Connecting Industry

Adam Rossow truly embodies the intersection of engineering expertise and regional opportunity. He is fortunate to live and work in a part of Australia that’s buzzing with exciting projects from major upgrades on existing facilities to brand new developments that embrace cleaner, greener technologies and deliver better returns for the resources sector. His career spans a variety of manufacturing environments, with a strong focus on safety, efficient systems and machine control. Over the years, Adam has worked across brownfield upgrades and greenfield installations, holding roles as a mechanical, electrical, and control engineer from plant-based positions to national and even international responsibilities. His leadership and technical skills have seen him manage and contribute to teams delivering complex, high-value projects across Australia. Adam also represents the Engineers Australia Gladstone Regional Group, part of a national organisation dedicated to advancing the engineering profession. In Gladstone, the group delivers professional development, networking opportunities and community education programs that highlight the critical role engineering plays in shaping our region’s future.

Wendy Bishop is the CEO of Projects One Safety Online and Industrial CQ. Through Projects One Safety Online Wendy is helping construction businesses streamline their safety compliance with smart, user friendly, online safety systems, that makes safety documentation easy to complete onsite with her team in only a few minutes. At the same time, her work with Industrial CQ brings expertise to industrial and commercial maintenance, delivering precision and reliability across floor grinding, joint repairs, large-scale cleaning, and specialised coatings. With certification for working at heights and deep knowledge in resin, two-pack paint, and low-light coatings, the team gets the job done safely, efficiently, and to the highest standard.  Wendy’s mission across both businesses is clear: to make safety simple, scalable and effective, whether you're on site, in the workshop, or managing multiple projects across the region.

John Carr, Project CEO and Director of the Capricornia Energy Hub. With over 20 years of experience in engineering, project management, and stakeholder engagement, John is leading one of Queensland’s most significant renewable energy initiatives - the Capricornia Pumped Hydro project. John’s leadership philosophy is built on the belief that “people do projects,” shaping a collaborative and inclusive approach to project delivery. His career spans both client-side and consultancy roles, managing the successful execution of complex engineering developments and large-scale infrastructure projects.

Francis Murugan is the Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel Australia, one of the world’s leading logistics and supply chain organisations. With more than 30 years of experience spanning South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, Francis brings a wealth of industry knowledge and practical insights to the table. After 17 years with Kuehne+Nagel, including roles as Managing Director of Kuehne+Nagel New Zealand and Director of Sea Logistics Australia, Francis has a unique perspective on the changing landscape of transport, trade, and logistics. Kuehne+Nagel, with over 80,000 employees across nearly 100 countries, supports more than 400,000 customers with end-to-end supply chain solutions, leveraging its global network and data-driven insights to meet the demands of modern industry. As a member of the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi), the group is committed to reducing its environmental footprint and supporting customers with low-carbon logistics solutions.  

Louise Westwood is Senior Associate - Place and Engagement at Hatch. Louise is a passionate Human Geographer who’s helping reshape the way we connect with the spaces we live, work, and gather in. Louise specialises in re-imagining everyday public places, making them more inclusive, engaging, and meaningful so that communities can thrive alongside industry growth. With a strong background in stakeholder engagement and facilitation, Louise brings a unique perspective to the table, combining placemaking with human-centred development strategies. From international place-based projects to local co-design workshops, her work spans everything from resilience planning to economic development strategies, all with the goal of creating stronger, more connected communities.

Richard Austin is the CEO of Omnii, Australasia’s leading fire safety and protection professional services firm. With a team of engineering experts behind him, Richard leads the strategic direction of the business, delivering high-performance solutions in Fire Engineering, Fire Protection, Compliance, and Special Hazards. His mission? Safeguarding people and places through smarter, safer design. Richard brings a wealth of experience to the conversation, with a background spanning financial services, supply chain, insurance, media, and more. From digital innovation to change management, he’s built a reputation as a transformative leader, passionate about continuous learning, people development and creating real impact across industries.

Matt Jones is the General Manager at Homeground Villages in Gladstone, Queensland. With a strong background in construction, operations, and workforce accommodation, Matt brings a practical and people-first approach to managing one of the region’s most essential accommodation facilities. At the helm of Homeground Villages, Matt oversees the delivery of high-quality accommodation and services for major project workforces, ensuring comfort, efficiency, and community connection for workers far from home. Representing Decmil, Matt plays a key role in supporting Gladstone’s ongoing industrial and infrastructure development by helping project teams feel well-supported because when people are looked after, projects succeed.

Maria Baker is the ACCIONA Energia Queensland State Lead for Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Engineering, and Construction. With a diverse background spanning business, local government, the energy industry, and relationship management, she embarked on her renewable journey in 2020 with the Macintyre Wind Farm Project. Her passion for sustainable energy has driven her career, and as Queensland’s Lead Stakeholder Engagement for ACCIONA Energia, Maria plays a crucial role in guiding projects through every phase - from development to construction and operation. Her expertise and commitment to building positive relationships have been instrumental in driving the success of numerous renewable energy initiatives.

Simon Lever is the Managing Director of CROSS Asia Pacific. CROSS Asia Pacific provides expert consultancy services in Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality (HSEQ), risk management, business strategy, and project management, helping organisations across various industries enhance safety, compliance, and operational effectiveness throughout the Australia-Asia Pacific region. With over 26 years of experience as an HSEQ practitioner, Simon is a strategic leader and safety professional committed to delivering exceptional results and fostering sustainable growth in competitive industries. Simon’s expertise lies in business expansion, operational effectiveness, and driving innovation, always with a strong focus on clients, people, and safety.

Tony Martins is the Co-Owner and Managing Director of Australian Training Works Group, where he has dedicated himself to building pathways for skills development and workforce readiness. A highly respected leader and innovator across multiple industries, Tony also serves as Director of the First Nations Greentime Energy Group, championing renewable energy solutions that empower Indigenous communities and promote sustainable development. With a passion for fostering local opportunities, sustainability, and collaboration, Tony brings a wealth of experience and a visionary outlook to every project he undertakes.

Kris Cotter is the Managing Director of Synergy Safety Solutions. Synergy Safety Solutions is dedicated to helping businesses navigate their unique safety challenges with tailored, practical solutions to create safer workplaces, fostering confidence and compliance while supporting a strong safety culture. Kris is a passionate health and safety professional with a remarkable journey that began in the construction industry. As a single parent raising five children, Kris transitioned to a safety career after surviving a near-fatal incident, inspiring a deep commitment to creating safer workplaces and thrives on connecting with people, sharing knowledge, and positively impacting the community.

Ilaria Giovannetti is the Strategic Sales Manager for Renewable Energy at Rohlig Logistics. With a focus on tailored supply chain solutions, Rohlig Logistics has been at the forefront of the industry for 172 years globally and 51 years in Australia, offering expertise in air freight, sea freight, customs, projects, and contract logistics. Ilaria brings 18 years of global logistics experience to her role and with her passion for renewable energy beginning eight years ago when she managed her first solar farm project in Australia, she has since overseen logistics for 22 solar projects, delivering over 1 GW of materials across the country. Her expertise lies in ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget, and with a strong emphasis on safety and stakeholder satisfaction. 

Michael Myer is the Executive Chairperson of Sunshine Hydro. Sunshine Hydro are developing a Superhybrid Project in Queensland, a pumped hydro with green hydrogen project being developed in three stages. Sunshine Hydro's vision is to play a key role in decarbonising the planet using technology and have re-imagined long duration energy storage projects to deliver 24/7 carbon free energy. Michael is a serial entrepreneur with venture capital experience in start-up ventures and sustainable development. He has a passionate interest in bringing engineering and economic resources to projects to support our social and environmental challenges.

On this week’s Connecting Industry Podcast we have Dan Whitmore, Business Development & Strategy Manager Eastern for Decmil. Decmil has supported and constructed some of Australia’s major iconic infrastructure projects across Australia. Decmil provide design, engineering and construction services for the infrastructure, resources, and energy sectors and provide residential, industrial, and commercial construction. Dan is an industry professional who has industry experience across both the mechanical and civil sectors across Australia. Dan believes the right network will connect you to the right people and has developed a network of becoming, in his words, “the go to guy for project updates and pressing the flesh at an industry event”.  Dan credits his success to persistency and integrity and has a genuine desire to do everything in his power to help Decmil achieve their growth ambitions.

Gavin Loyden is the Founder and Managing Director of QEM Limited. Gavin is responsible for QEM’s capitalisation, exploration program and development of QEM’s Julie Creek vanadium and oil shale project. QEM Limited is a publicly listed company focused on the exploration and development of its flagship Julia Creek Project, covering 250km² in the Julia Creek area of North Western Queensland. The Julia Creek vanadium and oil shale project is a unique world class resource with the potential to utilise and deliver innovative and sustainable energy solutions, through the production of energy fuels and vanadium pentoxide. Prior to founding QEM, Gavin assisted a range of companies from early stage development through to international stock market listings. He has over a decade of experience in the mining industry and extensive experience in the structuring of capital raising proposals for both private and public companies, executive selection, and Corporate Governance.

Greg Elkins is the CEO of Global Power Energy (GPE); an advisory company he founded in 2021 to meet the growing demand for renewable energy and energy storage solutions. He has previously led the connections assessment teams for AEMO and Energy Queensland. At AEMO, Greg was responsible for connecting more than 3 GW per annum in his role as Head of Connections. Greg's mission now, through GPE, is to deliver success for clients in the energy transition with a focus on decreasing project risk and improving delivery time across major solar, wind, BESS, pumped hydro and REZ projects.

Damian Vermey is the Project Director for Ark Energy’s Boomer Green Energy Hub, a wind farm development located approximately 30 km south-west of Marlborough and 70 km south of St Lawrence in central Queensland. Damian’s extensive engineering, project, and people management experience, has provided high quality power and water products ranging from hydro power plants, to wind farms, and power system design solutions. Throughout his career Damian has worked on projects throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, India, and Fiji. Construction of Ark Energy’s Boomer Green Energy Hub is expected to start in Q1 2025 creating 350 construction jobs.

Cory Ebenestelli is the Director at MitiLabs, an innovative company that specialises in providing cutting-edge solutions and products to companies across a wide range of industries including the resource and construction sector. Starting as an electrician, Cory founded Mitilabs to develop innovative IP for companies that need it most. In that time, he has developed HAVTrack, a device that can assist in preventing significant and permanent injuries that can occur from hand arm vibration syndrome, a syndrome that happens from continual use of vibration tools and equipment.

Chris Davenport is the Queensland State Manager for Tranz Logistics, a specialist transport company working in the pipeline, mining, rail, energy, civil and construction sectors. Starting his career as an apprentice Plant Mechanic working on earth moving equipment, Chris’ love for the Transport industry began when he started traveling from site to site working on machines which was followed by working with the likes of Chubb Security, TNT, Metro Express Transport, and Personalised Freight Management. Over his career, Chris’ passion for the logistics of the transport industry grew further where he now manages an extensive team and a fleet of vehicles and trucks as the Tranz Logistics Queensland State Manager.

Tim Keeffe is the CEO of Actrua Performance Cultures, a company that’s passionate about supporting the true Growth of individuals, teams, and organisations. From working with companies like BHP, Glencore, Hastings Deering, Thiess, and Rio Tinto, Tim has an extensive background in operations, management, and leadership with career foundations in the Australian Military. Actrua Performance Cultures are an award-winning performance culture consultancy that focuses on behaviour change in organisations across strategy, culture, leadership development, and safety solutions.