Craig is an environmental engineer and member of the Technical Advisory and Executive Boards of the Australian and New Zealand Biochar Industry Group (ANZBIG) and assisted development of the Australian Biochar Industry 2030 Roadmapand industry Code of Practice. He has led market assessments, policy and regulatory submissions to state and federal governments including Energy from Waste Policies, End of Waste Codes and carbon credit methodologies. His young kids provide the inspiration to act rapidly on climate change.

Across his professional career Nick has realised many outstanding outcomes to complex challenges for the business community. He possesses significant experience in gathering and presenting information and leveraging that information to achieve results across a range of areas including economic, taxation, regulatory environment, employment legislation, population, infrastructure and planning issues. Australian Economic Advocacy Solutions delivers services in economic analysis, research and advocacy in Australia and was set up by Nick Behrens following two decades of experience applying these skills in the real world for Australia’s business community.  

Brody Brooks is a Chemical Engineering graduate of the University of Newcastle and has been employed as a research assistant with the University of Newcastle’s Centre for Ironmaking Materials Research (CIMR) for the past 3 years, contributing to a number of industry-funded projects. Brody is currently enrolled in a PhD of Chemical Engineering with the CIMR focused on defining mechanisms of interaction between biomass and metallurgical coal during bio-coke formation and impacts on coke quality.

James Felton-Taylor is currently owner and managing director of Australian Sustainable Timbers (AST), the first company in Australia to achieve FSC certification in Native Forest.  AST is a forest management, saw-milling and timber marketing company based on the North coast of NSW that runs a group scheme of FSC certified private native forests. James has a background in environmental science, farm forestry and remnant vegetation management and is passionate about restoring degraded forests through regenerative forestry practices. He is currently severing as a director in the Economic chamber at FSC Australia & New Zealand Board, actively promoting sustainable forest management practices in Australia.

Ross is recognised as a leader in providing legal advice to emerging green tech projects including for biochar.  Ross has a background advising senior executives of the NSW EPA and other environmental agencies on high profile regulatory and planning issues.  His experience in government provides a unique perspective and understanding of what is required for a project to succeed.  A Law Society Accredited Specialist in Environmental Law, he now advises industry and project proponents.  He also advises eminent industry associations such as the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA).

Dr Garvie is a full-time academic teaching in the accounting, finance and economics discipline at the University of the Sunshine Coast, in addition she is also an early career researcher engaged in projects with the university’s Forest Research Institute. Leanda is motivated to develop a reputation in the field of forestry bioeconomy and bring multi-disciplinary skills to advance the conversation around policy, economics, carbon mitigation and sustainability goals. She has established strong networks and have collaborated with leading researchers from around Australia and internationally including the EU.

Kim is the Principal Lawyer of G&B Lawyers, a Sydney city firm offering specialised full legal services in planning, property and environmental law, with expertise in renewables and resource recovery sector.   She was also a former Director (serving 2 terms) of the National Board for the Waste Management & Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR), the peak body for the waste and resource recovery industry in Australia. 

Mark is a principled thought leader and business developer in the circular economy, sustainable resource use and application, and emerging bioeconomy sectors. Mark’s consulting business, Renewed Carbon is currently delivering a multimillion project in NSW to create a vanguard project to manufacture biogenic carbon products for industry, manufacturers and agriculture, whilst simultaneously providing broad acre landscape restoration services on a regional basis.

Joe is co-founder and Director of The Crucible Group, which has taken its Continuous Biomass Converter (CBC) technology to the point of commercialisation. Support for the emergent business remains his primary focus.

Joe was formerly the Director of BHP Central Research Laboratories and General Manager Research BHP Steel. He subsequently initiated the Centre for Sustainable Resource Processing and became Director of The Natural Step in Australia. Joe led the strategy development work for Safe Climate Australia.

Recognition for his contributions to research, innovation and sustainability includes Sawamura Award (ISIJ), Hadfield Medal (IMMM), and Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

Joe serves on the Assurance Panel of Responsible Steel and continues to act as an advisor to the iron and steel sector through Skye Point Innovation.

Mark is an infrastructure specialist and has 29 years’ experience in the field. He has supported the environmental planning, approvals and licensing of some of the largest waste and recycling infrastructure projects in NSW. Mark is the founder of a specialist infrastructure planning firm in North Sydney, Jackson Environment and Planning. He also has 12 years’ experience in the NSW Environment Protection Authority, leading some of the largest recycling industry development, regulatory support and infrastructure investment programs in the country’s history.

Mark has 30 years’ experience strategically managing waste in NSW. His career has included developing regional waste plan for the Hunter Region and managing one of the largest landfills in NSW, the Summerhill Waste Management Centre. Mark has developed an interest in making solid renewable carbon, biochar using the Kon Tiki flame capped kiln. Sourcing unwanted wood locally to produce high quality biochar for local distribution.

With a PhD in waste minimisation and circular economy, Shadi is the subject matter expert peer review for this presentation. Shadi has significant expertise in the circular bioeconomy and GHG reduction programs both in Australia and abroad. Shadi has authored a number of papers on these subjects including Municipal Solid Waste Management: Towards the Realisation of Sustainable Management in the Context of Sri Lanka’s Kandy Municipal Council; and toward sustainable solid waste minimisation by manufacturing firms in Malaysia: strengths and weaknesses.

Erik is an environmental planner with 22 years of experience working in Australia and the United States.  In NSW, he has coordinated environmental approvals and delivered environmental assessments for private and public infrastructure clients across multiple industries, including many state significant projects. Working with Jackson Environment Planning has led Erik to focus mainly on resource recovery, waste and bioeconomy projects.

Megh serves as a Professor of Environmental Biotechnology at the Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, University of Newcastle. Internationally recognized for expertise in microbial degradation of pollutants and environmental toxicology/remediation, Megh has made significant contributions to field-scale remediation of TCE and petroleum-contaminated groundwater sites. Current research focuses on bioeconomy-based solutions for reclamation of degraded land and wastes.

James has worked in various roles in the resource recovery sector in both the UK and Australia. James has experience in the design, delivery and operation of various waste facilities. Since joining Barwon Water in the Circular Economy team in 2021, he has been worked on various projects like the Regional Renewable Organics Network and other initiatives, supporting the region in its transition to a circular economy.

Johan is a highly skilled and innovative management professional with over 20 years of expertise in leading operations, manufacturing and food processing. Alongside  tertiary qualifications in Engineering, he has significant experience in leading change and complex operations and is now utilising these skills to develop and revolutionize the bio-fertiliser industry

Philip Parekalam is the Managing Director of NALG, a company specialising in organic resource recovery and intensive horticulture. His achievements in the last 30 years include odour-free composting sites, production halls for horticulture crops, mushroom cultivation techniques, and launching software products that optimise the operations and management of those facilities with minimal odour footprint.

Dr Paymooni is a senior researcher at BHP Centre for Sustainable Steelmaking Research at the University of Newcastle. She has a Chemical Engineering background and has conducted research in several areas including low emission technologies, carbon accounting and low carbon ironmaking. Currently, she is undertaking research project on the production of hydrogen direct reduced iron which received funding from Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) as a part of Transformative Research Accelerating Commercialisation (TRAC) program.

Henry is leading Business Development at Verdant Earth Technologies, owners of the 151MW Redbank Power Station in the Hunter Valley, targeting the roll out of up to 2,000MW of biomass based generation throughout Australia. Henry has a background in Strategy and Transactions at EY with a strong track record in capital markets transactions and project management. He has worked on the development of greenfield and brownfield energy projects and has a strong commercial skill set.

As Vice-Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Biosolids Partnership (ANZBP) Advisory Committee, Lauren is passionate about promoting collaboration across the water industry and other sectors to support sustainable biosolids management. Having worked primarily in wastewater treatment roles for more than twenty years, and focussing on biosolids management for much of the last ten years, she recognises that resilience in the biosolids sector requires an innovative and adaptive approach to respond to future challenges and opportunities.

Dr Marc Stammbach designed, marketed, and built recycling and processing facilities for over 30 years in Australia’s and Europe’s environmental and large-scale investment industries. Today, he manages the local subsidiary of HZI to deliver Waste-to-Energy and Renewable Gas solutions to the Oceania market. The 300,000 tpa East Rockingham RRF is constructed and scheduled for operation in 2024. Very topical, his PhD covered, amongst other themes, kinetic studies of the pyrolysis of sewage sludge by TGA and comparison with fluidized beds.

Minna Vilkuna has over 25 years’ experience working in Asia and Australia for Finnish companies opening markets and developing modern EfW projects that aim to divert waste from landfills through recycling and clean energy recovery. Since 2020 she has been based and works out of her home state of Western Australia.

Daniela has a multi-disciplinary background in environmental management, sustainability accreditation and green infrastructure. With 18 years’ experience in environmental consulting, Daniela brings a holistic understanding to sustainable development. Daniela’s forte is identifying and leveraging strategic environmental opportunities to help clients go beyond compliance and meet or exceed their sustainability goals. She has helped developments achieve prominent sustainability awards and certifications, such as the multiple award-winning Urban Water Renewal Project for Parkes Shire Council in regional NSW.