Decarbonising Manufacturing: Inside Australia’s Sustainability Challenge

Yovindra Kanezin graduated with a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) (Hons) in Finance & Business Management from the University of Reading.He started his career working for the former Minister of Transport Malaysia, Dato' Sri Liow Tiong Lai. In the Ministry, he was part of the National Logistics Taskforce - NLTF (a taskforce that reports to the Prime Minister) and National Airport Planning Committee (NAPC). He also handled several projects involving Foreign Direct Investments and domestic infrastructural developments, along with the tasks of handling the day-to-day agenda of the minister and engagements with other stakeholders.Upon completing his tenure in the Ministry of Transport, he joined PayPal Malaysia as a Risk Analyst. In PayPal, he was part of the Risk team covering the European, Australian and Malaysian region, involving various regulators such as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), etc.Upon the closure of the Malaysian office of PayPal, he was an apprentice to Dato' Aziz Bakar, one of the founders of AirAsia Group (now Capital A Berhad), overseeing his businesses in education and agriculture.During COVID-19, he joined Eventda, a Malaysian prop-tech startup and eventually became its Country Manager and Exec Director.In 2022, he co-founded Reclimate, a Singapore-based climate tech startup (backed by Antler, an early-stage global VC). Reclimate empowers clean technology projects in Southeast Asia via carbon credits and its proprietary AI/ML powered tools.Apart from his professional career, he is also the Director of Human Capital Development in the Commonwealth Youth Innovation Hub and a member of the ASEAN Foundation.https://www.reclimate.earth/

Michael is the Head of Sustainability and Social Impact (APAC) for Burson. Working across all sectors, he combines a science-based technical approach with strategic development and creativity to drive tangible sustainability outcomes for Burson clients.Michael has 11+ years in the environmental sustainability sector, working with listed and non-listed companies across a range of sectors, including energy, health, manufacturing, commercial offices, financial and professional services and technology to help measure, reduce and report on their environmental and social impact, with the ultimate goal of helping companies shift toward a regenerative future and meeting increasingly demanding regulatory and voluntary disclosure frameworks.Michael holds a Bachelor in Environment Science from Australian Catholic University, that was specifically focused on the understanding the science of ecological impacts on water quality, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems through human activities and the appropriate management regimes to address those impacts.Michael also holds a post-Graduate Diploma Degree in Science Communication from Australian National University, where he worked with Australia's national science agency –the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) driving communication programs.Michael is a registered B Consultant helping companies achieve their BCorp Certification – demonstrating a company is a ‘force of good.Michael is a registered consultant under the IFRS Sustainability Consultant Content Programme. As a result, clients benefit from timely, expert-informed guidance aligned with the latest IFRS and ISSB sustainability standards, helping them stay ahead in ESG reporting and decision-making.Michael also holds certifications in ‘Valuing nature and people to inform business decision-making’ administered by the Capitals Coalition and ‘Circular Economy – Sustainable Materials Management’ administered by Lund University.Michael is registered Climate Active consultant and can help companies achieve certified carbon neutrality under the Australian Federal Government’s carbon neutral standard – Climate Active. However, as this certification is built off international standards, Michael can take this experience and apply it at a global scale.

Alain Mahieu is a sustainability and energy transition leader within Singtel’s AI infrastructure division, where he supports the development of AI-ready, sustainable, low-carbon data centres across the Asia-Pacific region. His work covers the full sustainability agenda for digital infrastructure, including green energy integration, power resilience, carbon management, and resource efficiency across energy, water, and materials, with initiatives including the Singapore–Johor Special Economic Zone (SEZ). In parallel, Alain actively contributes to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP), the world’s leading global standard for corporate greenhouse gas accounting, supporting the development and application of methodologies used by companies, investors, and regulators worldwide. His work focuses on the Scope 2 Technical Working Group, shaping guidance on electricity-related emissions that is particularly critical for data centres and other energy-intensive industries. Previously, Alain worked at ENGIE, supporting large energy users and infrastructure operators on sustainability-driven decarbonisation, renewable energy sourcing, and long-term energy transition strategies.

Laura Besley is a senior sustainability leader with more than 16 years of experience shaping and delivering sustainability strategies across sectors, including manufacturing, finance, telecommunications, real estate, and food and beverage. She has led high-impact programs spanning climate reporting, modern slavery, and community engagement, supported by deep technical expertise in frameworks such as NGERS, DJSI, ISSB/ASSB, GRI, and UNPRI. Known for her pragmatic and values-driven approach, Laura has built a reputation for helping organisations navigate complex sustainability challenges while achieving measurable, meaningful outcomes.

Simon comes from a project development background and is a respected technical expert with 15+ years of experience in developing and implementing CDR standards and methodologies. He has led and participated in teams to develop Verra's VM0044 Biochar methodology, both Isometric and Puro's Enhanced Rock Weathering methodologies and now new standards for both BECCS and DACCS, commissioned by the UK government.  Simon is now Director of CDR for Sylvera, where he leads their team delivering data, assessments and insights to key stakeholders in the voluntary carbon market. 

Dr. David Hughes serves as the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Global Food Security at Penn State University, where he also holds professorships in entomology and biology. As the founder of PlantVillage, a Penn State initiative, Dr. Hughes leads efforts to enhance global food security by integrating artificial intelligence, mobile technology, and community networks. PlantVillage empowers smallholder farmers across Africa, Asia, and the Americas to combat pests and adapt to climate change by leveraging AI-driven tools and youth-led ground networks.Building upon this mission, Dr. Hughes established PlantVillage+, a private enterprise partially owned by Penn State. This venture aims to alleviate poverty and address climate change by offering paid services to farmers, corporations, and governments, while continuing to support public AI research. Notably, PlantVillage+ allocates 30% of its profits to workers and farmers, 10% to its charitable arm—the Village Youth Fund—and 5% to assist governments in accessing advanced technologies and AI solutions.Dr. Hughes also directs the USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Current and Emerging Threats to Crops, focusing on developing scalable solutions for agricultural challenges. His pioneering research on parasite-host interactions, including the renowned "zombie ant" studies, has garnered international acclaim and media attention.For those interested in exploring themes related to science, innovation, and socio-economic systems, Dr. Hughes recommends the following readings:Letters to a Young Scientist by Edward O. Wilson: https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Young-Scientist-Edward-Wilson/dp/0871403773The Big Con by Mariana Mazzucato:  https://marianamazzucato.com/books/the-big-con/Vulture Capitalism by Grace Blakeley:  https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Vulture-Capitalism/Grace-Blakeley/9781982180867

Paul Gambill is a pioneering entrepreneur in the carbon removal space, best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Nori, where he raised over $18 million to build one of the first carbon removal marketplaces. Under his leadership, Nori facilitated the removal of over 260,000 tonnes of CO₂ and established partnerships with major players like Bayer Crop Science.Today, Paul leads CarbonRemoval.com, a platform dedicated to reimagining carbon markets for true atmospheric impact. Through his writing on Inevitable & Obvious, he challenges prevailing market structures and advocates for scalable, resilient solutions to the climate crisis. With a systems-level perspective and hands-on experience, Paul continues to shape the future of carbon removal.

Mats Larsson is the founder of Global Energy Transformation Institute. He has over 30 years’ experience as a business and management consultant, developing business strategies for companies in many different industries. He has worked with the large-scale transformation to electromobility and sustainability since 2004, leading a sequence of projects. This work has resulted in five internationally published books, starting with Global Energy Transformation, published in 2009, then The Business of Global Energy Transformation 2012, Circular Business Models 2018, Redrawing the Map of the Future 2019, and The Blind Guardians of Ignorance 2020.In Global Energy Transformation 2009 Mats launched the idea that the large-scale change to electromobility and a sustainable society will require large-scale transformation programmes. He has since then elaborated on this idea and developed strategies for various aspects of the transformations, such as the expansion of vehicle fleets and charging infrastructure, power generation and distribution, the development of training programmes for the groups of professionals that need to become involved in the change, and development of the companies and business models that will be needed. Over the years, he has supported hundreds of companies in a large number of industries with business development and growth strategies.Mats lives in southern Sweden with his wife.Book links:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Severe-Economic-Consequences-Electric-Vehicles-ebook/dp/B0CTX6KRBN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?https://www.amazon.co.uk/Building-Future-Really-Works-Electromobility-What-ebook/dp/B0CFN41YBK/ref=sr_1_1?https://www.amazon.co.uk/Building-Future-Really-Works-Electromobility-What-ebook/dp/B0CFN41YBK/ref=sr_1_1?

Industrial Engineer and Political Scientist, Fulbright scholar for a master’s degree in Sustainable Development at the University of Maryland. More than 20 years of experience as a consultant and technical advisor in sustainability projects in the private sector. More than 3 years of wide-ranging expertise and work experience in the Colombian Ministry of Environment, designing and implementing public policies for the protection of ecosystems and the competitiveness of productive sectors, representing and advising the minister in boards, committees, and other multi stakeholder exchange forums.Key developer and designer of the Colombian National Circular Economy Strategy, and climate action instruments. Former delegate and board member in the OECD’s Environmental Policy CommitteeAs CEO of Cercarbono, he is in charge of strengthening and positioning the standard globally.Email:[email protected]

Pawel is a tech entrepreneur with a past experience in healthcare, fintech and e-commerce. Currently in climate tech, Pawel started WasteX in mid-2022 to tackle the climate crisis by developing biochar solutions for carbon removal and agricultural benefits. He lives in Indonesia, where most of the WasteX operations are based.Company website: https://www.wastex.io/Pawel's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pawelkuznicki/