Speaker Biographies
EUROPEAN INSIGHTS
Christian Baur
Senior Consultant | Battery Technology – Raw Materials – Recycling
Christian Baur studied Chemistry at Ulm University, Germany and holds a PhD in Chemistry. He graduated with distinction from the Helmholtz Institute Ulm, Germany where he focused on next-gen lithium-ion battery cathode materials. Since joining P3 Christian has been part of the E-Mobility Industrialization and battery & cell technology team. He is an expert in the battery materials value chain from raw material mining, via cell production to battery recycling. His projects encompass due diligence, market entry and direct foreign investment strategies, technology and process and cost benchmarking and carbon footprint assessments. The customer landscape covers automotive OEMs, raw and battery material producers, cell manufacturers and recyclers.
M&A EXPERT
Hyukjin Yun
Managing Director
P3 Korea
Hyukjin Yun holds a BA and MA in Economics, International Commercial Law, and International Relations from the University of Munich (LMU) in Germany. There, he led the exchange and cooperation between European and Korean secondary battery companies and conducted the formation of a consortium for companies in the European-Korean e-mobility sector. Afterwards, he served as Head of Europe for a Korean automotive parts company before joining the P3 Group. As Managing Director of P3 Korea, he is responsible for the Korean business and draws on his background in e-mobility industrialization, strategy, and environmental policy analysis. P3 Korea has over 30 clients, with automotive OEMs, cell manufacturers, cell material producers, equipment manufacturers, and recyclers being his main clients. IBs and private equity funds also work with him closely.
Iftekhar Ahmad
Associate Dean (Research)
Associate Professor Iftekhar Ahmad is currently the Associate Dean (Research) in the School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University, Australia. Iftekhar completed his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Monash University, Australia in 2007. Iftekhar is a member of the Centre for Green and Smart Energy Systems at ECU. His research interests include renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, green communications, and data analytics.
Iftekhar has published over 100 peer-reviewed research articles and successfully completed numerous industry-funded research projects. Iftekhar was an associate editor of the Australian Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (AJEEE) in 2014-2017. He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
A staunch environmentalist, with a particular focus on both oceans and land, Nicholas was previously a lawyer with Allen Allen & Hemsley before changing careers to investment banking in 1998 and subsequently founding the award-winning boutique investment bank LCC Asia Pacific in 2004.
Nicholas has worked in the engineering and technical services sector for over 20 years, including in renewables development. He is also the Founder of Halo Renewable Energy which is developing various renewable projects – including the Utility Scale Dumaresq Solar Farm in Northern NSW.
With extensive academic credentials, Nicholas has also undertaken specialist studies at each of Harvard Business School, the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence). He is currently working towards his Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Nicholas is an active philanthropist and has been named a “Gamechanger” For Asia by the London based ACQ5 Industry Awards for each of 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021.
Dr Muhammad Rizwan Azhar
Lecturer
A Chemical Engineer with a diverse background in materials engineering and nanotechnology. He completed his PhD Chemical Engineering at Curtin University in 2018. He has a keen interest in integrating academic research into product/process-oriented outcomes through collaborations with industry. He is keenly interested in developing effective battery recycling / transformation technologies, new battery chemistries, and technologies to achieve net zero waste and emissions. Muhammad is an award winning campaigner of safer battery technologies and has been sharing insights on advancements in battery storage technologies through scientific publications, conference presentations, seminars, Radio, TV and magazines. He is passionate about sustainable energy and hopes that his research will make a significant contribution towards achieving net-zero by 2050. He has been developing prototypes for metal-air batteries using additive manufacturing techniques.
Libby Chaplin
Chief Executive Officer
Libby Chaplin is an expert in product stewardship and sustainability, driving the environmentally sound management of batteries across their lifecycle. As CEO of the Battery Stewardship Council, Libby established Australia’s first nationwide, government-backed battery stewardship scheme, B-cycle. Accredited by the ACCC, B-cycle makes sure that the precious materials in every battery collected get made into something new. It is a unique approach to battery stewardship designed around accreditation and independent verification to rapidly increase battery collection rates across the country. Libby has worked extensively in electronics and battery stewardship, bringing practical experience in traceability and verification from her work in the US, Canada, the Republic of Korea, and Australia.
Tony Chappel
Chief Executive Officer
Leading the EPA since August 2022, Tony is a senior executive with extensive experience across the public and private sector, specialising in sustainability, corporate affairs, risk and governance, regulatory strategy, and policy.
His comprehensive experience as a senior leader in highly regulated industries means Tony brings a unique perspective on licensee obligations and the impact industry actions can have on NSW communities.
He is a dedicated advocate for the environment and committed to the task of supporting all stakeholders in their transition to a net-zero economy. Tony has played a critical role in the delivery of the EPA’S Climate Change Policy and Action Plan and is committed to working collaboratively with each sector to reduce emissions while also driving new opportunities.
Tony has a Masters in Environmental Change and Management from University of Oxford and a Masters in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London.
Philip Crotty
Managing Director
Philip Crotty is Managing Director of LG Energy Solution Australia
As a science graduate with broad business experience in Australia and overseas, he joined the renewables industry in 2006.
His interests in the renewables sector are particularly focussed on Energy Storage, Australia-Korea co-operation and the development of Australian capacity to not on
Ebbe Dommisse
Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Ebbe Dommisse, with over 25 years of operational and strategic experience, leads Iondrive as its CEO. His background includes roles as COO at Circa Group, where he helped commercialise new biochemical technologies, and executive positions at Pact Group, a notable plastics manufacturer in Asia-Pacific.
At Iondrive, Ebbe’s main focus is to advance the Company’s hydrometallurgical battery recycling project. This project uses a patented solvent to recycle batteries in an environmentally friendly way, safely extracting valuable metals like lithium, nickel and cobalt without high energy or toxic acids.
Ebbe is committed to steering Iondrive's sustainable and forward-thinking strategies, focusing on the commercialisation of the company’s battery recycling technology. With the rise in electric vehicles (EVs) and European Union priorities on battery material reuse, he recognises the demand in Europe, USA and Australia. Ebbe is intent on ensuring IonDrive's innovations meet these regions' needs by providing a viable, eco-friendly solution for battery material recovery.
Krystal Doyle
Associate Director
Krystal Doyle, Associate Director at Export Finance Australia (EFA) works with Australian SME’s that are exporting. Export Finance Australia is the Government’s Export Credit Agency, EFA’s purpose is to support export trade by providing a range of debt finance solutions. Krystal regularly undertakes public speaking engagements to represent and share more about how EFA can support Australian SME’s with their global growth. Krystal joined EFA in 2021 and has 15+ years’ experience across Business Banking and Accounting Advisory.
Dr Deepak Dubal
Professor
Queensland University of Technology
Dr. Deepak P. Dubal is a Professor at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, known for his outstanding contributions to the field of supercapacitors, batteries and triboelectric / piezoelectric nanogenerators. Other side of research emphasises on process development to add value in waste-batteries (battery recycling) and biomass valorization, providing sustainable strategy to reduce carbon footprints and help to address energy security and climate change issues. He has demonstrated history of R&D engagements with several industries in Advanced Manufacturing, Materials Manufacturing, Clean and Renewable Energy, Agricultural and Water sectors. He has earned multiple prestigious fellowships throughout his career, including the Brain Korea-21 (South Korea-2011), Alexander von Humboldt (Germany-2012), Marie Curie (Spain-2014), Vice-Chancellor Fellowship (Australia-2017) and ARC-Future Fellowship (QUT-2018). He receives regular international recognition for his work including being listed among the World's Top 2% of Scientists in the field of ‘Energy’ (Stanford University), and as one of Australia’s top-100 Materials Scientists and elected as Foreign Young Associate Fellow of Maharashtra Academy of Sciences (FFMAS), India.
Ravi de Fonseka
Partner
A&O Shearman
Ravi is a leading telecoms and technology lawyer advising clients across Australia and the APAC region on their most strategic and complex transactions, including telecoms network, co-location, MVNO, regulatory, digital transformation, systems integration, outsourcing, IP and data driven projects.
Ravi’s clients include large customers and suppliers of technology throughout the value chain and across all industry verticals. In addition to standalone telecoms and technology matters, Ravi has extensive experience advising on the technology, IP, data, transition and separation aspects of M&A projects.
Ravi has worked at Magic Circle and top tier firms across the UK and Australia.
Sarah Forbes
Director Commercial Solutions
Sarah is the Director of Commercial Solutions for Volvo Buses APAC. She is responsible for the APAC service market, commercial tender support and identifying strategic partners to bolster Volvo’s delivery and support of ZEB products in the market.
Sarah has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Asian Studies from Murdoch University, WA. She has held previous roles with the BusTech Group and Gemilang Australia focusing on commercial tendering and business management. Prior to working the bus industry, Sarah was a commercial litigator in Perth, WA.
Catherine Hill
Senior Advisor, Circular Economy Investment
Catherine is a Senior Advisor leading on Circular Economy investment attraction for the Australian Trade and Investment Commission – the Australian Government’s investment attraction and export facilitation agency. Catherine has a deep understanding of global trade and investment and has been working with international investors for over ten years providing market information and insight, commercial opportunities and target introductions across various sectors including tourism, infrastructure and future transport.
Katharine Hole
Chief Executive Officer
Katharine is ABRI's CEO and she also supports the Australian Battery Industry Association. She has extensive experience in setting direction, articulating and driving public policy outcomes to strengthen safety and sustainability. She greatly enjoys working with the battery recycling industry to support development of a world leading innovative and best practice sector. Prior to joining ABRI, she worked in senior executive roles across the energy, resources, planning, water, infrastructure and environment portfolios within government. University qualifications in economics, Asian studies and environmental management provides her with a strong skill set to take a multi-disciplinary approach to applying evidence based solutions to policy challenges.
Dickson Leow
General Manager
Infinitev Australia
Dickson Leow is a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng), Fellow (FIEAust), and Executive Engineer (ExecEng) member of Engineers Australia with nearly three decades of experience in both private and government sectors in Mobility, EV/Hybrid, Battery Energy, ITS, CAV, Homologation, Regulatory Affairs, Vehicle Engineering & Design, Vehicle Safety, and IP Law in Australia, Europe, and Japan. He has served as an international committee expert member of
ISO TC 204 for Intelligent Transport System and Standards Australia IT-023, as well as numerous SAE Technical and Strategy Working Groups. Before Infinitev, he was the Chief Technology Leader and National Leader of Mobility Futures at ARRB, and various management roles with an OEM for nearly 15 years, and is well recognised for his
international vehicle regulatory audits and insights. Dickson holds an MBA, BEng, BSc, and post-grad in IP Law.
Janet Leslie
Sustainability Manager
Chair
Australian Information Industry Association Product Stewardship Working Group
Janet Leslie is the Sustainability Manager for Canon Oceania. She is also the chair of the Australian Information Industry Association Product Stewardship working group. Members of the working group include major IT hardware brands including Canon, HP, Apple, Dell, Epson, Cisco and IBM. All of these brands have been required to participate in the National TV and Computer Scheme for the past 12 years. Most do not sell batteries except as parts for computer repairs and their batteries are collected and processed through the NTCRS scheme. Canon was also a founding member of ABRI and has been a member of the Battery Stewardship Council since it was formed, to take care of its responsibilities for batteries in its cameras and other photographic and consumer products.
Dr Amer Magrabi
Founding Partner & Principal Fire Engineer
Dr Amer has more than 24 years’ experience in fire safety design, consulting and research covering the built and natural environment in Australia, Asia and the Asia-Pacific. He is a NER Chartered Fire Safety Engineer, Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia (FIEAust), Accredited Certifier – Fire Safety (New South Wales).
Since 2013, Amer has been the Founding Partner and Principal Fire Engineer at Lote Consulting – Fire I Security in Sydney, Australia. Lote Consulting is an ABRI Member providing comprehensive services in fire safety design: fire code compliance, fire testing, security and risk management.
Amer has a keen interest in the emerging hazards sector particularly Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIB) in the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). His LIB experience covers grid scale BESS systems, BESS modules, and custom BESS applications, e.g. EVs and EV chargers, throughout their life cycle - installation, operation and recycling.
Simon Montgomery
National and Technical Asset Manager - Liquid and Technical Services
As an internationally experienced industrial chemist with extensive operational capabilities, Simon has enjoyed a progressive career in the Petrochemical, Materials Manufacturing, and Industrial Services sectors and previously with the Australia Defence Force. Currently, he leads a complex portfolio of responsibilities with Cleanaway Waste Management which are pivotal to maintaining operational excellence in a high risk and highly competitive market segment.
Simon’s technical expertise as a hands-on leader also includes project management, industrial processing operations, hydrocarbon / chemical / water waste, management, manufacturing, environmental analysis, risk, sustainability, OH&S, warehousing and logistics, risk and asset governance and energy efficiency.
As a thorough planner Simon has built a reputation of being able to successfully manage risk and safety with the balance to deliver on both operational and commercial objectives.
Warren Overton
Chief Executive Officer
Joining the Australia New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP) in February 2018 as its CEO, Warren is an experienced senior manager with more than 20 years’ experience working across various high-level strategic roles in the sustainability sector for government, education institutions and the private sector.
He has played a leading role shaping policy, advocating product stewardship, and facilitating program provision delivering positive environmental and sustainable outcomes. Possessing an eclectic background in facilities management, sustainability consulting and industry associations management, Warren has a broad base of experience and knowledge to draw upon.
Romesh Rodrigo
Head of Regulatory Affairs & Emerging Mobility Sales
Daimler Truck
Romesh studied mechanical engineering at the University of Melbourne, upon completion if his degree he joined IVECO Trucks Australia as a graduate engineer in 2000. He worked in various areas of the business from product planning, sales and marketing to truck production and engineering.
Romesh then joined DaimlerChrysler taking on the role of Product Engineer for Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles where he held several key engineering and management roles.
In his next step he moved across to Isuzu Australia to take on the role of Product Development Manager where he was responsible for liaison works with Isuzu Motors Japan as well as local design, development and testing, giving him valuable insight into this high-volume segment.
In 2016 Romesh re-joined Daimler Truck. He has held various roles within the business from Head of Product for Mitsubishi-FUSO through to being Head of Vehicle Homologation, Regulatory Affairs and Future Mobility for all three Daimler brands.
In a recent move he has now taken on the role of Head of Regulatory Affairs and Emerging Mobility Sales which sees him continuing his journey within the industry focused specifically on future vehicle strategy for Daimler Truck. Future perspective is a key focus for Daimler Truck where efficiency, advanced technologies and the transition to zero emission vehicles is crucial in supporting Australia’s future freight task.
Doug Rowe
Chief Executive Officer
In late 2010, Doug's entrepreneurial spirit led him to start Recycal, an independent entity dedicated to materials recycling. In late 2013, he took over CMA Ecocycle, his former silver and mercury business, now operating as Ecocycle. Under Doug's leadership, Ecocycle has grown to become Australia's most experienced mercury recycling company, with a strong emphasis on recycling batteries, e-waste, and lighting waste.
Doug has made significant investments and expansions through Ecocycle's subsidiary, Ecobatt. Ecobatt, an accredited B-cycle battery collector and recycler, offers comprehensive battery recycling solutions, including the provision and servicing of battery bin units equipped with heat sensors, fill level monitoring, and GPS tracking. The company has invested over $20 million in the B-cycle battery recycling scheme, ensuring safety and efficiency through patented monitoring software and custom-designed bins.
Doug Rowe's leadership has positioned the Ecocycle Group of Companies at the forefront of the materials recycling industry in Australia, with sites in all capital cities and a family deeply involved in the business. His dedication to sustainability and innovation continues to drive the company’s success and its positive impact on the environment.
Graham Rowe
Chief Executive Officer
Graham is CEO at Culpan Industries incorporating the Stronghold, Batteryhold and AMD Commercial Furniture businesses, all of which are Australian owned and operated. Batteryhold is an Association for the Battery Recycling Industry (ABRI) member with capability to design, manufacture and distribute specialised fabricated metal products to safely store, charge and transport lithium batteries.
With a passion for the Australian manufacturing industry and sustainability, Graham has extensive experience in global manufacturing and has held senior operational and human resources positions at Dulux, General Motors, Holden Ltd, British Airways, and in the Government and the welfare sectors.
Graham’s roles have spanned operational and manufacturing leadership, innovation and sustainability, human resource management, industrial relations and, organisational and leadership development. Over the past 25 years Graham has lived and worked across Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region, including expat assignments in China, India and the UK.
In 2023 Graham led a collaboration between Dulux and Transmutation that contributed to Transmutation winning the 2024 Telstra Best of Business Embracing Innovation Award. This project developed a way to turn powder coating waste into a plastic feedstock to displace virgin plastic in new products and create a circular economy, now known as PostPrime PlasticTM.
Kim Thai
Senior Research Officer, Fire Safety Policy Unit, Community Safety Directorate
Kim Thai is a Senior Research Officer at Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW). Working with a variety of fire service, research, government, and industry stakeholders, she leads and conducts research into new and emerging risks for fire and emergency services and public safety. She is currently a member of the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC) Alternative and Renewable Energy Technologies (ARET) Technical Group and represents AFAC on the Australian Standard committees for renewable energy power supply systems and equipment (EL-042) and secondary batteries (EL-005). Kim has degrees in mechatronics engineering and biomedical engineering from the University of New South Wales and has over 15 years of experience in research and consulting in human safety and injury prevention.
Natalie Thompson
Chief of Staff / Senior Manager of Policy
Electric Vehicle Council
Natalie is Chief of Staff / Senior Manager of Policy at the Electric Vehicle Council, the peak industry association dedicated to promoting sustainable transport through increasing EV adoption in Australia. She is an accomplished policy professional, with extensive experience in the electric vehicle industry and financial services sectors. Natalie's current focus involves identifying and addressing barriers to EV uptake, exploring EV value chain opportunities for Australia and promoting supply chain sustainability, while coordinating efforts across various jurisdictions and industries.
Shawn Ticehurst
Head of IAG Research Centre
IAG Research Centre
Shawn Ticehurst is the Head of the IAG Research Centre in Sydney. IAG is Australia/NZ’s largest general insurer with brands such as NRMA Insurance and CGU. The IAG Research Centre focuses on automotive research in topics such as vehicle repair, building relationships with OEM vehicle brands, creating repair innovation and investigating the impacts of new automotive technology with an insurance lense. Shawn has worked in the automotive industry for 30 years in Australia, Germany and the USA and previously with brands such as BMW and Audi. Shawn has been involved with electric vehicles for close to 10 years.
Sue Vercoe
Managing Partner
Sue Vercoe is Managing Partner of the strategic communications advisory firm, SEC Newgate Australia, and one of Australia’s most sought-after market and social researchers for strategic communications counsel.
She has close to 30 years’ experience advising corporates on high stakes reputation issues, public policy and regulatory affairs, financial transactions, stakeholder and community engagement. She’s a well-known commentator on the community mood and issues that are most important to Australians, changing community expectations of corporates, and social licence issues.
Sue holds a Bachelor’s degree in Organisational Communication from Charles Sturt University and a Masters in International Communications from Macquarie University. She is a Qualified Professional Researcher (QPR), a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), has the IAP2 Certificate of Engagement and is on the board of the Australian Polling Council.
Mike Vogel
Founder & CEO
Mike is the founder and CEO of Evolve Renewable Materials Inc, where he leads a dedicated team in pioneering sustainable lithium-ion battery (LiB) solutions for the industry. An accomplished entrepreneur and investor, Mike's journey began with the founding of LINICO Corporation, where he served as CEO, and his role on the Board of the Singaporean-based lithium battery recycling startup, Green Li-ion.
Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Mike worked in the built environment, in construction management and project delivery, delivering landmark building, construction, and infrastructure projects in Australia and internationally.
Driven by his visionary outlook, Mike is passionately committed to supporting the transition towards electrification in the transport and energy sectors. His primary focus lies in the development of cutting-edge green zero-waste Lithium-ion Battery (LiB) recycling and refining technologies. By fostering a circular economy for sustainably recycled battery metals, Mike aims to leave a lasting impact on environmental sustainability and resource conservation.