Our Team

Miranda Taylor

CEO

Miranda is a strategic and adaptive leader at the forefront of collaboration and innovation across the Australian energy resources sector.

Chief Executive of NERA since its inception in 2016, Miranda brings a deep and broad range of energy and resources industry experiences, skills and capabilities. Her leadership of NERA is bringing together the country’s best minds from technology, research and enterprise to achieve NERA’s vision of Australia as a global energy powerhouse, a sought-after destination of investment and leading source of knowledge and solutions.

NERA is working with industry, universities and researchers, entrepreneurs, innovative SMEs, skills initiatives and governments to support the cultural change and new thinking required to overcome barriers to collaboration and innovation, and to ensure Australia’s energy resources sector is staying ahead of the global automation technology transformation.

Francis Norman

GM Innovation & Strategy

Francis holds the role of NERA General Manager, Innovation and Strategy, where his responsibilities include monitoring emerging developments in the energy resources sector and the development of key documents such as NERA’s Sector Competitiveness Plan (SCP).

Francis began his career as an instrumentation engineer in the UK, moving to Australia in 1993. His career has seen him live and work for extended periods in Brazil, South Korea, India, Germany and Norway on a range of process intensive resource projects. Since settling in Perth in 2003 Francis has overseen the delivery of a number of major projects into the Western Australian resources sector and, from 2006, has held senior leadership roles in major engineering companies where his responsibilities included strategic planning for both the business environment and future workforce requirements.

Francis is a Chartered Fellow and Engineering Executive with Engineers Australia where he was also the 2015 Western Australian Division President, he is a member of the International Centre for Complex Project Management (ICCPM) and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD). He holds an MSc in Project Management and is completing a PhD in management through Curtin University.

Paul Hodgson

GM Innovation and Stakeholder Engagement (East Coast)

As the Brisbane-based General Manager, Innovation and Stakeholder Engagement (East Coast) for NERA, Paul works with stakeholders to increase the productivity, competitiveness and export potential of the energy resources sector.

Paul has qualifications in international business and sustainable development and has spent over 20 years exploring the competitiveness of businesses, industries and regions, and designing and implementing strategies to improve performance through innovation and collaboration.

Polly Whakaari

Commercial Manager & Company Secretary

Polly is responsible for supporting the CEO and General Managers at NERA on commercial, business strategy, business risk and business administration issues. She manages the stakeholder engagement strategy, communications plan, branding and coordinates statutory reporting to the Commonwealth.

Polly has a wealth of experience in corporate strategy development and execution, financial management, program and project management. Prior to NERA, she held a number of senior positions at State Trustees, including Strategy Execution Manager and Acting General Manager of Corporate Operations. She holds a Bachelor in Management Studies, majoring in finance and human resource management from Waikato University, New Zealand.

Andrew Taylor

General Manager Decommissioning

Andrew is responsible for improving understanding of the potential benefit of manmade infrastructure on the marine environment. Prior to NERA, Andrew spent more than 13 years working in public policy, project management and business development across mining, petroleum and agricultural sectors, including most recently providing strategic leadership for HSE and decommissioning projects in oil and gas.

Tim Duff

Project Portfolio and Business Development Manager

As Project Manager at NERA, Tim’s role is to ensure the effective delivery of programs and designated projects. This includes managing key stakeholder relationships, promoting project outcomes and identifying opportunities for collaboration in the energy resources sector. Tim holds a Bachelor of Engineering and a Master of Business Administration.

Melissa Tremlett

Executive Assistant and Business Systems Manager

Roma Sharp

Innovation Programs & Partnerships

Roma’s background is in industry consultation, communications, advocacy and policy development in a range of portfolios and sectors. Roma has a lead role in facilitating discussions between innovative small businesses and large energy resources companies to identify mutual opportunities for growth and efficiency. In partnership with other organisations, she develops programs to grow SME capability and collaboration across domestic and global supply chains.

Roma has a BA (Social & Political Theory) with first class honours.

Gavin Asikas

Manager Energy Industry Supply Chain (SA and NT)

Joining NERA in 2019, Gavin brings broad operational experience in manufacturing and mining production and technical management positions, gained within South Australian industry.

As Manager Energy Industry Supply Chain (SA and NT), Gavin is responsible for building and maximising the capability and capacity of supply chains in South Australia and the Northern Territory, associated with the lifecycle of onshore and offshore oil and gas projects and hybrid and emerging cleantech and renewable energy technologies, to help improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.

Lindsey Macqueen

Communications Advisor

Lindsey joined the NERA team in mid-2018, offering support to the communications team in an exciting time of exponential growth. She assists with the production and editing of internal and external communications, and maintains and updates the website, social media platforms and online media subscriptions. Lindsey holds a Bachelor of Arts (English and Writing) and a Master of Media and Communication (Professional Writing and Publishing).

Samara Groves

Events & Office Manager

Samara joined the NERA team in 2019, bringing a diverse skill set and background in event coordination and management, marketing, sales, and office and administration coordination. At NERA Samara works collaboratively with the team on the coordination and implementation of a range of programs, events, communications and stakeholder engagement initiatives.

Samara holds a Bachelor of Arts Double Major in Tourism & Events Management and Community Development.

Cormac Dawson

Strategy Analyst