SA | Hydrogen Summit

Mike Rann is the UK and Global Chair of the Climate Group, an NGO whose membership includes hundreds of state and regional governments on every continent and around 500 of the world’s biggest corporations.

Mike was Premier of South Australia for almost a decade and was National President of the ALP during the Prime Ministership of Kevin Rudd. During his Premiership he held a number of Ministerial portfolios including Minister for Economic Development and Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change, an Australian first.

The Rann government introduced Australia’s first Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Act and solar power feed-in law.

After he retired from politics in 2012 Mr Rann was appointed as Chair of the Federal Government’s green bank, Low Carbon Australia. He then served as Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK and as a Governor of the Commonwealth Secretariat. Mike was later appointed as Ambassador to Italy, Albania, San Marino and Libya, and Permanent Representative to UN agencies in Rome.

He is currently the Chair of the South Australian Film Corporation.

Mike and his wife Sasha live in Adelaide and in Puglia, Italy.

In 1998, Gunther Andersson completed his PhD, applying ion scattering spectroscopy to liquid surfaces at the University of Witten/Herdecke (Germany) under the supervision of Prof. Harald Morgner. For the following two years, he worked at the Technical University of Eindhoven on a project involving polymer-based light-emitting diodes. In 2000, Gunther moved to Leipzig University (Germany), where he developed the method of neutral impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy (NICISS) for investigating soft matter surfaces to its current stage. He completed his Habilitation in 2006. In 2007, he was appointed at Flinders University (Australia). He is now a leading as a full Professor and Deputy Director of the Flinders Institute of Nanoscale Science and Technology, a research group with activities in photocatalysis for water splitting, colloid surfaces and interfaces, and high-temperature corrosion resistance. The main research activities in photocatalytic water splitting involve the development of a reactor for concentrated solar light as part of his involvement in SPARC-Hydrogen and surface modification of photocatalysts

He is a mechanical engineer by training and hold a specialized master’s degree in risk management, with 30 years of experience in the industry and particularly in the oil and gas sector in EPCI (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation). He has held various positions throughout his career, including engineer, commercial manager, VP tendering and corporate risk management. Since July 2021, he is the Chief Executive Officer of Sofresid Engineering part of Ekium Group.

Max is a management consultant with engineering (MEng, MIEAust) and business (MBA) background. He specialises in strategies and associated complex transformations for asset intensive industries.

He has 15 years of experience in a wide variety of experiences including engineering, management consulting, future of work analyst, and project management in the following industries: Defence & Aerospace, Transport, Construction, Mining, and FMCG.

Joanna Kay is a highly respected voice in the renewable hydrogen landscape, holding the position of General Manager at the Smart Energy Council and leading Zero Carbon Hydrogen Australia. In this pivotal role, Joanna plays a crucial part in advocating for and advancing renewable hydrogen as a sustainable fuel source, both on a national and international scale.

At the forefront of Zero Carbon Hydrogen Australia, a peak industry body within the renewable hydrogen sector, Joanna actively champions the development and adoption of renewable hydrogen and its derivatives. Her leadership extends to spearheading the Zero Carbon Hydrogen Scheme, an industry-led initiative focused on promoting the uptake and distribution of renewable hydrogen products within Australia and globally.

In addition to her instrumental role in the renewable hydrogen sector, Joanna spearheads various initiatives, including the Smart Energy Gender Action Plan. This underscores her commitment to fostering a cultural shift that embeds a gender lens in business decision-making. Her dedication extends beyond industry capacity, actively contributing to the economic empowerment of women through quality employment outcomes in new jobs and industries that are both meaningful and locally impactful.

With a diverse background spanning both private and public sectors across Australia, China, and India, Joanna brings a wealth of experience to the table. Notably, she has served as the Australian
Government Specialist Advisor to the International Solar Alliance, showcasing her dedication to advancing sustainable energy solutions on a global scale.

Joanna's influence is further underscored by her strategic roles on the Advisory Board of the CRC Scaling Green Hydrogen Bid and the Australian Government National Hydrogen Strategy. In recognition of her expertise, Joanna has recently been appointed as a board member of the University of Adelaide's Institute of Sustainability, Energy, and Resources.

In her multifaceted role, Joanna Kay emerges as a trusted and influential figure, actively shaping the discourse on renewable hydrogen and contributing to global efforts in decarbonisation.