• Research Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Member

  • Jul 2020 - Present

  Australian National Low Emissions Coal Research and Development (ANLEC R&D) is an Australian Government Partnership with the Australian Coal Industry to enable and accelerate the deployment of low emissions technologies for coal fired power generation. ANLEC R&D plays an important and prominent role in delivering the science that underpins and enables the sustainable use of coal in a low emissions future. ANLEC R&D has invested over $100M in research and development activities supporting Carbon Capture and Storage in the Surat Basin in Queensland, the Gippsland Basin in Victoria and the South Perth Basin in Western Australia. In the last eight years of operation, it has delivered over 100 reports and publications that assist these Australian proponents progress their deployment interests at commercial scale.



Akin Agency

• Australia
• Public Relations and Communications Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chair and Co-Founder

  • Feb 2018 - Present

  I am the Chair and Co-Founder of Harry Communications, a boutique communications and government relations agency, based in Canberra. The business is focused on providing a full range of communications services, crafting and executing advocacy campaigns, to improve the reputation of our clients across the public and private sector in the resources, energy, defence, property development and technology fields. Currently our company is leading a project for the Prime Minister on employment, investor relations and market announcements with an ASX 20 organisation, designing large scale advocacy campaigns for two Federal Government Agencies and delivering public relations activations for the Invictus Games. Harry Communications have led several projects, most notably auditing and reviewing the stakeholder engagement and advocacy activity for the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, delivering a new strategy for engagement and issues management for a number of clients and developing strategic advocacy plans for large energy companies. The Agency has also undertaken investor relations activity for an ASX 20 company, and led training of CEOs and Secretaries for Senate Estimates and Parliamentary Inquiries, equipping them with a range of skills to act as organisation spokespeople. As a leader of Harry Communications, I have focused on building the brand and reputation of the organisation as one which is dynamic, innovative and well respected. We have been able to deliver sophisticated advocacy campaigns, drawing on a range of activities and approaches for our clients who want to enhance their reputation or manage significant issues, with plans of action that deliver.



Minerals Council of Australia

• Australia
• Mining
• 1 - 100 Employee

• General Manager - Climate and Energy

  • Dec 2018 - Jan 2020

  I was the General Manager for Climate, Energy, Coal and Uranium at the Minerals Council of Australia. The Minerals Council of Australia represents Australia’s exploration, mining and minerals processing industry, nationally and internationally, in its contribution to sustainable development and society. The MCA represents the minerals industry with a common purpose in advocating responsible policies to promote growth, prosperity and sustainability. We engage with the community, other industries, industry and representative bodies, opinion leaders and other stakeholders to reinforce and raise awareness of the industry’s contribution to Australia and Australians. The industry is committed to contributing to the sustained growth and prosperity of current and future generations through the integration of economic progress, responsible social development and effective environmental management. The minerals industry acknowledges that sustained global action is required to reduce the risks of human-induced climate change. The Australian minerals sector supports a measured transition to a low emissions global economy.



Shell

• United Kingdom
• Oil and Gas
• 700 & Above Employee

• Government Relations Manager

  • Feb 2012 - Feb 2018

  At Shell I was a leader and industry advocate, responsible for managing all Australian Government engagements. I was a senior member of both the Australian and Regional leadership teams, helping to develop and execute the government, communications and media strategies for Shell in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region. I oversaw a team which sat across six different jurisdictions. In this role I focused on the development and execution of government engagement and advocacy strategies on a diverse range of issues and projects. I provided high quality, insightful, relevant advice to drive business, inform the Country Chair and Global Group Executives - including the Global CEO of Royal Dutch Shell and Board. I have built broad and strong relationships with senior stakeholders on all sides of politics in Federal and State Governments and regularly facilitated meetings between international Shell executives and the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers/Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Ministers - as well as Secretaries in key portfolios. I have hosted the Royal Dutch Shell Board, the global CEO regularly and lead local executive engagement. I also developed and maintained key relationships with major associations and business influencers. As Head of Government Relations, I focused on ensuring that Shell was viewed as a trusted adviser and a key player in national policy debates. As a result of my leadership, Shell’s opportunity to influence policy and business outcomes was maximised. My approach has built acceptance by decision makers on issues including: • Acceptance of Shell as part of the solution to Australia’s gas security and energy transition issues; • Divestment of Shell’s downstream business; and • Australia’s significant productivity challenges that are major hurdles in commercialising LNG projects.



Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA)

• Australia
• Oil and Gas
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Deputy Chief Executive

  • Jan 2002 - Jan 2012

  As Deputy Chief Executive, I was responsible for developing advocacy positions and strategic responses for a wide range of industry issues. I was also the deputy leader of the organisation and regularly acted in the role of CEO as needed. I dealt directly to Ministers, advisers, bureaucrats, media and other stakeholders including unions, environmental NGO’s, fishing representatives and landholders. To achieve outcomes in this role I had a detailed understanding of a complex industry, high level advocacy skills, a high degree of initiative, and provided strategic industry leadership. I developed a comprehensive network of key decision makers on both sides of politics in Canberra, Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane ensuring that the Association was viewed as a highly professional and credible. In this position, I: • Acted as the key media spokesperson on significant issues, such as the industry response to the Montara well blowout crisis, giving interviews to television, radio and print media; • Led many successful industry negotiations; and • Provided evidence before a range of Senate and House of Representatives Inquiries on a broad range of sensitive and important issues ranging from: o Establishment of a new single national regulatory authority; o Maintaining access to the industry in the face of calls for moratoriums and bans on exploration; and o Promotion of the industry’s activities that enhanced its social licence to operate, even the inclusion of oil and gas activities inside marine parks.



Minerals Council of Australia

• Australia
• Mining
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Policy Adviser - Environment

  • Jan 2001 - Feb 2002

  In this role, I represented the interests of the membership of the MCA on a wide range of environmental issues. I was responsible for: • Assessing new policies and providing advice to Council members; • Making representations to key decision makers to achieve balanced and fair outcomes for industry on environmental practice issues; and • Providing strategic leadership to the industry aimed at improving on the ground environmental performance. The broad portfolio of responsibilities I covered in this position included emerging environmental legislation; industry engagement and implementation of sustainable development practices; community and environmental health regulation through National Environment Protection Measures and the National Pollutant Inventory; and the implementation of mine practice initiatives in water management and tailings control.



Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism

• Assistant Director - Environment

  • Feb 1998 - Jan 2001