Martin Thomas
AM FTSE
HonFIEAust
HonFAIE
Chairman
Chairman
Martin Thomas qualified in Mechanical Sciences from Cambridge University in 1957 with Class 2 (1) Honours. After early years with British Petroleum in London he joined Merz and McLellan in the UK, migrating with his family in 1967 to join Merz Australia, managing several isolated power generation projects for developing mining companies. He has a lifetime career in energy consulting, specialising in industrial energy conservation in Australia and overseas. He managed the firm’s Sydney office for many years before retiring as a Principal of Sinclair Knight Merz. He was appointed founding MD of the Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Renewable Energy in 1995 and was appointed chairman of Dulhunty Poles Pty Ltd in 2009.
Former roles include chairmanships of industry association Austenergy, the NSW Electricity Council and the 2000 Olympic Energy Panel; deputy chair of distribution utility Australian Inland Energy and directorships of the Tyree Group and a number of other listed and unlisted energy technology companies.
He was the Institution of Engineers Australia National President in 1991-92 and chaired the Mechanical College Board from 1985-88. He was President of the Australian Institute of Energy from 1999-2001. In 1992 he was elected to Fellowship of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, serving as Vice-President and as founding chair of the ATSE Energy Forum. In 2006 he was a member of Prime Minister Howard’s Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy Review.
In 1997 he received the AIE’s Institute Medal and in 2008 the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal, Engineers Australia’s highest award. In 1992 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to energy and engineering. In 2003 he received an Australian Centenary Medal.
In October 2015 he received the AGM Michell Medal, the highest award of Engineers Australia’s College of Mechanical Engineers. In December 2015 he received the Annual Award of the Australian Nuclear Association.
Chartered Accountant
Gary Ferguson is a Chartered Accountant. During his career, he has worked for manufacturing companies as a cost accountant, lectured in management accounting with the then, Department of Technical Education, and developed the methodology associated with risk analysis profiles for capital expenditure projects in both the cable and abrasive sectors and providing consultant services to these companies.
Gary relocated to Mid-North Coast NSW in 1975 and gained a very broad level of experience, owning and operating businesses in the construction, hospitality, heavy transport and earthmoving and quarry industries. In 1992 he acquired a public practice in Kempsey, specializing in providing commercial clients with advice in corporate structure, taxation, reporting and financial management areas, including providing associated legal services from in house partners.
Gary Ferguson is a Member of both Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA) and Certified Practising Accountants in Australia (CPA).
Chief Engineer
Peter is secretary in Australia of CIRED, Convenor of B2.WG50 Fittings, B2.WG73 Fire and Secretary of Asia Oceania Regional Council of Cigré for Overhead Lines.
Peter is a member of Cigré A3.39 Surge, B2.66 HTLS, B2.68 Sustainability, B2.70 Markers, B2.71 Spaces, B3.53 Fire, C2.24 Fire, C3.16 Wildlife, D1.68 Fire.
He represents Australia on CIGRE (B2 TAG06), Aust. Standards EL10 & EL52 and member of EESA, EEA (NZ) and CIGRE APB2.
Director
Jinks Dulhunty has a BA Design from Sydney College of the Arts (now faculty of Design, Architecture and Building at the University of Technology Sydney); and a screenwriting major from the Australian Film and Television School (AFTRS). Jinks has over 40 years’ experience as a designer across multiple disciplines, including graphic design, interior design, and architecture; and has lectured for over 30 years at various tertiary institutions, including Enmore School of Design, the College of Fine Arts and the faculty of Architecture, both at UNSW. She is also an international award-winning writer and film director.