Plenary Speakers
Mrs Lisa McLean
Managing Director & CEO, Circular Australia
Lisa McLean is a circular economy and zero-carbon business transformation leader and Managing Director, CEO of Circular Australia, a national independent NFP leading the transition to a zero-carbon circular economy in Australia.
She has been successfully advising industry and governments in developing new policy frameworks and regulations that bring about market change to enable the circular zero-carbon economy over the past 20 years. This work has covered the supply chains, infrastructure, energy, water, waste and mobility sectors in the UK and Australia.
Dr David Bergmann
Chief Executive Officer, Water Research Australia
Dr David Bergmann is the CEO of Water Research Australia, bringing nearly 25 years of experience in R&D across the chemicals, food, and water and wastewater sectors, from global multinationals to regional utilities. He holds a PhD in Chemistry from Monash University and is an AICD-qualified Company Director. David is an experienced manager and people leader of large R&D teams, spanning diverse industries, cultures, and organisations. He joined the water industry in 2015 at Victorian utility South East Water, where he significantly expanded their research portfolio and partnerships. His notable contributions included the innovative Aquarevo water- and energy-saving estate, the development of pyrolysis technology to produce Biochar from biosolids with RMIT, and various IoT devices for real-time monitoring. A holder of multiple patents and a collaborator in scientific publications on contaminants, alternative water, pyrolysis technology and biochar applications, David also has extensive leadership experience in the not-for-profit sector, including four years on the Board of WaterRA. As a strategic and practical thinker, David excels in developing collaborative partnerships, leading high-performing teams, and translating research into real-world solutions.
Dr Michael Storey
Director of Innovation, SUEZ in Australia & New Zealand
Dr Michael Storey is a trusted leader and adviser to the water industry, with 30 years experience across public, tertiary and private sectors. He has experience at Board, Executive and Senior Management level, corporate strategy and planning, customer services, research and innovation. He’s a passionate water industry professional who has worked across all aspects of the local and international water sector. Michael has extensive experience in water quality and public health, customer experience and human-centred design, and have led and managed change in highly regulated environments. He’s a university lecturer, Distinguished Fellow of the International Water Association and have made more than 350 local and international peer-reviewed publications and presentations, workshop and conference presentations to Prime Ministerial level.
Prof Damien Giurco
Circular Economy Chair, University of Melbourne
Professor Damien Giurco is the inaugural Chair of Circular Economy at The University of Melbourne. Prior to this, he worked for two decades at the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures in roles including Associate Director Research and Distinguished Professor. He led UTS involvement in the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub and was a foundation Director of the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence.
His research interests span responsible minerals and metals; material requirements for the clean energy transition; innovative business models and governance in the water, waste and resource sectors; advancing a circular economy to support sustainable consumption and production.
Damien is a Deputy Director - Sustainability in the Australian Research Council's Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy and the Program Leader for Circular Economy within the Solving Plastic Waste Cooperative Research Centre whose mission is to change the way we design, use and reuse plastics. He collaborates widely with industry and government has co-chaired the World Resources Forum Asia Pacific, served on the NSW Ministerial Advisory Committee for the establishment of the Return and Earn container deposit system and his research has informed policy development on circular economy. He is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.