Invited Speakers

Chief Executive, Department for Energy and Mining, South Australia

Paul Martyn is the Chief Executive of South Australia’s Department for Energy and Mining, where he is responsible for leading the state’s transition to renewable energy and accelerating the growth of the critical and strategic minerals sector.  Paul is a public sector leader with experience across industry sectors including energy, mining and gas, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, defence, and construction.

Director, Norwegian Centre for Zero Emission Metal Production; Norwegian University of Science and Technology 

Professor Gabriella Tranell holds a MSc in Geotechnology/Metallurgy from LTU, Sweden and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from UNSW, Australia. Prior to joining NTNU as professor in 2009, she worked as Senior Scientist and Research Manager with SINTEF. She has initiated and led several large EU projects and national research centres for extractive metallurgy. She is currently scientific director of the Norwegian Centre for Zero Emission Metal Production (FME ZeMe).

Her current research interests and activities include:

• Production, refining and recycling of Ferroalloys and Silicon

• Refining and recycling of aluminium

• Solar cell materials

• Environmental issues and emission related to metal production

• Valorization of metallurgical side streams

Executive General Manager System Design, AEMO, Australia 

Nicola has more than 25 years’ experience in the energy sector within Australia and overseas. In her current role, Nicola is responsible for leading system design at AEMO, driving the collaborative and industry-wide efforts in meeting the engineering challenges of a net-zero energy system. 

In her prior role as Group Manager, Victorian Planning & Connections she led a multi-disciplinary team planning and determining investment in major transmission projects, network, and non-network services, and managing the connections process for new generators and loads.

Nicola holds graduate and post-graduate commerce degrees in Management Science from the University of Canterbury, and is passionate about providing equal opportunities for women in the energy sector.

Executive Director, Center for an Arizona Carbon-Neutral Economy, Co-Director of ASU LightWorks®, Professor of Practice, School of Molecular Sciences; and Senior Futures Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University (ASU), USA

Ellen B. Stechel is the Executive Director of the Center for an Arizona Carbon-Neutral Economy, Co-Director of ASU LightWorks®, Professor of Practice, School of Molecular Sciences; and Senior Futures Scientist, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University (ASU). With a Ph.D. in chemical physics from the University of Chicago, her career has afforded her opportunities to build and/or coordinate research programs at a national laboratory, industry, a U.S. government agency, and now in higher education; in both basic and applied research; policy and commercialization of emerging technologies; and in multi-disciplinary R&D strategy and management. Her current research focuses on materials and systems design for solar technologies for producing sustainable liquid hydrocarbons from carbon dioxide, hydrogen from advanced water splitting, clean water, renewable ammonia, and for thermochemical and chemical energy storage. 

Senior Fellow, Grattan Institute, Australia

Tony is Energy and Climate Change Senior Fellow at Grattan Institute. He was Program Director, from 2011 to 2025, and before then held senior executive roles at Origin Energy for 14 years.

From 2009 to 2014 he was also Program Director of Clean Energy Projects at the Clinton Foundation, advising governments in the Asia-Pacific region on effective large-scale, low-emission energy technologies.

Tony was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his significant service in the areas of energy policy, climate change and sustainability. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology, Science, and Engineering.

Pro Vice Chancellor, Research Services and Infrastructure, Adelaide university, Australia

Dynamic leader dedicated to advancing research excellence, relevance, impact, talent, and sustainable development

As PVC RS & I at Adelaide University, I am privileged to contribute to the Executive Leadership Team of the Portfolio of Research and Innovation, driving the objectives of the university’s Research Strategic Plan and key initiatives in my Function for the University

 I lead the strategic development, operation, and management of world-class research infrastructure and support services across the entire research lifecycle, ensuring researchers have access to leading platforms, support services, facilities, and resources to drive excellence in interdisciplinary and impactful research.

Adelaide University, Australia

Director, Centre for Energy Technology. AU

Research Director, HILT CRC; Chair of HiTeMP

Professor Nathan is a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and of the Combustion Institute, an ARC Discovery Outstanding Researcher Awardee (Fellowship) and founding director of The University of Adelaide’s Centre for Energy Technology, who is listed in the top 2% of scientists world-wide both by Elsevier and Stanford University. 

Investment Manager, ARENA, Australia

Will Reeves is an Investment Manager in the Heavy Industry team at the Australian Renewable

Energy Agency (ARENA). ARENA invests in innovative clean energy technologies to accelerate

Australia’s transition to net zero. Will focuses on ARENA’s Low Emission and Green Metals portfolio

as well as Industrial Decarbonisation opportunities. Prior to joining ARENA, Will worked ininfrastructure private markets investment and in PwC’s Deals Modelling team, where he supported

complex transactions across infrastructure and energy markets. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce(First Class Honours) in Finance and Economics from the University of Sydney.

R&D Director, Tenova, Italy

Enrico Malfa holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering, obtained at Politecnico di Milano (Milan, Italy) in 1987.

He gained experience in international corporations in different industrial sectors, like Aermacchi (aerospace), Italcementi (cement) and ABB (Power). In 2002, he joined Centro Sviluppo Materiali (today Rina-CSM), where he became responsible for the branch at TenarisDalmime.

Currently, he is R&D Director of Tenova, a Techint Group company, worldwide partner for innovative, reliable and sustainable solutions in metals and mining.

Enrico Malfa holds several institutional positions:

• Chairman of European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP) Focus Group Circular Economy)

• Member of PPP Clean Steel Partnership Board

• Member of AFIL (the Association of Smart Factory in Lombardy Region) board

• Member of AIM (the Italian Association of Metallurgy) board

• Expert in Research Found for Steel and Coal - RFCS (EUROPEAN COMMISSION Directorate G – Industrial Technologies Research Fund for Coal and Steel) Technical Group (TGA2) – DOWNSTREAM STEEL PROCESSING

He is the author of several publications and patents.

Rennie Advisory, Australia

Georgine Duncan is a Principal at Rennie Advisory, where she advises on the decarbonisation of Australia's heavy industry, with a particular focus on low carbon liquid fuels, alumina refining and aluminium smelting. Her work sits at the intersection of energy-market design, industrial policy, and regional economic transition, supporting industry participants and government on how value is created, measured, and preserved across the energy transition. She is the author of Suspended Efficiency, which examines how emerging domain- and place-based paradigms are reshaping Australian energy and industrial policy.

Professor, College of Engineering and Computer Science, ANU, Australia

Prof Coventry is a researcher and engineer experienced in development and commercialisation of concentrating solar and energy storage technologies. His present focus in on industrial decarbonisation, particularly integration of thermal energy storage with industrial processes, including in alumina, iron/steel and paper sectors, and modelling energy supply options for decarbonising heavy industry. Prior, he was the Principal Engineer at Wizard Power, and led the engineering team and development of the Big Dish CSP technology. Prof Coventry holds a BE/BSc from the University of Melbourne (1997), and a PhD from the Australian National University (2004). 

Deputy Chief Executive, Environment Protection Authority, Australia

Amy Dennison is the Deputy Chief Executive of the South Australian Environment Protection Authority (EPA). An environmental engineer, lawyer and public administrator, Amy has extensive experience in environmental governance, regulation, and mineral and energy policy.

Amy is passionate about building effective, evidence-based regulatory systems that support innovation, collaboration, and investment in the transition to a low-carbon economy. She is interested in driving circular economy initiatives, securing sustainable resource management, and fostering partnerships that accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies and net-zero solutions.

Amy holds degrees in Environmental Engineering (University Medal) and Law from the University of New South Wales, a Master of Laws from the Centre for Energy, Petroleum, Mineral Law and Policy at the University of Dundee (University Medal), and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University as a Fulbright Scholar.

Economic Research Director, Superpower Institute, Australia

Ingrid is the Economic Research Director at The Superpower Institute, where she has coauthored reports on Australia’s green iron opportunity, a Polluter Pays Levy on carbon emissions, and a Fair Share Levy on profits in Australia’s gas and oil sector.

Ingrid has worked as a Senior Associate at the Grattan Institute, a Lecturer, and a Senior Economist in the public service. She was a Senior Expert Advisor on the UNFCCC's review of the Clean Development Mechanism.   

Director of the Institute for Energy Systems & Technology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany

Professional Career

• Since October 2004: Director of the Institute for Energy Systems and Technology (EST) at the Technical University of Darmstadt

• 1993 – September 2004: ALSTOM Power Boiler GmbH, Stuttgart, in various responsible positions

• 1987 – September 1993: Scientific Employee at the University of Stuttgart; Doctoral thesis at the University of Stuttgart

• 1981 – 1986: Study of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart

Professional Activities

• BMWE / PTJ Hydrogen Network, Chairman of the Division Power Plant & Turbo Machinery

• VGB PowerTech, Member of the Scientific Advisory Board

• DGMK – German Scientific Society for Sustainable Energy Carriers, Mobility and Carbon Cycles, Head of Department

• DVV – German Combustion Research Association, Member of the Steering Committee, German Section of the Combustion Institute, Pittsburgh/USA

• VDI / GVC Energy Process Technology, Member of the Board

• VDI / GVC Multiphase Flows, Member of the Board

Organiser of the 2nd International Conference on Chemical Looping, September 2012 in Darmstadt.

Development Manager - Hydrogen, 1414 Degrees Ltd, Australia

Farzad Poursadegh is a Chartered Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineer (PhD, CPEng, RPEQ) with more than 15 years in power, propulsion and industrial energy systems. As Hydrogen Development Manager at 1414 Degrees, he leads development of SiPHyR™, which couples silicon-based thermal energy storage with a methane pyrolysis reactor to enable continuous hydrogen and carbon production from low-cost renewable electricity. He has led and delivered multi-million-dollar research, development and demonstration programs across the transport, gas infrastructure and mining sectors, from feasibility and FEED through to EPC delivery and commissioning. 

Chief Strategy Officer, Dry Flow Magnetics, Australia

Nadia is the Chief Strategy Officer of DryFlow Magnetics, leading the company’s market strategy and international partnerships. Raised in a multi-decade steel products business, she brings a practical understanding of iron ore and steel markets and the requirements of both miners and downstream steelmakers.

Fluent in English and Mandarin, Nadia has extensive experience across commodities trading, supply-chain development, government engagement, major grant funding and cross-border collaboration, with strong relationships across Australia, China and Southeast Asia. At DryFlow, she translates technical performance into product specifications, strategic partnerships and commercial pathways, helping position the company’s waterless beneficiation technology to support the future supply of high-purity iron ore for lower-carbon iron and steelmaking.

Markets & Strategy Manager - Asia Pacific, Siemens Energy, Singapore

Milan Padhi is responsible for Markets & Strategy - Energy Transition Solutions for the Asia Pacific at Siemens Energy and is based out of Singapore. With a tenure of 18+ years at Siemens Energy, he has held diverse positions encompassing Engineering, Sales, Operations, Strategy, and Market Development across different industry verticals. Having accumulated 20 years of experience in the energy sector, including working with Fossil Fuels, Oil & Gas, and Energy Transition, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his role. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s in business administration. 

Vice President of the Future Steel R&D Center; Hydrogen Ironmaking Research Group, POSCO Research Lab; Australia

Jaehoon is an engineer and researcher in process optimisation, technology development of ironmaking and steelmaking. 

Chief Scientist, Calix, Australia

Matt Boot-Handford is Chief Scientist at Calix Limited, an Australian technology company developing calcination technology for industrial decarbonisation. He leads Calix's R&D, research partnerships and intellectual property portfolio across applications spanning iron and steel, cement and lime, alumina and critical minerals. Matt is a co-inventor of Zesty and has been involved in its development and scale-up from the early stages. He completed his PhD in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London in 2016.

Researcher, BHP Centre of Sustainable Steelmaking Research at University of Newcastle, Australia

Dr. Rou Wang received her PhD in Chemical Engineering in 2022. Since then, she works as researcher in BHP Centre of Sustainable Steelmaking Research at University of Newcastle. Her research focuses on alternative ironmaking and materials handling, with particular emphasis on de-risking H₂-based direct reduction technologies for both fluidised-bed and shaft furnace processes.

Head of Business Development, MGA Thermal Australia

Head of Business Development at MGA Thermal, leading global go-to-market strategy, pipeline activation, and revenue growth for its innovative thermal energy storage technology. Will Furness has almost a decade of experience commercialising first-of-a-kind technologies, previously as Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Canyon Solar and as an Investment Manager at ARENA. He brings a customer centric approach and deep expertise in renewable energy, strategic partnerships, and technoeconomic modelling. Will holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering (First Class Honours) and Project Management, and a Graduate Certificate in Finance.