ICN Clean Energy & Manufacturing Summit

Opening Address: The Hon Ed Husic MP

Keynote Speaker: Senator The Hon Jenny McAllister

Senator the Hon Jenny McAllister is Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy. She is also a Senator for NSW. 

Climate change and environmental management remain key areas of interest for Jenny. She was co-founder of the Labor Environmental Activist Network (known as LEAN) with Kristina Keneally. Jenny was sworn into the Senate in 2015 to fill a casual vacancy and was re-elected in 2016 and again for the 2022-2028 term at the 2022 federal election. 

Jenny is passionate about managing the economy to achieve social justice and social inclusion, and better outcomes for climate and sustainability. Her interests include gender equality and new opportunities for community participation in politics. 

Professor Roy Green

Roy is Emeritus Professor and Special Innovation Advisor at the University of Technology Sydney, where he was Dean of the UTS Business School. He has enjoyed a career in universities, government and industry and has published widely in the areas of innovation, industrial policy and management education, including projects with the OECD and European Commission.  

Roy has led numerous public inquiries and reviews, and chaired the Australian Government’s Enterprise Connect Innovative Regions Centre, CSIRO Manufacturing Sector Advisory Council, Food Innovation & Agribusiness Ltd (FIAL) Industry Growth Centre, NSW Manufacturing Industries Advisory Council and Queensland Competition Authority.  

Currently, Roy chairs the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub and the Port of Newcastle, and he is a board director of the SmartSat CRC and a member of the Australian Design Council and NSW Modern Manufacturing Taskforce. He was also a member of the Prime Minister’s Manufacturing Taskforce and a board director of the Innovative Manufacturing CRC.  

Dr Vanessa Rauland

Dr Vanessa Rauland is a passionate entrepreneur, researcher, author and public speaker who has dedicated her career to addressing climate change and increasing awareness about the vast benefits of sustainability, climate action and low carbon living.  

After completing her PhD on the topic of decarbonising cities and working as an academic for over 10 years at Curtin University, she founded ClimateClever, a data-driven, climate-tech startup that helps businesses and communities to get started on their net zero journey to measure and reduce their carbon footprint while also saving money on their utility bills.  

She has won numerous awards including a ’40 under 40′ and a ‘Women in Technology WA’ award. She is passionate about impact-driven businesses and is also a Founding Board Director and Co-Chair of WA Social Enterprise Council (WASEC). 

Jocelyn Cooper

Jocelyn Cooper is the General Manager of the Batteries and NRF Priorities Branch in the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.

In this role she leads the development and implementation of the Government’s Australian Made Battery Plan and works with industry and government stakeholders to provide cross-cutting policy advice across National Reconstruction Fund priority areas.

Jocelyn has also held positions in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Australian Treasury. Jocelyn recently led strategic policy for the Consumer Data Right (CDR) at Treasury and previously worked on the PM&C Digital Technology Taskforce, helping develop and deliver a whole of government Digital Economy Strategy.
Prior to this, Jocelyn spent more than a decade at the Department of Industry where her work spanned areas including the establishment of the Square Kilometre Array in Australia, development of Australia’s Artificial Intelligence Ethics framework and advice to Government on regulatory, industry and technology issues.

Mr Wes Horwood

As Head of Future Energy Projects at CS Energy, Wes is currently responsible for delivering CS Energy’s Future Energy Capital Project Portfolio, including the Kogan Creek Clean Energy Hub, which includes the Chinchilla Battery, and Kogan Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Plant.

As well as creating energy hubs at its existing sites at Kogan Creek Power Station and Callide Power Station, CS Energy is exploring a number of greenfield opportunities as part of its future energy investment program, such as Columboola Solar Farm and the Banana Range Wind Farm, amongst others.

Mr Paul Hodgson

Paul Hodgson is chair of Queensland Manufacturing Institute (proud partner of ICN) and CEO of the Scaling Green Hydrogen Cooperative Research Centre Bid and an advisor in innovation, the energy transition and economic growth with diverse experience and insights gained over a 30 year career.  

With a Bachelor of International Business and a Master of Sustainable Development, he is passionate about developing and connecting local talent, research and enterprise capability into global ESG and net zero market opportunities.  

Dr Neil Thompson

Dr Neil Thompson is the Managing Director of ITM Power in Australia and has undertaken award-winning research at QUT Australia and KIT Germany as Adjunct Associate Professor in the field of integrated, closed-loop system design which resulted in development of the Integrated Sustainable Design (ISD) protocol to aid construction of low-risk and future-proofed infrastructure and built-form whilst providing for improved social and environmental outcomes from these facilities.   

Since returning to Australia in late 2017, Neil has worked with major local and international clients in partnership with the Federal Government’s ARENA clean energy funding agency on deployment of ITM sub-2MW scale containerised PEM electrolysers across mobility, industrial chemistry and power generation applications. He is now working with the ICN and various State Governments to develop local content for the new 20MW ITM “Poseidon” electrolyser process modules for use in XXXMW scale plants producing green hydrogen and derivatives such as ammonia and methanol for both domestic and export applications. 

Phil Richardson

Phil Richardson has over 15 years’ experience developing strategy and executing commercial projects and economic policy reforms, with a focus on the energy sector.  

As General Manager Hydrogen Projects, Phil is the project owner for Stanwell’s Central Queensland Hydrogen Project, a large-scale renewable hydrogen project under development near Gladstone. Prior to joining Stanwell, Phil held senior roles in the Queensland Government in energy and economic policy.  

Phil holds a Master of International Economics and Finance, Master of Governance and Public Policy and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland.

Darragh White

Darragh White is the Project Director for BlueFloat Energy. Over the past twelve years, Darragh has worked leading projects and investments in both the conventional and renewable energy industries, developing projects from origination or acquisition. He has worked across various functions including; developer, engineering consultancy, and in statutory functions of the electricity system operator.  

He is a Chartered Engineer and Project Management Professional (PMP®) with a Degree in Civil Engineering and Masters in both Sustainable Energy and Leadership and Management Practice.  

Darragh has worked on renewable energy projects in Europe, Asia, and Australia. In recent years, his focus has been on leading the development of offshore wind projects.  

Darragh has recently relocated to Australia from Ireland, where he was Project Director for ESB on the development offshore wind projects on the East Coast of Ireland. 

David Watt

David, a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, brings significant international experience in senior project and corporate leadership roles spanning almost 30 years.

His experience has been global, with various international senior level appointments for major international, Governmental and private sector companies and includes senior on-site roles on major infrastructure projects such as Darling Downs Power Station, Ottawa Light Rail, Inland Rail and Cross River Rail, as well as corporate oversight, management and responsibility for the commercial management, risk management, contract management, project management and general management, applied extensively in the domestic Australian, regional APAC, Canadian, UK and Southern African markets; in sectors including rail and transit, construction (high rise, industrial, commercial and housing), aeronautical, mining, major infrastructure, port development and power.

Michael Sharpe

Michael Sharpe is LAVO’s Executive Consultant – Virtual Power Plant, supporting the growth of LAVO’s clean energy solutions in Regional Australia. Michael is involved in a wide range of organisations across engineering, infrastructure, energy, environmental sustainability, the space industry, and academia.

Widely regarded as one of the most connected people in Australian industry, he has served as the National Director for Industry at the Australian Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and has supported a range of clean energy projects. He is the Commissioner for the Australian Manufacturing Commission and Chairman at the Australian Government’s Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub.

Bettina Venner

Bettina is Manager Supply Chain Development in the SA Government Department for Industry, Innovation and Science, focusing on developing supply chains in the minerals, energy, infrastructure, defence and other sectors and leading the Industry Capability Network in South Australia (ICN SA).

She has worked as a chemical engineer in the oil and gas industry in South Africa, Germany and Australia before joining government. Her government roles include policy, regulation and economic development.