Keynote Panel: Hitting the gas | Keeping net zero within reach

Gillian Cagney is responsible for the operations for Australia and New Zealand, including Mongolia and PNG (Papua New Guinea). In this region she leads over 4,500 people as well as the financial and operational performance to meet Worley’s strategic direction. Gillian graduated with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland in 2001, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has over 20 years’ experience working in Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Gillian joined Worley in 2004 in Ireland and moved to Gladstone, Queensland in 2005. She has held various positions in engineering, project/portfolio management and leadership, and operational management. Gillian has delivered projects in alumina refining, aluminium smelting, CSG, oil refining and the Canadian oil sands industries. Her experience spans industries such as hydrocarbons, energy, and resources with a focus on resilient infrastructure that supports the transition to a low-carbon future. She was awarded a Chief Executive Women Scholarship to attend the Leading for Results Program at INSEAD in 2018, is currently a member of the CEW and is passionate about raising the profile of women in STEM. Gillian is also on the board for the Australian Saudi Business Council and the Australian Moroccan Business Network. She also represents Worley on the Champions of Change Coalition. Most recently Gillian completed 5 years on the Board for Venture Taranaki Trust in New Zealand which Taranaki’s Regional Development Agency.

Rachael Risucci is bp’s Vice President Australia, Gas & Low Carbon Energy. She is responsible for managing bp’s gas business in Australia, including bp’s interests in joint ventures such as the North West Shelf LNG Project. Rachael has been with bp for over 30 years and brings broad experience from positions in Australia and the UK across strategic planning, joint venture management and commercial activities. Previous to her role as VP Gas & Low Carbon Energy, Rachael was VP Finance, leading commercial activities across bp’s non-operated gas joint venture portfolio in Australia. Her current role covers bp’s participation in major LNG projects such as the North West Shelf and Browse, a range of exploration activities off the North West coast, and some exciting new low carbon projects including a potential multi-user Carbon Capture & Storage hub near Karratha which could help decarbonize hard to abate sectors and underpin Australia’s energy transition. Rachael holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), Curtin University and is a Certified Practising Accountant. Born and raised in Perth, Western Australia, Rachael is married and has two teenage daughters.

Tony Wood has been Director of the Energy Program since 2011 after 14 years working at Origin Energy in senior executive roles. From 2009 to 2014 he was also Program Director of Clean Energy Projects at the Clinton Foundation, advising governments in the Asia–Pacific region on effective deployment of large-scale, low-emission energy technologies. In 2008, he was seconded to provide an industry perspective to the first Garnaut climate change review. In January 2018, Tony was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his significant service to conservation and the environment, particularly in the areas of energy policy, climate change and sustainability. In October 2019, Tony was elected as a Fellow to the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.

Brett Woods is a leading senior executive in the energy sector with over 25 years of professional experience. He has an outstanding record of delivering major energy projects, cost and operational discipline and growing businesses in the UK, Africa, Australasia and North America. Mr Woods began his career with Woodside Energy in the graduate program and held senior technical roles in Australia and Africa. In 2007, Mr Woods became Managing Director and CEO of African start-up Rialto Energy. He was responsible for growing Rialto’s business through acquiring new exploration licences in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, raising capital and commencing two large drilling campaigns in the highly prospective Transform Margin. In 2013, Mr Woods joined Santos and quickly moved into the executive leadership team assuming leadership of the Western Australia and Northern Territory Operating Division. Mr Woods led the successful transformation of the Cooper Basin and Gladstone LNG assets and played key roles in the successful acquisitions by Santos of Quadrant Energy, ConocoPhillips’ Northern Australian business and Oil Search. More recently Mr Woods assumed control of the Santos operated infrastructure (LNG, domestic gas, oil fractionation facilities and pipelines) and developed decarbonisation, clean fuels and CCS opportunities through leading the Santos Energy Solutions business. He was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Beach Energy in January 2024.

Chris Uhlmann is an award-winning journalist and former political editor for Nine News and the ABC. His co-authored political thrillers inspired the Netflix mini-series Secret City. With independent filmmaker Screencraft, he has written and presented documentaries on the Ukraine war and The Real Cost of Net Zero. He is a columnist with The Australian and a political contributor on Sky News.