Akhil Abraham is a senior policy adviser at the British High Commission in Canberra. He covers political and global issues on behalf of the UK, leading on climate change diplomacy and multilateral development. Akhil is also responsible for work on human rights, anti-corruption and combating illegal wildlife trade. Akhil previously worked as an adviser to the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission focussing on international engagement. Akhil has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney.

Rachel commenced in the role of CEO of the Water Industry Alliance in July 2016. Rachel brings extensive experience to the role having worked in the water industry for nearly 20 years. In that time she has held senior roles within government and as an independent consultant. 

Rachel has worked at the forefront of strategy, policy, engagement and program development including providing strategic and policy advice to the Chief Executive of the SA Department for Water and the SA Minister for the River Murray, being a member of the South Australian Murray Darling Basin Natural Resource Management Board and playing a key role in the development of Water for Good, South Australia’s Plan to secure water until 2050. 
 
Rachel is a skilled facilitator who is often asked to bring people together to identify solutions collaboratively. Rachel holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Studies, a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Geography and Politics and Graduate Certificate in Future Studies. She continues to supplement her tertiary qualifications with accredited training courses in Stakeholder Engagement and Facilitation, Risk Communications, Media Training and Freelance Journalism. 

Sam has had an extensive career in public affairs, communications and reputation management in both the public and private sector. He is currently the Executive Director, managing the implementation of the South Australian Government’s Energy Plan. Immediately prior to this he was the Principal Economic Adviser to the South Australian Premier, after having spent 7 years working with Santos in Adelaide, Brisbane and New South Wales. Prior to joining Santos he spent 8 years working in State and Federal Government including time as Chief of Staff to the Minister for Education.

Tom is the Chairman and a Founding Director of Edge Environment. Tom has been working with the Insurance Council of Australia for 7 years on the Resilience Program. The objective of this work is to drive a more resilient built environment in order to address insurance affordability in a future of increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events; a key aspect has been collaboration across sectors. Tom has worked on adaptation projects with all level of governments, industry and even established the world’s first Certification for climate change Practitioners through the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand.

Jeremy worked at the Central Land Council as a lawyer from 2004-2008 where he learnt about Aboriginal land and things that are important to Aboriginal people. He loved the country and was challenged to think more ‘outside the box’ and about what he really values. In 2019-2013 he helped the Government establish Australia’s carbon offsets scheme, the Carbon Farming Initiative, from 2009-2013. As part of the legislation team, he worked with the Indigenous sector to develop the provisions around Aboriginal land and native title. Combining this experience, he works closely with Aboriginal Carbon Fund management team on financial and legal aspects of Aboriginal carbon projects. He is interested in projects that rebalance how we manage our land and build in sustainable social outcomes for people living in remote places.

Kirk has worked on several Asian based start-ups, most notably 3D Video Analytics & IoT success story Vadaro. His responsibilities included building global market traction with customers and technology partners, and establishing operational headquarters in Silicon Valley, California. He spent over a decade at Microsoft in various roles and ultimately as Head of Entrepreneurship & Innovation for Asia. During this time Kirk was responsible for 20 Microsoft Innovation Centres (Industry, Government & Academic partnerships) across the region in both developed and developing Nations. Kirk also led Venture Capital Relations and Microsoft’s start-up program – BizSpark. Kirk’s multi country team recruited over 8,000 start-ups across Asia in the first year alone, where he travelled extensively as an event speaker, coach/mentor and lecturer/judge for various incubator and accelerator programs. Kirk’s passion is accelerating the abilities of entrepreneurs and business leaders to build value and valuation in their companies.

With over 20 years experience in planning and environment sectors leading on policy and projects, Michelle has worked in state and local government as well as private practice. She is currently responsible for the delivery of Council’s ambitious sustainability agenda, including the partnership with the State Government to make the City of Adelaide carbon neutral, with a focus on increasing liveability through improving greening, water, waste and biodiversity outcomes. Prior to joining the City of Adelaide, Michelle managed the SA Government’s Climate Change Unit and was responsible for climate change mitigation and adaptation policy and programs, secretariat support for the Premier’s Climate Change Council, as well as national and international engagement. Highlights included delivery of South Australia’s Climate Change Strategy 2015-2050, supporting regions to deliver climate adaptation plans across the state, representing the Minister for Climate Change at COP20 in Lima, and attending COP21 in Paris as part of the South Australian delegation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Planning from the University of South Australia, and a Graduate Certificate in Natural Resources Management and a Master of Sustainability from the University of Adelaide.

Geoff’s technical expertise lay in the areas of strategic and applied water resource management, hydrological investigations, water for the environment assessments and implementation of water sensitive urban design systems.  He is also well recognised for his ability to effectively engage with stakeholders and communities. His combined technical and communication skills have enabled him to deliver project outcomes in often very challenging circumstances.  More recently he has used these skills to be a driving force within the Australia China Sponge City Consortium, and along with the other members of the Consortium, to gain access to the water market in China.

Crystal oversees IGCC’s ongoing operations, and has lead responsibility for the development of the climate change adaptation and resilience stream of work. Crystal has held various roles within the organisation, including research and analysis, member services and financial administration, communications and outreach. Crystal managed the early establishment of the Carbon Disclosure Project in Australia and New Zealand Crystal previously worked at the NSW Attorney General’s Department; the Centre for Research Management, National Health and Medical Research Council; and Creative Executive and Business Risk Consultants.

Ann has worked in an environmental role in South Australian local government for more than 18 years including the last 12 years at the City of Marion. During this time she has held a number of roles including coordination of the delivery of the climate change programs in seven metropolitan Adelaide Councils. In her current role at the City of Marion Ann provides leadership and advice to Council and works collaboratively across the organisation to embed environmental sustainability into corporate systems and processes. She also collaborates regionally to deliver key strategic environmental initiatives. She manages a team that is responsible for environmental strategic planning and policy development, environmental education, engagement and capacity building, and coordination of the City of Marion’s environmental risk management system.

Dr Gray is Managing Partner of AsiaAustralis an Australian based Strategic Management Advisory firm, and specialises in strategic international management and policy advice to governments, NGO’s and corporations in the Asia Pacific. He has a detailed and unique knowledge of emerging corporate and government opportunities in Asia, gained through more than 15 years of extensive experience operating in Asia-pacific markets. Nathan has a PhD in Asian Business. Possessing a wealth of knowledge and experience, with management roles in multiple industries; from the food, health and leisure through to renewable energy, defence, manufacturing, engineering and education. Nathan has worked throughout Asia-Pacific including; China (Beijing, Tianjin, Qingdao, Xian, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Urumqi, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Suzhou, Xinjiang, Kunming, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan), Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Singapore, Timor Leste, the Middle East, New Zealand, Latin America, North America and Europe. Nathan is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at The University of Adelaide Business School, Nankai University (China) and Flinders University across multiple International Business and Strategy subject areas. This has included leading academic and trade missions to China, Indonesia, Thailand, Europe, World Trade Organisation and the United Nations. He has also provided expert advice to APEC on minimising food losses in Global Supply Chains.

Martin Hablutzel is the head of strategy for Siemens Ltd working across all Siemens divisions along the electrification value chain that extends from generation, transmission, distribution and smart grid to the efficient application of electrical energy through automation and digitisation. Martin began his career at the (then) Hydro Electric Commission in Tasmania, joining Siemens in 1997 as a protection and control engineer. Subsequent roles in project engineering, project management, asset management, sales, marketing and executive management have given Martin broad exposure to the deployment of electrification, automation and digitalisation in diverse industries including utilities, resources, infrastructure, transportation and manufacturing. Martin holds a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tasmania and an MBA from Deakin University.

Martin is a proud South Australian. As a city resident, business owner and educator, Martin is committed to serving the City of Adelaide’s residential, commercial and visitor communities. At 27 years of age, Martin opened his first retail store in the City of Adelaide and over the next 12 years grew that business into a successful national enterprise with 220 employees. Martin went on to study an MBA and later became the General Manager of the Rundle Mall Management Authority. Martin co-founded the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation in SA and has served on a number of boards including the South Australian Youth Arts Board, the Adelaide Convention Bureau, the Property Council’s Mainstreet Committee and Chairman of the Bay to Birdwood. Martin was the national Chair of the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors in 2015. Martin has also worked as a lecturer for MBA students where he has taught entrepreneurship in Adelaide and interstate. He has travelled widely and done business internationally. Martin is a problem solver who believes that technology provides the solution for many of today’s challenges and opportunities. As Lord Mayor, he is focused on enhancing Adelaide’s reputation as a smart, green, liveble and creative city ‘where great things happens first’. Martin’s immediate goal is for Adelaide to become an even better place to live, learn, work, play, visit and invest. The ultimate goal is for Adelaide to become one of the world’s most liveable and prosperous cities.

Nicole is a founder of urban and regional planning consulting firm URPS, who has been instrumental in creating the majority of South Australia's regional adaptation plans - a world-leading approach that has been recognised internationally. Nicole has been a member of the Premier's Climate Change Council since 2011, and has been reappointed for a second three-year term. In 2012 Nicole was named South Australian and National Planner of the Year based on her work in creative engagement tools that enable children and young people to be active participants in decision making processes.

Rohan is the Director of XDI: The Cross Dependency Initiative, which provides infrastructure risk assurance services based on climate change science, infrastructure engineering and advanced statistical methods. He has over 20 year’s experience in risk management, business impacts and climate change. Rohan began his career in Government as a fire fighter. After nearly 15 years, his last role in Government was as the Director of the Climate Change Adaptation Program for South Australia. He designed and led the implementation of the States multi-award winning climate change adaptation program. This program has seen a transformation in how communities and industries work together to adapt to climate change.

Julia works for the IFRC Asia Pacific Disaster Law Programme, mandated through International Conference Resolutions to assist Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies to support their authorities in developing and applying state-of-the-art disaster-related legislation, policies and procedures, providing advice based more than 12 years of global research and consultations. This includes supporting the national integration of international commitments related to climate change and disaster risk management, such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals etc. Julia is also a founding member of the global Red Cross Red Crescent Green Response Working Group, which undertakes and supports activities seeking to mitigate adverse environmental impact of emergency response operations, through technical support, policy development, advocacy and the development and implementation of standards within each area of intervention, including procurement and logistics, shelter, water and sanitation, health etc.

Jess Hunt has worked in energy policy for almost 20 years, both in Australia and overseas. She currently leads AEMO’s Future Energy Systems team. Their role is to investigate the impacts of new technologies and put in place solutions to maintain power system security and reliability throughout the energy transition. Key areas of focus include the shift from thermal generation to inverter-based technologies, the increasing prevalence of distributed energy resources and more active and engaged consumers. Jess also has expertise in regulatory matters, having worked for Ofgem, the UK energy regulator, the Australian Energy Regulator and the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

Christopher Lee is the CEO of Climate-KIC Australia. Its purpose is to help bring innovative climate change solutions to market by connecting key players across the whole innovation pathway. It focuses on systemic change, education, entrepreneurship and innovation. Chris has extensive climate change adaptation experience and from 2009 to 2017 led the development and implementation of Climate Change Adaptation programs for the NSW Government. He has degrees in Economics and Environmental Management, and has experience across, public, private and university sectors.

Highly experienced Financial and Managing Director principally interested in mergers and acquisitions, start-up companies in new emerging markets, exit strategies for businesses in any sector or size. He joined Heliostat SA as CEO in late 2016, a solar renewable company developing Concentrated Solar Power (‘CSP’) heliostats for the growing markets in remote and off-grid communities in Australia and other developing countries across the world. Prior roles have included Managing Directors roles for large UK based publicly listed multinationals in the manufacturing and heavy engineering sectors and large Privately owned enterprises in numerous sectors including retail, healthcare, distribution, contract manufacturing, aerospace and civil engineering. David holds an MBA from Harvard University, a First class Honours degree in Business and Finance from The DeMontford University, Leicester, UK and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. Since 2006 he has held roles as Managing Director AqaOysters Australia’s largest producer and distributor of pacific oysters, Chief Operating Officer Marathon Resources ASX listed resources company, CEO Maggie Beer Group, Interim consultant to the SA Govt. Department of State Development on research, industry participation and engagement. Heliostat SA is part of the Fusion Capital group which also owns Precision Components a Tier 1 automotive supplier to Holden, Ford and Toyota, so Heliostat can make heliostate frames in Adelaide as part of the automotive diversification strategy for precision components.

Noel Lindsay is the Pro Vice Chancellor (Entrepreneurship) and Director of the Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre (ECIC), the University of Adelaide, where he is the Professor of Entrepreneurship and Commercialisation. He also heads the University of Adelaide ThincLab Innovation Hub. His previous positions at the University of Adelaide have included Academic Director Singapore Operations (which included an 18 month posting to Singapore), Head, School of Marketing and Management, and Acting Associate Dean Diversity and Inclusion.

Noel's research interests include social entrepreneurship (where he is interested in how entrepreneurship can help empower disadvantaged individuals) and business entrepreneurship (including cultural differences in the cognitive processes and behaviour of entrepreneurs in different societal systems). Noel lectures in the areas of innovation and entrepreneurship, new venture planning, and venture financing.

The Honorable Christopher J. Loeak Former President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Iroij of the Ralik Island Chain Senator of Ailinglaplap Atoll Christopher Loeak was President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands – one of only four low-lying coral atoll nations in the world – between 2012 and 2016 and is a Iroij (traditional chief) of the Ralik Island Chain. Born in 1952 on Ailinglaplap Atoll, Loeak attended the Marshall Islands High school before going on to study at the Hawaii Pacific College and Gozaga University’s School of Law in the United States. Loeak was first elected to the Nitijela (Parliament) in 1985. During a long parliamentary career he has served as Minister of Education, Minister of Justice, Minister of Social Services, Minister of Ralik Chain, and Minister-in-Assistance (Vice President), and remains a Senator for Ailinglaplap Atoll. Loeak also served as the Vice President of the Third Constitutional Convention, and is currently chairing preparations for the Fourth Constitutional Convention which will be held in February 2017. After an eight year deadlock in talks, he was also the chairman of the negotiation team that brokered the extension of the United States’ military lease of parts of Kwajalein Atoll which is home to the Ronald Reagan Missile Defense Test Site. As President, Loeak established the Marshall Islands as a world leader in the fight against climate change. In 2013 he hosted the biggest Pacific Islands Leaders’ Meeting in history that resulted in the Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership which was personally presented to the UN Secretary-General, and in 2014 he attracted worldwide media attention when he released a “video address to the world” in front of a sea wall he had built in front of his family home. Throughout 2015 Loeak travelled extensively in the lead-up to the COP21 Paris Climate Conference, including to personally meet with United States President Barack Obama, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and French President Francois Hollande. The Marshall Islands secret cultivation and then leadership of a ‘High Ambition Coalition’ of more than 100 progressive countries in Paris ultimately proved pivotal, with many key elements of the Paris Agreement first introduced into the negotiating text by Loeak’s team. The New Yorker labelled this “an unprecedented feat”, with The New York Times running a front page feature story on the Marshall Islands’ leadership, and Rolling Stone writing that “perhaps the greatest surprise in Paris was that one of the most important players in the negotiations came from one of the world's smallest nations: the Marshall Islands”. During his Presidency, Loeak also oversaw an enormous uptake in renewable energy across the Marshall Islands with more than ninety percent of the vast outer islands completely solarized. Loeak is married to Lieom Anono Loeak. They have three children and ten grandchildren.

Shen Mann is a founding member of Resilient Hills & Coasts, a collaborative project formed to develop a Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island region. Chair of the Ranges to River NRM Group with a Masters in Environmental Law from ANU, Shen’s values-driven career path has taken her from private legal practice to the NGO sector, federal politics and now local government as Alexandrina Council’s Environmental Strategy Officer where her focus is reducing Council’s footprint, protecting & enhancing Council’s environmental assets, fostering sustainable development and collaborating with community.   

John is the founder and Managing Director of Australian CleanTech and has advised numerous organisations on securing or making cleantech investments. He facilitates the Australian CleanTech Network that provides opportunities for cleantech collaboration and publishes both the Australian Cleantech Index and the annual Australian Cleantech Review. John spent nine years working in one of Australia's leading energy companies. After holding project management and operational roles, John spent six years in development roles working on development, strategy and M&A projects. During this time John gained extensive experience developing, analysing, investing in and securing many Cleantech projects. In addition to this industry experience, John has experience and an extensive network of contacts in investment providers in Australia, the UK and North Asia.

Clare Penrose is currently Director Climate Change Policy in the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and planning. Prior to this she was the Global CCS Institute's General Manager for the Asia Pacific region supporting the development of carbon capture and storage technologies. Clare has also held a number of different climate change roles at the national level in Australia, including General Manager Corporate Services and Review with the Climate Change Authority, the independent agency that advises the Australian Parliament on climate change policy. Clare was also senior adviser on climate, energy and environment policy to two Australian Prime Ministers and worked on the introduction of carbon pricing and reform of Australia's largest inland river system, the Murray Darling Basin.

Sandy Pitcher commenced as the Chief Executive of the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources in January 2015, where she has focused on includes developing a vibrant nature-based tourism strategy for South Australia, connecting people to parks and delivering on the state’s ambitious Climate Change agenda. Sandy was the Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet for 5 years. She was responsible for many areas, including the South Australian Cabinet Office, the Economic Analysis Division and the Strategic Engagement and Communications division. In 2012 Sandy was awarded the South Australian Telstra Business Woman of the year for the Community and Public sector category, and went on to win the national title in November 2012. Sandy has worked in London, primarily as the head of Corporate and Parliamentary Affairs in the UK's Commission for Racial Equality, and has previously worked in Commonwealth public sector roles in Canberra and Sydney. Educated at the University of Adelaide, Sandy has degrees in law and the humanities. She was raised in Mannum.

Dave is Deputy Director of the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, and a Non-Executive Director of GreenCross Australia. He has overseen the delivery of a significant number of research projects in adaptation, led work on Adaptation Good Practice, and developed a number of guidelines supporting management and adaptation. He has an interest in coastal management, adaptation planning and implementation, and a research interest in socio-ecological systems, and integrative science. He has worked in the university, government and private sectors, predominantly focussing on areas where research supports management and policy. He is a past President of the Society of Wetland Scientists Australasian Chapter, and was on the Australian Marine Sciences Association Council for a number of years.

The Arup-led Community Sector Climate Resilience Program supported over sixty organisations across Victoria to better plan for climate change and disasters. The program helped to establish the context of climate impacts for the sector, developed baseline of individual organisational resilience, and tailored individual or clustered approaches to enhancing resilience. The most important finding centres on how anchoring local climate strategies in practical policies such as business continuity, health and wellbeing, emergency management, occupational health and safety and organisational economic strategies allows organisations to better engender response to climate risks.

Dr Mark Stafford Smith is based in Canberra, Australia, and contributes to Adaptation Research in CSIRO. He interacts regularly with national and international policy issues around adaptation. Since 2013 he has been Chair of the inaugural Science Committee for Future Earth, which aims to help coordinate research towards global sustainability worldwide. By background, he lived in Alice Springs for 20 years and, as a desert systems ecologist and past CEO of the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), focused on the science of desert living and sustainable management of outback environments.

Andrew Stock is an energy expert, member of the Climate Council, and SA Premier’s Climate Council. He has over 40 years experience in senior management and executive roles in energy businesses, spanning traditional energy suppliers and emerging energy technologies and renewables. He is a present and past Director of numerous energy companies, a Board Member of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and Chair of resources and energy Institute Advisory Boards at the University of Adelaide and University of Melbourne. He was the founding National President of the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy (now Clean Energy Council) and has served on CSIRO's Energy & Transport Sector Advisory Committee as well as other research and energy advisory committees to the South Australian Government.

Bettina Venner is Manager Industry Participation in the Department of State Development, focusing on developing supply chains in the minerals, energy and other industries and managing the Industry Capability Network in South Australia (ICN SA). She has worked in industry as a chemical engineer in the oil and gas industry at Sasol, Uhde, Chevron and Exxon Mobil in South Africa, Germany and Australia before joining government. Her government roles include policy, regulation and economic development.

Seth is the Associate Dean of Research and Innovation within the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences at the University of Adelaide, and has research and consulting experience across both academia and industry. Seth has contributed to the fields of hydrology, water resources and climate risk, and has published over 80 journal and conference papers on these topics. He also co-chairs the Australian Energy and Water Exchange (OzEWEX) Research Initiative—a national research network that seeks to encourage a collaborative environment between researchers and end-users on issues related to the water and energy cycle.

Alison Whitten is the Resilient Melbourne Operations Coordinator, responsible for program management to facilitate delivery of the Resilient Melbourne strategy. Alison’s background is in management consulting, international development and urban planning. Her planning experience has focused on the intersection of design with public health, housing, food systems, and disaster risk mitigation. Alison has worked across the public, private, and non-profit sectors in Australia, the United States, China and Sub-Saharan Africa. Examples of projects she has led include: an evaluation of low-carbon urban development programs, review of philanthropic engagement with the private sector and initiatives to promote sustainable food production. Alison holds degrees in systems engineering and urban planning.

Cecilia is a farmer and pastoralist near Kimba with experience as Chair and board member of a number of statutory and non-government boards at the state and national level and Chaired the newly created Andamooka Town Management Committee between 2012 and 2013.

Adelaide-born, Beth Worrall has had held senior roles spanning technology, banking, health, resources, engineering, government and entrepreneurship. An aspiring "expert generalist" Beth has primarily worked in communications, corporate responsibility and sustainability in Australia and the UK. She's now Marketing Manager for an Adelaide based internet of things "scale-up" business, Buddy Platform - a perfect spot for a self-confessed "smart cities nerd".