Hans Umlauff

Hans is a Mechanical Engineer with more than 30 years experience in design, construction, maintenance, manufacturing and project management in the steel, minerals and petroleum industries.

He has gained considerable international experience in his previous roles as Vice President Project Management at BHP, and with Normandy Mining and subsequently Newmont Australia.

In his current role, Hans has responsibility for the development of Iluka’s South Australian mineral sands business.

Current appointments:

• Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia

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Tino Guglielmo

Tino Guglielmo has over 20 years experience as petroleum executive both domestically and overseas. He is well credentialled in the upstream industry and has particular expertise in business improvement, reservoir optimisation and petroleum engineering.

He holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of South Australia and a Company Director's Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors - University of New England.

He specialises in exploitation of oil and gas resources across a broad range of reservoir types.

Current appointments:

• Vice President of the SA Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME)
• Member of the Resource Industry Development Board
• Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers
• Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Deputy Chair, Annesley College Council

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John Roberts

John has 52 years experience in the mineral exploration and mining industries in Australia and the United States.

He began his career as a geologist, involved in extensive and successful mineral exploration in Australia and progressed to management positions in exploration and production companies including Vice President, Manager and Managing Director of Homestake Gold of Australia Limited.

He has significant experience as chair and director of a number of exploration and production companies with interests including copper, gold, uranium and nickel.

As a strong advocate for the South Australian mining and energy sectors he has and continues to be involved in a range of industry and education boards and committees.

John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology (1957) from the University of Adelaide and is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

Current appointments:

• President, SA Chamber of Mines & Energy
• Chairman of Directors for Adelaide-based companies; Mithril Resources Limited (a nickel exploration company)
• Chair, Rum Jungle Uranium Limited; a Darwin-based uranium exploration company
• Member of the South Australian Minerals and Petroleum Expert Group (SAMPEG)

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Jason Kuchel

Jason joined the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME) in April 2007 as Chief Executive. 

Jason was previously employed by the Electronics Industry Association (EIA) for over 5 years as their Executive Director, during which time he grew the organisations revenue by over 300 percent and took the organisation from its infancy to one which is respected by industry and government alike.

Over the last ten years he has gained extensive management and board level experience in Local Government and several engineering and management associations, both at state and national levels.

Jason has held senior roles in Local Government and the hospitality industry. He has also held numerous ministerial appointments, board positions in natural resources management and advisory roles to TAFE and the University of South Australia.

Current appointments:

• Councillor to the District Council of Mount Barker (elected 2006)
• Board member, St Michaels Lutheran School (Hahndorf) 

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Jim White

Mr Jim White (Managing Director) B.App. Sci(Met), FIEAust, CP Eng.

Jim has 35 years experience in the mining and steel industries. He commenced his career as a shift metallurgist with John Lysaght (Aust.) Ltd in 1974 and then continued with BHP in product, process, systems and line management functions.

He has held various technical and management roles for OneSteel and the Steelworks, including time as General Manager of the Whyalla Steelworks, General Manager Technology and Environment and General Manager Business Sustainability for OneSteel Ltd, .

In August 2010, Jim took up the position of Managing Director, Centrex Metals Ltd. as a result of his involvement in the successful OneSteel Project Magnet iron ore export development and in government and community liaison.

In 2007 he was Engineers Australia, South Australian Professional Engineer of the Year.

Current appointments:

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Dean Dalla Valle

Dean has been with BHP Billiton for 32 years and, with an electrical engineering background and an MBA from the University of Wollongong, has worked in many roles and commodities.

He is the President of BHP Billiton’s newly created Uranium Customer Sector Group (CSG). The CSG is responsible for the Olympic Dam copper/uranium mine 560 kms north of Adelaide and the multi-billion dollar proposal to expand the mine from Australia’s largest underground operation to one of the world’s biggest open pit mines.

Dean has oversight of all uranium projects for BHP Billiton, such as Yeelirrie in WA, and is focused on breakthrough improvements in uranium recoveries.

Uranium CSG is headquartered in Adelaide and has a total workforce in South Australia of more than 3,500.

Previously Dean was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Olympic Dam and has been with Olympic Dam since the acquisition of WMC in June 2005. His responsibility has been to integrate Olympic Dam into BHP Billiton and execute growth strategies.

Current appointments:

• Chair of the Australian Uranium Association
• Board member of the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy
• Sponsor for Electrical Community of Practice, BHP Billiton

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Lewis Owens  BE(Hons), MSc, BA

Mr Owens has worked in the mining, oil and gas industries in the private sector, and in planning, economic development, energy and regulatory areas within Government.

He was most recently the CEO of ETSA Utilities, the privatised electricity distribution business in South Australia owned by Hong Kong Electric Holdings Ltd, Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Ltd and Spark Infrastructure.

Prior to that, he was the Chairperson of the Essential Services Commission of SA with responsibility for regulating the SA electricity and gas industries, the Tarcoola-Darwin and intrastate railways, and the SA ports. The Commission also undertook regulatory work on the SA water industry. He was also an Associate Commissioner of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) on energy matters.

Mr Owens was the Chief Executive of Funds SA from 1996–99 and the WorkCover Corporation of SA from 1990–96. 

He is the current Chair of both Country Arts SA and the Advisory Board of the University of Adelaide Business School.

He is a member of the South Australian Heritage Council and a Reconciliation Ambassador for Reconciliation SA.

He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Institute of Energy. 

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Merrill Gray

Merrill is the Managing Director of Syngas Limited, an ASX listed oil and gas company specialising in gasification to produce syngas, and subsequently in the production of clean, premium diesel, using coal and non-food biomass feed material.

Merrill holds a combined Mineral Process Engineering/Mining Engineering (Bachelor of Mineral Technology) degree and Geology degree from New Zealand's Otago School of Mines and Otago University, respectively. Merrill migrated to Australia to work in Kalgoorlie WA as a metallurgist in 1998, obtaining Australian citizenship soon after.

She has worked in mining and oil and gas in Australia for over 20 years with experience in roles such as operations, engineering, consulting, strategy and production.

Current appointments:

• Member of the Institute of Company Directors
• Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy

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Dr Paul Heithersay

Dr Paul Heithersay was appointed to the position of Chief Executive of the Olympic Dam Task Force in December 2010. He also holds the position of Deputy Chief Executive, Resources and Energy. Dr Heithersay's role at the Olympic Dam Task Force is to oversee and coordinate the State Government's interaction with the Olympic Dam Expansion.

Dr Heithersay holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) (University of Adelaide) and a PhD (Australian National University) for his research on the Northparkes porphyry copper and gold deposits.

As Deputy Chief Executive, Resources and Energy, Paul Heithersay leads the Minerals, Resources and Energy divisions of the Department for Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy. These divisions manage the state's mineral, gas, petroleum and energy resources on behalf of the people of South Australia.

Before joining the Public Service in South Australia in 2002, Dr Heithersay spent more than 20 years in the mining industry in Australia and Southeast Asia for North Ltd and its predecessor Geopeko. As Exploration Manager for Australasia, Europe and Africa, his responsibilities covered all aspects of exploration and mine development.

Paul Heithersay is a Board Member of Auscope, the Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources, Resources and Engineering Skills Alliance, the Ian Wark Research Institute of the University of Adelaide and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems. He is also a member of both the Industry Advisory panel for the University of Adelaide's Department of Geology and Geophysics and the Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences Advisory Board.

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Lance Worrall

Lance Worrall is the Deputy Chief Executive leading the Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade divisions of the Department for Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Resources and Energy.

Lance holds a Masters Degree for a thesis in politics and political economy from the University of Adelaide. Previously he was chief executive of the Public Sector Performance Commission, where he worked principally on development of high performance cultures and systems in public sector agencies, effective leadership, and nurturing of collaborative modes of leadership and problem solving through cross-agency action teams.

Prior to this Lance was economic adviser to the then Leader of the Opposition, Hon Mike Rann MP (1994–2002), and then became Premier Rann's principal policy adviser (2002–2008). In this role he worked on major successful economic development projects (e.g. in defence and minerals and resources), and has worked closely with the Economic Development Board since its inception.

Lance has also been a key designer and driver of South Australia's Strategic Plan.

He remains a member of the Economic Development Board.

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Bruce Carter

Bruce Carter is the Chair of the Olympic Dam Steering Committee. He was formerly Managing Partner of Ferrier Hodgson in Adelaide and was one of the founding partners of the Adelaide practice in 1992. Prior to that Bruce was a partner at Ernst & Young.

He has an Economics Degree and a Master of Business Administration and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Bruce has spent over 30 years in corporate recovery and insolvency and has worked across a broad range of industries overseas and in Australia. He has conducted work for all of the major financial institutions within Australia and has been involved in a number of Government appointed restructurings and reviews.

Bruce is a director/chair of a number of private companies and government bodies. He is the former Chair of Workcover SA.

Current appointments:

• Member, Executive Committee of Cabinet
• Chair, Olympic Dam Steering Committee
• Chair, Renewables SA

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Rod Hook

Rod Hook is Chief Executive of the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.

He graduated from the University of Adelaide with Honours in Civil Engineering.

His extensive project delivery experience includes delivering important, high profile and complex projects, such as the redevelopments of Glenelg/West Beach and Adelaide's Riverbank - including the Convention Centre extensions.

Rod now has responsibility for delivering the State Government's major road and rail projects, which includes projects such as the award winning Bakewell Underpass, the Port River Expressway and the Glenelg Tram extension through to North Terrace.

Current projects include the Gallipoli Underpass, the Northern Expressway and the extension of the Glenelg Tram to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

In addition, Rod is a Board member for the Land Management Corporation, CEO of the Government's Projects Coordination Board, Rail Commissioner and South Australia's Coordinator-General for the Nation Building Economic Stimulus Plan.

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