Dr Jill Cainey MBE is the founder and CEO of Erne Energy, supporting the energy sector to understand the impacts and risks of climate change as Australia electrifies the future.

Jill has advocated for the interests of electricity storage in the UK and Europe, and for electricity transmission and distribution networks, renewable energy developers and Consumer Energy Resources in Australia.

Jill now represents electricity consumers on industry and national advisory groups, combining her expertise in climate science and electricity policy to support consumers and communities access resilient sources of clean electricity in the face of increasingly severe weather events.

Jim Chesterfield leads corporate strategy and builds the critical partnerships required to deliver New South Wales’ Renewable Energy Zones. His work sits at the centre of Australia’s energy transition, connecting government, industry and communities to accelerate major infrastructure delivery.

Prior to joining EnergyCo, Jim was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company, advising public and private sector clients on energy transition strategy, infrastructure delivery and the development of green business models. He previously led energy policy development and impact analysis at Infrastructure Australia, including work on the 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan. Earlier in his career, Jim managed complex infrastructure advisory projects at Arup across energy, transport, water and cities, and co-founded Civability, a spatial data analytics start-up supporting government decision-making.

Jim holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Oxford and a Master of Engineering (with Distinction) from the University of Melbourne. He is passionate about diversity in STEM and inspiring the next generation of energy leaders.

Lisa Chiba was appointed Managing Director of Momentum Energy in January 2022, having spent her career in a variety of leadership roles across retail utilities and financial services in Australia and the UK.

Lisa’s professional passions are supporting businesses and consumers participate in Australia’s transition to a clean energy future, and promoting diversity and inclusion in the workforce. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Laws with honours and a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Melbourne, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.

A regular speaker at conferences and industry events, Lisa has spoken at Australian Energy Week in 2022, 2023, 2025 and will once again participate in 2026.

Jo De Silva is the General Manager Retail Policy at the Australian Energy Council. Previously, Jo was a senior leader at the Australian Energy Market Operator (ISP Consumer Panel) and Energy & Water Ombudsman SA, experienced in representing the long-term interests of different cohorts of energy consumers in regulatory and technical processes. Jo has served as a member of the Energy Security Board Stakeholder Steering Group and the National Customer Code Council for Comparators and Moving Services.

Jo was a member of the Australian Energy Regulator Consumer Reference Group, all four Energy Security Board National Energy Guarantee Technical Working Groups and the Australian Energy Market Commission System Security Technical Working Group. Heading up energy policy at the South Australian Council of Social Service for around a decade, Jo convened the National Consumer Roundtable on Energy and was an inaugural member of the AER’s Consumer Challenge Panel. Jo is a former Judge of the South Australian Premier’s Mining and Energy Awards.

Gavin was recently appointed National Director Energy Policy and Research of St Vincent de Paul Society Australia, but has worked in the social services community welfare sector for over 30 years, undertaking social research, policy evaluation and advocacy with a specific focus on essential gas, water and electricity services.

Gavin is also a consumer representative of a number of industry and government committees including: Yarra Valley Water community advisory group; Victorian, NSW electricity and gas distribution company consultative committees; and a member of the AER and ESC customer consultative groups. He is also a Board member of Energy Consumers Australia and a previous member of the AEMC reliability panel and AEMO’s ISP consumer panel.

Louisa Frome is a seasoned marketing and business strategy executive with extensive experience driving brand growth, innovation, and customer-centric solutions across a wide range of sectors, including energy, resources, technology, construction, healthcare, retail and manufacturing. She is currently Senior Manager, Marketing & Insights at Horizon Power, where she leads brand and marketing strategy and customer experience initiatives to deliver impactful commercial outcomes.

Previously, Louisa served as General Manager – W.A. for Step Change, a strategically-led marketing agency, where she partnered with CEOs and executive teams to develop innovative strategies and solutions for both start-ups and blue-chip clients. She is also the founder of multiple marketing and digital production businesses servicing national organisations.

Louisa holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) from Curtin University and a BA in Psychology from the University of Queensland. She is recognised for her values-based leadership to people, strategy and performance, and commitment to look beyond the immediate horizon to deliver quantifiable continuous improvement. 

Dr Joel Gilmore is the General ManagerRegulation & Energy Policy at Iberdrola Australia, with over fifteen years’experience in market design, market modelling, and the technical and economicintegration of renewable energy and green fuels into the grid. Joel alsosupports the integrated development of large-scale renewables, transmission,green hydrogen, and new loads. He previously led Iberdrola’s long-term marketmodelling team, developing business cases for both renewable and firming assetsand has previously worked in roles across consulting, government, and AEMO.Joel is also an Associate Professor at Griffith University Business Schoolfocusing on the energy economics of renewables and renewable fuels, and anaward winning science communicator

Wendel leads Modo Energy’s expansion across Australia and the wider APAC region. A self-described clean energy geek, Wendel brings deep expertise in energy markets, policy and battery energy storage, with a career spanning the UK and Australian energy sectors.

At Modo Energy, Wendel oversees local operations, leads research and analysis, and supports industry participants with data-driven insights into battery revenues, market dynamics and investment risk. Prior to relocating to Australia, he led Modo’s GB markets function, building a highly regarded research platform covering energy storage, power markets and policy reform.

Wendel’s earlier experience includes senior strategy and commercial analysis roles at Open Energi, advisory work on battery projects for bp, and regulatory analysis at Ofgem across renewable electricity schemes. He began his career analysing wind farm performance and asset optimisation.

Combining technical rigour with clear communication, Wendel is passionate about helping the industry navigate the fast-evolving clean energy transition.

Kaavya Jha is a Senior Energy Policy Advisor at Tesla, working across energy policy, market design, and business development across the Asia-Pacific region, with a strong focus on supporting grid-forming technology integration, wholesale and ancillary service market design, and streamlining the grid connection process. Her background spans public policy research, climate risk analysis, and investor engagement. Prior to her time at Tesla, she contributed to Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment (NCRA) and supported investor transitions to net zero at the Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC), working across both Australia and Asia.

Vanya Kumar leads initiatives to accelerate energy innovation, attract private investment and strengthen Victoria’s clean energy economy. With more than a decade of experience across government, infrastructure and energy policy, Vanya brings deep expertise in commercial strategy, governance and large-scale project delivery.

Previously, Vanya held senior executive roles within Victoria’s Energy Group, including Acting Executive Director of Offshore Wind Energy Victoria, where she played a key role in shaping the state’s offshore wind program and market development approach. Her career also includes leadership positions at the Department of Premier and Cabinet and Major Projects Victoria, overseeing complex infrastructure planning, partnerships and investment frameworks.

Beyond government, Vanya serves on the Advisory Council of the Monash Energy Institute and is a long-standing guest lecturer at the University of Melbourne. She holds honours degrees in Law and Business from Monash University and is recognised for her ability to bridge policy, markets and investment to deliver real-world outcomes.

Alex Leemon is a self-described NEM nerd with deep expertise in Australia’s energy markets and a passion for making them more accessible, flexible and customer-centric. As Manager of Customer and Energy Markets at PolarBlue, Alex works at the intersection of technology, energy systems and end-user needs.

With a career spanning roles in demand response, virtual power plants, distributed energy resources and software innovation, Alex has led projects across Rheem, Flow Power and Gridcog. He has helped commercial and industrials participate in VPPs, guided industry through complex energy modelling, and developed tools to unlock the value of flexible energy assets.

Alex also authors the popular Currently Speaking newsletter—bringing wit, memes and insight to the often-absurd realities of the National Electricity Market.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical and Materials) from the University of Queensland and thrives on demystifying complexity to help others make better energy decisions.

Rakhesh is a chemical engineer turned energy market and technology expert, with over 15 years’ experience in distributed energy, project development, market operations, and technology licensing. His expertise spans both the “buyer” and “seller” sides in distributed energy, having worked in commercial and technical roles for portfolio operators like Enel X and EDF Energy as well as for technology providers like Evergen.

He founded Hachiko to deliver the software solution he wished had existed to solve problems he identified over his many years in the sector. Hachiko is a truly purpose-built and forward-looking portfolio management product that caters to the unique challenges of sophisticated developers, traders, and investors in an ever-evolving market.

Ian Myles is a highly experienced infrastructure and utilities analyst at Macquarie Group, where he has spent more than three decades covering energy and infrastructure markets. He is widely respected for his deep market insight and long-term perspective on utilities, investment trends and regulatory dynamics. Ian holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney and is a CFA charterholder.

Dennis Noaeen is a Director in the Rewiring the Nation team at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Dennis specialises in investments in electricity networks and the consumer energy resources. Dennis’ experience spans the origination and execution of corporate, project and investment banking business in the energy, natural resources, infrastructure and utilities sectors across Australia and EMEA. Prior to joining the CEFC, Dennis covered global energy majors at Mizuho Bank in London and corporates in the Natural Resources and Infrastructure sectors at Commonwealth Bank of Australia in both London and Sydney. Dennis holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney.

David Prins is an experienced and highly accomplished thought leader, strategic influencer and collaborator in the Australian energy market.  He thrives on understanding how competition and regulation inter relate in energy markets, and helping his clients to navigate the often difficult environments in which they have to participate and engage, across the energy value chain.

David has extensive international consulting experience and expertise in strategic, regulatory and government policy and commercial issues in energy markets, particularly from a consumer perspective.  His work currently focuses on the energy transition to net zero, reliability and resilience of the energy system, and energy affordability.

Maia was appointed Chief Operating Officer in July 2025, with responsibility for operating, maintaining and upgrading Snowy Hydro’s diverse generation asset portfolio. Maia also serves as Chief Transformation Officer, overseeing the company’s multi-year transformation program and setting it up for continued leadership in the evolving energy sector. 

Maia has more than 15 years of experience across generation operations, commercial strategy, marketing and capital project delivery. During this time Maia has held executive roles with Origin, Fortescue and most recently SunDrive Solar, a solar technology startup.

Maia has also served as CEO of Queensland Government-owned low-emissions electricity generation, trading and retail business CleanCo Queensland and currently serves as a non-executive director of Blue Economy CRC, a research cooperative focused on exploring opportunities for marine science and industry.

Lewis Shields is a senior leader within Victoria’s energy portfolio, working at the forefront of the state’s energy transition. He leads a team responsible for advancing complex energy proposals, building a strong pipeline of investment-ready projects across Victoria’s energy sector, and applying industry intelligence to inform policy and reform.

Lewis brings a broad mix of government and commercial expertise, with experience spanning energy policy, major project development, renewable hydrogen, industry engagement and fiscal analysis. Prior to joining DEECA, he held roles across both the Victorian and Commonwealth governments, including in infrastructure, transport, ICT, First Peoples policy and federal budget processes.

He holds a Bachelor of Information Technology (Information Systems – Finance) from Bond University.

Felicity Underhill has spent twenty-five years working in the energy industry in a career spanning strategy, commercial, innovation, project and executive leadership roles across almost thirty countries. After an early career with Shell in Europe and around the world, she has held senior roles at Origin and Fortescue in Australia, where she was one of the early leaders working on energy transition challenges and projects across the Asia Pacific region. She was Deputy Chair of the Australian Hydrogen Council until late 2023. Her current board positions include NZ’s Channel Infrastructure as it transitions from refinery to terminal to energy precinct, and Australian renewables platform, Intera Renewables. In December 2024, Felicity was appointed as a Commissioner on the board of He Pou a Rangi, the New Zealand Climate Change Commission, which is responsible for advising the government of the day and monitoring its progress to reduce emissions.

Dr Changlong Wang is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Early Career Industry Fellow at Monash University, a Climate Futures Fellow at the University of Melbourne, and an Academic Visitor at the University of Oxford.

Changlong played a key role in developing the Hydrogen and Green Steel Economic Fairways Mapper, a joint initiative between Geoscience Australia and Monash University, to support the implementation of Australia's National Hydrogen Strategy. The project team received the Australian Eureka Prize for Innovative Research in Sustainability in 2023 and was a finalist for the 2024 Australian Financial Review’s Energy Award in Innovation.

Changlong represents Australia in several International Energy Agency (IEA) Hydrogen Technology Collaboration Program (TCP) tasks and is leading IEA Hydrogen Task 52, “Hydrogen for Iron/Steelmaking,” involving participants from 60 organisations over 17 countries. He also led the South Australian Green Iron Supply Chain Study with the Port of Rotterdam for the South Australian government.

Changlong was recently recognised with several major honours, including the 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s ECR of the Year Award (STEM), the 2024 Monash Engineering Dean’s Award for Research Excellence, the 2025 Engagement Australia Highly Commended (Outstanding Leadership in Engagement), the 2024 DCCEEW–CSIRO International Hydrogen Fellowship and the 2025 ARC ECR Industry Fellowship.

Changlong also serves on the Australian Energy Week 2026 Advisory Board and the Organising Committee for the Australian Hydrogen Research Conference 2026.

Tarandeep Singh leads McKinsey & Company's Energy Practice in Australia and New Zealand. He is a Partner based in McKinsey’s Melbourne office, with over 20 years’ experience.

Tarandeep is passionate about helping industry lead the way on the energy transition. He works with leading public and private sector organisations across the energy value chain on a variety of topics including strategy, growth, M&A, large capital projects, transformation, digitisation, and decarbonisation. 

Tarandeep has served as a knowledge advisor to Australian Energy Week and for the last half decade, regularly presenting and hosting multiple panels on the annual event’s main stage.