About Us
Our board
The Energy Efficiency Council Board of Directors is elected by our members and represents a broad cross section of the industry.
The Board oversees the strategic direction and financial management of the organisation. A number of sub-committees drive the development of key projects activities and report to the Board.
Merrily Hunter
President
MAC Trade Services
Merrily Hunter is the Founder and CEO of MAC Trade Services, an electrification services company. MAC is renowned for their expertise in designing and constructing large scale distributed energy resources, demand response assets and delivering trade-based electrification upgrades to more than 5,000 sites annually. With 15 years’ experience implementing and executing energy saving initiatives, Merrily has a deep and comprehensive understanding of the challenges involved in delivering electrification programs in Australia.
Lisa Zembrodt
Vice President
Schneider Electric
Lisa is the Principal and Senior Director, Sustainability Business at Schneider Electric. She, heads a major expansion of Schneider Electric services assisting corporations and government on reducing emissions and increasing energy efficiencies through technological and operational changes, helping set and implement sustainability strategies.
John Huggart
Treasurer
John has a strong background in energy gained with retailers and new technology start ups. His industry roles have spanned sales, marketing, strategy, service & operations and business unit P&L accountability, including leading engineering services and project teams.
John is a passionate leader who is inspired by driving strategic change, building winning teams and achieving improved outcomes for customers, partners and shareholders. He has strong commercial and technical acumen with ability to build success based on clear plans and accountability.
Scott Ferraro
Secretary
n0de
Scott Ferraro co-founded n0de, a start-up which aims to make Net Zero possible, and beneficial, for businesses. He has been the Program Director of the Net Zero Initiative at Monash University, and was previously Head of Implementation at ClimateWorks Australia. With an engineering background, he is a leader in net-zero emissions strategy, and brings with him a deep understanding of the opportunities for carbon reduction across energy, transport, industry and building sectors.
Dani Alexander
Training and Professional Development Expert
UNSW Energy Institute
Dani is the CEO of the UNSW Energy Institute and the current Chair of the Energy Research Institutes Council of Australia. Dani is committed to building the clean energy workforce, and is a long-term champion of a systems approach to the transition through her passion, and proven track record, of integrating the demand- and supply-sides of the sector and supporting a consumer-led energy transition. Dani has experience at RACE for 2030 and the UTS ISF where she contributed to over twenty projects, most of which focused on efficiency, demand flexibility or CER. She has also worked across many areas of government, including ARENA.
James Brown
SA Power Networks
James is the Head of Network Strategy at SAPN, and is passionate about decarbonisation through enabling the customer led energy transition, with experience in future network strategy, affecting policy change, delivering world leading innovation programs and contributing to real benefit for electricity customers. He brings experience in state and national reform related to CER, demand flexibility and interoperability, and first-hand understanding of the barriers and opportunities related to energy efficient homes and business providing non-network solutions to grid constraints.
Jane Butler
AGL
Jane is the Head of Product, Strategy and New Technology at AGL and has over 18 years’ experience across energy efficiency consulting, cogeneration, industrial utilities management, commercial solar and demand response. Jane brings a unique combination of skills and an understanding of the technical manufacturing realities of energy efficiency, and we are delighted to have her join the Board.
Liz Fletcher
Marketing and Communications Expert
Energy Power Systems Australia
Liz has spent more than a decade traversing the energy sector and growing businesses that help the transition to net zero. Over the years, her marketing, policy and strategic skills have been put to use at TransGrid, Flow Power, the Energy Security Board and others. She has also headed up birdwood business energy, where the team combined proven experience with the best technology and a real understanding of business problems to build the business case net zero at Australian businesses. In her spare time, Liz is the Marketing and Communications Expert on the Energy Efficiency Council board and sits on the Advisory Panel for the Business Renewable Centre.
Alistair Fraser
Siemens
Alistair is an internationally experienced industry professional with a 15+ year record managing the development, delivery and support of energy efficient projects, products, software and service solutions. He is the Head of Sustainability for Smart Infrastructure, Buildings at Siemens where his role is assisting businesses across multiple industry verticals decarbonise and to achieve their Net Zero, Carbon Neutral and Sustainability targets through the delivery of energy efficient solutions and services. Alistair is also a Sustainability Committee Member, supporting Siemens’ responsibilities and positions on Environment, Sustainability and Governance across all business units within Siemens Australia and New Zealand.
Jeremy Watson
Alexander Watson Home Insulation
Jeremy is a passionate promoter of energy efficiency in Australian homes and businesses, with 21 years of experience in the insulation industry. Specialising in retrofitting energy efficient products to existing buildings, Jeremy measures success in terms of reduced energy bills, lower emissions and increased comfort levels. Jeremy is an EEC Certified Insulation Installer, a Director of Insulation Australasia, and has qualifications in training and assessment.
Our advisors
Alan Pears
Senior Advisor
Alan Pears AM is a Senior Industry Fellow at RMIT University and also does consulting work. He has worked across all aspects of sustainable energy in policy, program development, public education and specific projects, and is a well-known commentator on sustainable energy issues. In the industry sector, Alan helped to develop SEDA’s Energy Smart Business program, the Commonwealth’s Energy Efficiency Best Practice program and, more recently, the Energy Efficiency Opportunities program.
EEC Life Fellows
Prof. Tony Arnel
Life Fellow
2023
Professor Tony Arnel was the Council’s President from 2014 until 2021. Tony is an Industry Professor at Deakin University and was the Global Director of Sustainability at leading consulting firm Norman Disney & Young. He also serves on various boards including Forest and Wood Products Australia and the Sustainable Melbourne Fund. He is the former chair of both the World Green Building Council and the Green Building Council of Australia. Tony is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Sara Gipton
Life Fellow
2022
Sara served as the Council’s Treasurer for nearly six years from February 2015 to October 2020, and her outstanding contribution to the Council and its mission, especially as a non-member in a voluntary capacity, is undisputed.
Sara is a passionate and recognised leader in climate change policy, carbon markets and corporate sustainability. Using her broad and extensive experience, Sara provides strategic advice to business and governments in meeting the opportunities, challenges and risks that climate change brings. She is known for her values driven leadership, her strong focus on relationships and the quality of the outcomes she delivers.
Sara is an expert for the Australian carbon market, corporate disclosure and the complex workings of carbon legislation.
Stuart Macfarlane
Life Fellow
2020
Stuart was a founding Board member of the Council in 2009, served 10 years on the Board and was awarded a Life Fellowship in 2020.
Following many years of practice in Government and private engineering firms, Stuart commenced employment with Energy Conservation Systems in 1990 and has since been involved in many large energy management projects and energy performance contracts and has worked closely on various Government led energy management programs as well as having written and delivered numerous papers, lectures and training relating to energy conservation and energy performance contracting for consultants, energy managers and professional engineers throughout Australia, Asia and Europe.
EEC Fellows
Simon James
EEC Fellow
2018
Simon is the founding President of the Energy Efficiency Council, holding the post as a representative of Honeywell from 2009 to 2013. He is a recognised industry leader in embedded utilities, energy efficiency, energy management, integrated buildings, intelligent buildings, automation and control and smart grid solutions, and under his leadership, the EEC become a highly influential and respected voice in the energy debate.
Simon Helps
EEC Fellow
2017
Simon has over 10 years’ experience in the cogeneration and clean energy industry, and has held a variety of senior roles in clean energy groups in Australia. This includes eight years leading the Energy Efficiency Council’s work on cogeneration policy, and is passionate about building the market for distributed energy in Australia.
