Board & Staff

Patricia’s experience in the energy industry includes advising potential new participants on the market and regulatory environment they confront in the energy market, and, where necessary, participating in the successful amendment of the regulatory environment; wholesale trading, risk management and analysis; regulatory strategy; strategy; and mergers and acquisitions. Before founding Seed Advisory, Patricia was the National Lead Partner, Energy Markets, Australia for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

Seed Advisory has provided expert advice to governments, market operators and participants in Australian energy markets on strategies, markets and the route to market for nearly 15 years. Their work has been incorporated into or been used to support consultation papers and decisions for a range of clients including the Australian Energy Market Commission, AEMO, the COAG Energy Council, and several other Commonwealth and State government entities and departments, as well as an extensive range of private clients, including energy market participants and potential disruptors.

Anna Skarbek has led ClimateWorks since its inception in 2009, guiding ClimateWorks’ independent research and advisory work analysing emissions reduction opportunities and partnering with government and business to unblock barriers to implementation. She brings considerable private and public sector knowledge to the role as an experienced non-executive director, investment banker, policy advisor and lawyer. Prior to ClimateWorks, Anna was Vice President, Advisory at Climate Change Capital in London, working as an investment advisor dedicated to raising and deploying capital for low carbon activities.

Syed received his PhD degree in electrical power engineering in 1988. He is currently the Dean of the School of Engineering, Information Technology and Physical Sciences at Federation University, Victoria, Australia. His research interests are in Renewable Energy, Condition Monitoring of Transformers, Wind Energy Conversion Systems, Grid Integration of Renewable Energy Sources, and Smart Power Systems. He has over 8000 citations, h-index of 43 and an i-10 index of 155.

Prof Islam was a member of the steering committee of the Australian Power Institute and a founding member of the WA EESA board.
He was a board member for the IET Power Academy in Australia. He is the current (2020-2021) Chair of the Australasian Universities Committee for Power Engineering (ACPE). He is a Fellow of the IEEE, a Fellow of the Engineers Australia, a Fellow of the IET and a chartered engineer in the United Kingdom and Australia.

He is a member of Technical Advisory Panel of the Victorian Centre for New Energy Technologies, CSIRO Data 61 University Planning Committee (UPC) and Latrobe Valley Smart Energy Specilaisation Steering Commitee.

He pioneered the development of a Green Electric Energy Park (GEEP) at Curtin University where he is currently an Adjunct Professor.

Glen joined Victoria Power Networks in January 2016, working as General Manager of Beon Energy Solutions before being appointed General Manager of Electricity Networks in January 2024. This role encompasses CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy.

Prior to this, Glen was the Chief Executive Officer of Simply Energy, and also held a number of senior executive roles with GDF Suez Australian Energy Group (Engie). He has more than 25 years’ experience in the energy sector, having held senior business development and project engineering roles in Australia, USA, Europe, Middle East and Asia. Glen is also the Chief Executive Office of Australian Energy Operations, a Victorian transmission company that owns two terminal stations that connect more than 700 MW of wind farms to the national electricity market.

Glen is a Director of a number of VPN subsidiary companies and has held numerous Directorships for his previous employing entities, including energy sector representative bodies.

Charlotte holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Birkbeck College, London and a Bachelors in Economics and Management from the University of Oxford, and has 12 years of experience in economic regulation, policy, strategy, and compliance roles within the networks sector in Australia.

Charlotte’s current role includes future network strategy development and innovation (including oversighting AusNet’s innovation program) with a focus on how distribution networks can evolve to meet long-term customer interests. This has built her understanding of technical innovation needs and challenges.

It also includes oversight of the 2026-31 revenue reset, including the extensive customer research and engagement program, which considers customer barriers to take up new energy technologies.

Running revenue setting processes has also built her experience in financial analysis and commercial acumen and she has completed Level 2 of the CFA program.

Charlotte has run business planning processes to ensure alignment between strategy and business initiatives and is a member of Energy Network Australia’s Policy and Strategy Committee.

Andrew Dillon is a Policy & Regulation Director at Baringa and Chair of AusNet Services’ Energy Resilience Community Fund Advisory Panel.

From 2017 to 2023 Andrew was CEO of Energy Networks Australia, the peak national body representing gas distribution and electricity transmission and distribution businesses throughout Australia.

Before ENA, Andrew held numerous executive roles in the energy industry, including at AustNet Services, EnergyAustralia, the Energy Supply Association of Australia and as a senior adviser in the Victorian Government.

Andrew is a former Director of Goulburn Valley Water and the Australian Gas Industry Trust.

James is an experienced and passionate leader in the development and deployment of new technologies, particularly within the rapidly evolving energy sector. With more than 20 years of technology commercialisation experience, James has led the development and management of IP, technology, corporate strategy, policy and innovative business models both in Australia and internationally.

James has focused in particular on commercialisation of new energy technologies driven by changing consumer preferences, technology advancement and government policies. These technologies have included solar, battery/storage, IoT, microgrids and alternative networks, and the financing and policy environments that support such growth.

James’s professional career has spanned roles in venture capital, leading energy businesses in gen-tailing and distribution, government, solar manufacturing and new ventures.

James has been awarded a BEng (Chem), Grad Dip (Applied Science) and MBA from The University of Melbourne.

As an experienced sustainable energy executive, Gabrielle has delivered industry-defining technical, commercial, financial, policy and IT solutions across the private and public sectors in Australia and internationally. She is passionate about fostering innovation in emerging renewable energy sectors with a cross-disciplinary approach, from driving growth in start-ups with innovative technologies to fostering initial government policies, programs and investment for emerging sectors such as green hydrogen and offshore wind.

Gabrielle holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mech, Hons) and Bachelor of Arts from Monash University and a Graduate Diploma (Finance and Investment) from the Securities Institute.