Lee Astridge is the founder of No.8HR, a specialist recruitment and human resources business operating in the Australasian agribusiness sector.  As a ‘performance and strategy’ coach Lee is passionate and committed to helping business owners achieve better bottom-line performance through effective people strategies.   
She has over 25 years’ experience in strategic HR and people development roles which includes global experience gained in a range of positions including senior leadership, management and technical specialist in-house roles.  Lee also advises to a number of governance and operational boards across a variety of businesses.  
Although proudly ‘a generalist,’ her time most recently has been with clients focused on organisational strategy, design, and culture change, alongside management and leadership capability analysis and development.
Lee is a professional member of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand and holds tertiary management and HR qualifications.  She has built a reputation as motivational facilitator who challenges clients to identify new insights and consider new paradigms for themselves, their teams and their businesses.

Katherine Newman is a Reservoir Engineer at Contact Energy. Originally from Texas, she began her career in Oil and Gas and has enjoyed a transition into the Geothermal industry since moving to New Zealand in 2019. 
Katherine is now leading the reservoir commissioning for the upcoming Tauhara Power Station, and she serves as the chair of Training and Development for the Women’s Network at Contact. 
Katherine is also proud to be the Chair of WING New Zealand, where she leads a team of professionals who focus on high-impact industry initiatives to challenge norms and empower members. 

Ifor is acknowledged as one of the most influential cluster practitioners in the world, with hands-on experience extending to over 50 countries. 
Ifor has been an advisor to The World Bank, EU, OECD, UNDP, international aid agencies and national & regional economic development agencies on six continents. 
Ifor is a Founder, Past President and Member of the Board of Advisors of TCI Network - the global practitioners network for competitiveness, clusters and innovation (Barcelona). 
He has served on Cluster Advisory Boards in Denmark, India, Mexico and Africa, and on the European Cluster Observatory.  
Ifor is the author of the ‘Cluster Development Handbook’, the first comprehensive guide to the What? the Why? and the How? of cluster engagement.

Chelydra Percy is the new Chief Executive of GNS Science, taking up the role on May 1 2023.

Before being appointed as GNS chief executive, Chelydra served as Group Chief Executive of BRANZ (Building Research Association of New Zealand), a role she had held since 2013.

She comes to GNS with plenty of experience in the CRI (Crown Research Institute) sector, having previously worked at Callaghan Innovation, AgResearch

Melissa became a Foresight Practitioner and Professional Director after 30 years’ experience as a technology entrepreneur and CEO of a number of Technology companies. She sits on the Boards of Atkins Ranch, Alpine Energy Network, Daffodil Enterprises Ltd and the NZ Future Bees Trust.  Melissa was previously Chair of Little Yellow Bird, Deputy Chair of Radio NZ, the first independent Director of Beef & Lamb NZ and a Member of MPI’s Primary Growth Partnership Investment Advisory Panel. Melissa has been part of the Te Hono Primary Sector Bootcamp at Stanford University, twice. She trained as a Foresight Practitioner with The Institute for the Future in Palo Alto and also with Clayton Christiansen in his approach to Disruptive Innovation through Harvard. She has also trained with Futurist Sohail Inayutollah in his approach to corporate narrative and content level analysis.

Melissa works with companies like AsureQuality, Kotahi, Lincoln University, the NZ Screen Sector, and BiosecurityNZ on Strategy and Foresight. Melissa has a particular interest in Platform and Subscription Business Models. She developed and teaches courses in Strategy, Digital Governance and Disruptive Business Models for the NZ Institute of Directors. 

Mike is the General Manager of Geothermal Resources and Development at Contact Energy, leading new power and direct heat opportunities and exploration for new geothermal resources. His team have worked on Te Huka, Te Mihi, Tauhara and redevelopment of Wairakei, from conception through consenting, construction and operation. Mike has been on the Board of the New Zealand Geothermal Association and is an editor of the Geothermics science journal. Previously, Mike worked in wholesale electricity markets and development of wind and hydro power projects. He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and has experience in the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia and the United States. In 2015 Mike was the Deloitte Energy Awards New Zealand Energy Executive of the Year.

​After starting out in the chemical processing industry, and some time working overseas Glenn has worked in the energy sector since 2005 including roles with Meridian Energy, Energy For Industry, Pioneer Energy, and Vector before joining EECA in 2017.

Glenn has built a broad range of experience predominantly in product development and management of solutions for the commercial and industrial sector. His roles have also included experience in waste to energy development, niche energy retail solutions, and energy and carbon management.  

Currently within the Business Group at EECA, the Products & Partnerships Team delivery a range of industry engagement programmes and funds including the Sector Decarbonisation Programme, the Regional Energy Transition Accelerator, Technology Demonstration Fund, and are responsible for a number of industry development partnerships. The Business Group more broadly are responsible for implementing and delivering the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry (GIDI) Fund.

Glenn has a Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Engineering.

Mary Pappon is a Senior Consent Planner for the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. She has been working in resource management within local government for 10 years after studying a Bachelor of Environmental Planning through the University of Waikato. Mary has worked in the Toi Moana Resource Consents team since 2015. Raised in Rotorua and based in the Regional Council Office in Rotorua, she has a keen interest in the Rotorua Geothermal Field and quickly became involved in processing and providing advice (internally and externally) for geothermal consents within Rotorua and across the region. In the recent past Mary has been involved in the processing of large-scale consents in Kawerau, the larger consents on the Rotorua Field, such as the recently constructed Wai Ariki Spa and she is actively involved in the Geothermal Plan Change from an implementation perspective. She is currently leading BOPRC’s input into the consent process for the development of the Taheke Powerplant located just outside of Rotorua. Mary enjoys working with technical and planning experts to increase her understanding of geothermal systems and processes throughout the region. 

Greg has 40 years involvement with geothermal exploration/delineation and his ability with directing multi-disciplinary teams has led to his present role as Jacobs senior advisor for geothermal energy.  Greg has a proven ability with integrated geothermal assessments from experience in a large number of detailed reviews and numerical reservoir simulation studies.  Understanding of the developmental and commercial aspects of renewable energy projects has been gained from a range of due diligence, resource valuations, and assessments of geothermal resource potential and project management plans.  His work optimising projects has led to a sound overview of all types of geothermal power plant and their relationship with the geothermal resource.  Greg has been a regular contributor to the geothermal training program at Auckland University and a range of other capacity development activities inside Jacobs, with New Zealand development assistance programs, and more widely in the geothermal industry. 

Dr Jim McLeod has been a geothermal scientist with WRC for 30 years, and was a founding member of the NZGA, which was formed to act as a liaison point and voice for all geothermal interests.  Jim looks after the interface between the large geothermal consent holders and their peer review panels for the five Waikato geothermal systems with large power stations.

Charlotte Downes is the Programme Director for The Diversity Agenda, the award-winning movement committed to helping the architecture and engineering consulting industry become more diverse and inclusive, through awareness, empowerment and action.

The Diversity Agenda has grown since inception to more than 150 members across the country and nearly 60 Chief Executives and business owners signing the Diversity Agenda Accord and being held publicly accountable for achieving truly diverse industries.

Having led talent acquisition teams globally, Charlotte brings a wealth of expertise. She previously spearheaded the Diversity and Inclusion program at Air New Zealand, before moving to Auckland Transport to lead the mahi in people experience and internal communications.

Charlotte's unwavering passion lies in laying strong foundations and propelling momentum to ensure that New Zealand's industries become inclusive spaces for all.

Jim is the inventor of the CaSil Technology and co-founder of the CaSil Technologies Ltd. He has over 40 years’ experience in new materials, products and technology research and development, and progressing them through pilot scale operation to commercialisation working with NZ and international companies. His research has founded three new technology-based companies and is a Director in them. He has extensive experience in silica and silicate chemistry and leads for the CaSil Technology, chemistry and product development and commercialisation programme.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry. He has received numerous awards including the Wellingtonian of the Year (Science and Technology), Royal Society of New Zealand Thompson Medal for Excellence in Science and Technology, the 2020 KiwiNet Baldwins Researcher Entrepreneur Award and the 2020 KiwiNet BNZ Supreme Award.

Dr Michael Schweig has significant expertise in chemical and process engineering and the CaSil technology, where he led the design, construction and operation of a PLC controlled CaSil pilot plant to successfully demonstrate the technology at this scale for ensuing commercialisation. He is knowledgeable in the engineering and regulatory requirements for geothermal process equipment, and is an expert in CAD, and dynamic flow modelling. He leads the engineering of the pilot scale development and commercial implementation of the CaSil Technology.

Merewyn is Principal Advisor at Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Forest Service. She works to support the transformation of the forestry and wood processing sector to realise more value from our forest resource and underpin our low emissions future.

Craig Woolacott is Contact Energy’s Senior Project Manager, managing the EPC contract with Sumitomo Corporation for the design, construction, and commissioning of the Tauhara Geothermal Power Station.  He has been in the energy sector for a couple of decades and has held similar roles for the owner during the construction of the Kawerau, Nga Awa Purua and Ngatamariki Geothermal Power Stations.

Wendy McGuinness is the founder and chief executive of the McGuinness Institute Te Hononga Waka, which she established in 2004 as a way of contributing to New Zealand’s long-term future. Wendy has worked in both the public and private sectors specialising in public sector reporting, risk management and future studies. Since establishing the Institute she has, with her team, published a range of reports as part of Project 2058, held a number of workshops aiming to enable young New Zealanders to better engage with the future, and attended four World Futures conferences. She continues to be fascinated by the development and implementation of public policy, in particular how New Zealand might shape its future in the long-term and, in doing so, how New Zealand might become an exemplar for the world.

Hilary is a New Zealand Registered Commercial Architect with 30 years experience in the construction industry, now co-owning and managing Phoenix Metalman Recycling, a nationwide metal recycling business.  A graduate of the Sustainable Business Council’s Sustainable Leadership Programme, acting chair of the Sustainable Steel Council, a NZ Association of Metal Recycling board member.  Hilary is currently an advisor on the NZ Green Building Council’s Expert Reference Panel for Construction & Waste.  An Industry Advisory group committee member for HERA’s ‘Circular design for a changing environment: a design framework to reduce construction waste, lifecycle embodied carbon, and to enhance the circular economy for construction materials’. 

Scott Westbury is the General Manager Power Schemes for Genesis Energy. Genesis Energy is a leading electricity generation, retail, and LPG distribution business. To help Aotearoa transition to a low carbon future powered by renewable energy, Genesis is looking at how energy back-up might be provided by biomass fuel at the Huntly Power Station.

Blandina is the Project Director for He Ahi on behalf of Te Pae o Waimihia – a Trust that represents the interest of six mana whenua hapū of the Taupō township area. He Ahi is best described as both a Clean Energy Park and an Eco-Business Park being developed on 45 hectares of whenua in a prime location with existing geothermal infrastructure and geothermal heat supply. Blandina is also the Project Manager for the adjacent whenua project, He Tipu – a 25 hectare enterprise park focused on social, environmental and culture ventures that again will be harnessing the power of Clean Energy.
Blandina is the Managing Director of her very own consulting Te Wikitoria Ltd, a consulting and contracting company that delivers support and service for projects, business and governance within both private, commercial or charitable contexts.

Matt works in Contact Energy’s Resource Development Team at Wairākei Power Station. Since 2020, Matt has supported Contact’s reservoir development activities on the Wairākei-Tauhara geothermal system, including the 168 MWe Tauhara power station, 51 MWe Te Huka Unit 3 power station and planning of Wairākei. Matt works alongside hapū at Wairākei and Tauhara to understand effects of reservoir development and promote closer links between geothermal resources and tangata whenua. Since 2021, Matt supported the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) with Jacobs to build geothermal capacity through the NZ Africa Geothermal Facility (NZ-AGF) on projects in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Prior to working in New Zealand, Matt worked for Ormat in Reno, Nevada supporting geothermal exploration and development projects in the Western USA and Indonesia. He resides and works in Taupō, New Zealand. He holds a B.S. in Geology from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a M.S. in Geology from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico. Matt is a Professional Geologist license in the State of California.

​NZTE is the government agency whose purpose is to help New Zealand businesses grow internationally. Our role is to boost New Zealand’s international reputation, increase revenue from overseas and create jobs.

Ed works with companies in the advanced manufacturing sector, including energy and geothermal. He connects companies with NZTE expertise and international networks relevant to their goals and needs. Prior to working for NZTE he worked in the private sector on construction projects in the oil and gas sector, in roles such as contracts engineer, project cost controller, quality manager and project accountant. He was the General Manager of WISE Charitable Trust from its inception in 2002 through to 2005 and is now a trustee. WISE co-hosted the Reducing Energy Hardship Conference in New Plymouth in May.

Ed studied chemistry and physics at Auckland, then went through the dairy industry graduate training program. He completed an MBA at Massey University in 2000. Geothermal energy has fascinated him since attending Reporoa College and growing up in the heart of the volcanic plateau. He lives in Taranaki and serves NZTE customers in Taranaki, Wellington and Taupō.

Simon is part-time CEO of NZ's National Energy Research Institute (NERI) a charitable trust promoting energy research and education in NZ. GNS is a member and NZGA is an associate member. It has just published "FROM FOSSIL FUELS TO LOCAL RENEWABLES", a research framework to address Aotearoa New Zealand’s energy GHGs.

He is also MD of arnold.co.nz that commercialises physics, energy and industrial technologies; executive director of Blended Fuel Solutions NZ (blending fuels to make them fit-for-purpose and through subsidiary Nufuels, waste to energy); and convener of the Liquid Biofuels & Co-products interest group of the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand.

Simon has been active in industry organisations since having been CEO of the NZ Manufacturers Federation in the 1990s. He is a past President and life member of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and chaired the Policy Council of Business Central.

Mike has been CEO of CEP since 2016. He holds a PhD in Finance from MGSM as well as an MBA. He has worked in the energy sector in the UK and NZ and his experience covers generation, retail, markets and efficiency. He is committed to helping CEP members raise their capabilities and to helping New Zealand businesses access expertise and knowledge in their pursuit of efficiency and lowering emissions.