Hosts & Delegates
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Janet Carson
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
GasNZAs Chief Executive, Janet leads advocacy and communications, and policy engagement, for GasNZ. Janet’s background is in public relations and external affairs and she’s worked for companies with a range of energy interests, including oil and gas, geothermal and solar. She served on the board of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). Janet has an LLB from the University of Waikato.
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Ben Gerritsen
CHAIRPERSON - GasNZ
GENERAL MANAGER CUSTOMER AND REGULATORY - First Gas GroupBen leads the strategy, marketing and regulatory teams at New Zealand’s largest gas network First Gas, and alongside that he’s also responsible for the commercial operations of the company’s pipeline businesses. Ben is Chair of GasNZ and is also a Board Member on New Zealand’s Bioenergy Association. Ben has a BMS/LLB(Hons) from the University of Waikato and a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University in Washington DC.
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James Irvine
GENERAL MANAGER FUTURE FUELS
Firstgas GroupJames leads a team who are identifying, developing and delivering renewable gas and power opportunities to drive New Zealand’s energy transition. This includes New Zealand’s first anaerobic digestion to pipeline gas upgrading project and New Zealand’s first pipeline hydrogen blending projects. James has been at Firstgas Group for 12 months. James spent 12 years with Shell International in the Netherlands, New Zealand and the UK working in gas and renewable power development.
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Tom Wiseman
DIRECTOR/OPERATIONS MANAGER
H2XTom has a passion for technology and is immersed in low carbon energy with a focus on hydrogen gas. Tom is owner and director of H2X, a hydrogen company established in Taranaki in 2019. H2X is part of the just transition at a local level, not only in terms of its focus on low carbon gas but by utilising the regional skills built over decades in oil and gas for a low carbon future. Targeting the emerging hydrogen market, Tom is a leader in New Zealand’s transition to a low-emissions energy future and believes that the energy solutions being developed by H2X can be part of the innovation required to meet New Zealand’s net zero carbon goals.
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Don Elers
GENERAL MANAGER GAS
PowercoWith a trade background, starting as an engineering cadet in the gas industry 30 years ago, Don has hands on experience in construction and maintenance, project management and contract management. He has held senior service delivery and operational roles in the gas sector within New Zealand and is experienced in asset strategy and planning, management of safety and operational risk. Don joined Powerco in 2010 as the Gas Service Delivery Manager and has successfully led a transformation of an asset-centric delivery model to a customer-focused operations model.
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Bruce Monk
PRINCIPAL ENGINEER GAS
PowercoIn his role at Powerco, Bruce is responsible for ensuring network standards not only conform to legislative requirements, but also provide the basis of practical and pragmatic engineering solutions to enable efficient and cost-effective operational services. He is a longstanding member and Chair of the Gas Association’s Technical Advisory Group and now Chair of GasNZ’s Technical Advisory Group. As a senior engineer, Bruce has seen the transition from town (coal) gas to natural gas and is now part of preparing the gas network for renewable gases. Bruce is highly experienced in gas network engineering and a member of New Zealand Institute of Gas Engineers.
Master Plumbers’ delegates
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Greg Wallace
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZGreg has more than 30 years’ experience in the construction sector. A qualified plumber, he worked in New Zealand and overseas prior to completing a business management course at Auckland University. Greg has been Chief Executive Officer at Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ Inc for the past seven years. Master Plumbers’ key functions are advocacy, member services and training. He is also CEO of Masterlink, the only national mentored apprenticeship programme specialising in plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying. Greg has championed renewable gas development in New Zealand and is a foundation member of renewable gas campaign Future Sure.
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Dave Strong
BOARD MEMBER
Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ and Chairman - MasterlinkDave has been involved in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainage industry for 42 years, starting as an apprentice in 1981 and is the managing Director of Morrinsville Plumbing & Gas Services. MPG Plumbing carry out a lot of work involving gas, from, LPG reticulation, Natural gas and specialist gases. He has presented various training courses for Master Plumbers around the country, focusing on topics like drainage, solar, green plumbing and gas pipe sizing. He is a Board member of Master Plumbers NZ and a Chairman of Masterlink.
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David Whitfield
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Morrinsville Plumbing and Gas ServicesAfter starting his career with British Gas in 1977, David moved to NZ in 1997 and worked for Enerco gas then Rinnai in senior technician and training roles. As part of his current role, he is representing NZ Master Plumbers on several industry groups, and is also reviewing ASNZS 5601, NZS5442 and is also on the review group for the level 4 qualification for apprentices. David has a Post Grad Diploma in Business Management and is the current President of the NZ Institution of Gas Engineers.
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Jason Goei
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZJason’s current role involves the management of departments spanning professional services, complaints, events, and training. Before joining Master Plumbers, Jason worked as the Training Manager at Masterlink and as an Education Advisor at the Building Officials Institute of NZ. Jason has a Bachelor of Commerce degree and studied at both Te Whare Wananga o Otago and Te Herenga Waka.
Government and regulatory stakeholders
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Paul Bull
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR
Energy Efficiency & Conservation AuthorityPaul has spent a large portion of his career in energy sector, starting with 18 years working for Caltex in wide variety of roles. Having also worked in Contact Energy with wide portfolio of electricity, natural gas and LPG customers, he gained the experience and exposure to then lead EECA’s direct engagement work and over the last 3 years he has been focused on the Carbon Neutral Government programme.
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Caitlin Tromop van Dalen
SENIOR ADVISER
Gas Industry CompanyCaitlin has a history of working throughout New Zealand’s energy sector, supported by her background in Mechanical Engineering and Energy Studies. Previously she has focused on security of supply for the electricity sector, and is now an advisor at the Gas Industry Company which is the co-regulator of the gas industry with the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE). In this role she is leading the work on the Gas Transition Plan for New Zealand.
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Stuart Smith
ENERGY AND RESOURCES SPOKESPERSON National Party
Stuart is the Opposition spokesperson for several portfolios including Energy and Resources, Earthquake Commission and Viticulture, and Member of Parliament for the Kaikōura electorate since 2014. Before entering parliament, he was a Marlborough grape grower and chairman of the New Zealand Winegrowers Association. Stuart is also Chairperson for GLOBE-NZ, an association of parliamentarians working on sustainable development policy whose mission is to work across party political divisions to develop legislative responses to the major environmental challenges.
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Cristiano Marantes
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Ara AkeCristiano started his role in September 2020. Having worked in different international markets, he is an experienced energy sector leader with an extensive engineering background and a worldview on the potential of technologies and business opportunities that will likely emerge in a low emissions energy future. Cristiano has a life-long passion for enabling this future, through strong leadership, innovation and knowledge of new low emissions energy solutions.
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Aleyna Hall
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers BoardAleyna was appointed to the Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlayers Board (PGDB) as Chief Executive and Registrar in September 2021, having spent the previous six years working in the regulatory industry. Aleyna joined PGDB from the Medical Council of New Zealand where she was the Deputy Chief Executive. Aleyna is a lawyer, and has extensive litigation experience, specialising in public, regulatory, and dispute resolution, and has a particular focus on public safety.
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Mike Grumball
GENERAL MANAGER ASSURANCE
Waihanga Ara RauMike is no newcomer to the education sector having started the journey at the Southern Institute of Technology back in 1995. He moved to Wellington in 2015 to start a new journey within the Industry Training Organisation sector and is now with the Waihanga Ara Rau Construction and Infrastructure Workforce Development Council. His latest role is GM Assurance. He has recently been involved with the development of Workforce Development Strategy projects for the Electricity Supply and Three Waters sectors.
Young Energy Professionals
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Max Bowron
GAS NETWORK PERFORMANCE ENGINEER
PowercoMax is a graduate Gas Network Performance Engineer working in the Asset Strategy team for Powerco in Wellington, New Zealand. He began his role in late January 2023 after graduating from the University of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with honours in 2022. His interest in renewable generation and green gas started during his internship with Powerco in 2021, introducing Max to the energy industry and the innovation required to meet New Zealand’s climate goals.
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Tim Lepper
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
First GasTim is currently responsible for two significant renewable gas projects at Firstgas. The first project involves working with a third-party biogas producer to upgrade the biogas to biomethane and inject into the existing Firstgas Transmission System. The second project involves a hydrogen injection trial where Firstgas are looking to inject hydrogen in to a Firstgas Distribution System.
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Sameh Azzazy
ENGINEERING MANAGER
VectorSameh graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Egypt in 2011. Since then, he has grown his experience in the Middle East in oil & gas production ranging from field operations to engineering consultancy work. He moved to New Zealand in 2018 to do his PhD and is currently working in the Gas Distribution Network area, with a main focus on future planning and gas transition.
Journalists
Sponsored by Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ
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Tom Pullar-Strecker
Tom grew up in the UK and studied PPE at Oxford University before starting his career as a journalist in 1990. He worked and lived in the UK, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Australia, contributing to publications including Britain's The Independent newspaper and Economist Group publications before moving to Wellington with his wife Cheryl in 1998. Tom is a former editor of The Dominion Post's NZ InfoTech and a key interest has been reporting at the intersection between economics, technology and public policy.
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Eamon Rood
SENIOR JOURNALIST
Freeman - Energy NewsEamon started in journalism in 2014 as an associate press gallery reporter at Newsroom. He wrote for trade publications including New Zealand Grower and The Orchardist before joining Freeman Media in 2015. Initially he covered mining and quarrying for Freeman’s Inside Resources outlet, later becoming deputy editor. He has been a senior journalist for sister publication Energy News since 2020, specialising in electricity markets, regulation, and renewables. Eamon grew up in Upper Hutt and lived in the United States before studying at Victoria University of Wellington. He has Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, political science and international relations.
Bioenergy Association Hosts
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Shahana McKenzie
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Bioenergy AustraliaSince joining Bioenergy Australia in 2017, Shahana has led the creation of important industry alliances including the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Alliance of Australia and New Zealand, the Renewable Gas Alliance and the Cleaner Fuels Alliance. She has successfully advocated for Australia’s first Bioenergy Roadmap and more recently the creation of a Jet Zero Council for Australia. Shahana is the creator of the Renewable Gas Challenge charged with replacing 20% of Australia’s domestic gas with renewable sources by 2030. Bioenergy Australia has increased membership by 400% under her tenure and now includes leading domestic and global brands. Prior to joining Bioenergy Australia, Shahana was the Chief Executive of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects.
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Adele Bennett
NATIONAL MANAGER, EVENTS, COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA
Bioenergy AustraliaAdele joined Bioenergy Australia in January 2023 and brings over a decade of experience in communications, specialising in digital content creation and strategic communications. She has a varied background in film, media and communications from within the public sector and NGOs, to working with international television broadcasters and has a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Science Communication. She spent 2019/2020 working as a senior communications officer with a focus on documenting the incredible engineering effort behind the 2016 earthquake rebuild in Kaikoura, New Zealand.
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Tiana Nairn
GROUP MANAGER POLICY
LMS EnergyTiana is the Group Manager of Policy at LMS Energy providing policy analysis, strategic advice and advocacy across waste and carbon-related matters. She is the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association’s SA Branch President and an active member of the Renewable Gas Alliance. She also lectures in environmental policy. Ahead of joining LMS, Tiana led a suite of legislative and policy reforms for improved waste management and resource recovery as the South Australian EPA’s Waste Reform Policy Program Manager, overseeing the successful passage of SA’s key waste laws and the development of new waste regulations that have assisted South Australia to become one of the world’s leading jurisdictions in recycling. She has also worked on inter-jurisdictional policy projects, broader environmental reforms, environmental assessment coordination and in a specialist planning and environmental law firm. She holds qualifications in law, science and environmental management.
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Mark Jonker
DIRECTOR
Helmont EnergyAfter becoming familiar with international bioenergy markets and technologies, Mark identified an untapped bioenergy resource in Australia. The attributes of bioenergy allow it to store renewable energy, decarbonise natural gas systems and substitute fossil fuel supply with renewable alternatives. Mark’s vision is to unlock this resource so that it can fulfil its important role in helping Australia move toward clean energy and a circular economy. Mark co-founded Helmont Energy which founded on this vision. Mark has 20 years of experience developing bioenergy and power projects. Prior to Helmont Energy, Mark has held numerous executive positions at EDL and most recently was responsible for global growth and the commercialisation of new renewable energy technologies. Mark has also been involved in developing natural pipelines in Australia with Duke Energy. He has extensive experience as a business and project developer and has also project managed renewable and remote power projects in Australia, North America, the UK and Europe.
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Mike Davis
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Optimal Renewable GasThrough Optimal Renewable Gas, Mike is responsible for accelerating the delivery of 15 grid-scale renewable gas projects across Australia over the next 10 years. Mike started his career as a weapon’s electrical engineering officer with the Royal Australian Navy before transitioning to the energy sector. Mike has over 15 years of energy infrastructure experience developed across gas-fired power generation and gas transmission, distribution, underground gas storage as well as green hydrogen and biomethane. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Business and Technology.
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Jason Hawley
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Finn BiogasBeing the Managing Director at Finn Biogas allows Jason to help businesses improve their efficiency, profitability and sustainability by using waste products to create renewable energy. This is then used to power internal loads such as boilers, vehicles, machinery and generators, or is exported to the grid as an additional source of income. Finn Biogas specialises in biogas projects throughout Australia and South East Asia - designing, building and commissioning biogas plants.