THE
DECARBONISING
MINING AWARDS
2025

Michelle Ash, VP Growth, has made significant contributions to the mining sector with a focus on Innovation Strategy, Technology, and Digital Transformation.

Michelle is highly passionate about Mining and Infrastructure and remains focused on delivering sustainable solutions that help these sectors to continue to create and shape the world in which we live, through digital transformation and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

As Chair of the Global Mining Guidelines Group from 2018 to 2022, Michelle contributed to the development of best practices and guidelines for the implementation of technology and socially enabled changes in the mining industry. She is currently a member of the GMG Board of Directors. She is also on the advisory board of several start-ups such as Petra Data Science, OffWorld, Behault, Descartes Labs and MineSpider.

Previously she was CEO GEOVIA Dassault Systemes, where she helped develop and bring to the industry transformational capabilities. Prior to that she was Chief Innovation Officer at Barrick Gold Corporation where she oversaw the company’s innovation program, looking both at how innovation can drive productivity in the existing business as well as how it can be harnessed to deliver alternative business models.

She began her career as a blasting engineer with Rio Tinto and has held several operational roles in various mining companies and across commodities.

Michelle was named to the 2016 list of “100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining” by Women in Mining UK and won the Technology Innovator of the Year Award by Mines and Technology in 2019. She holds a degree in Civil Engineering and an Executive MBA from the Melbourne Business School; she also holds a degree in Psychology from Deakin University.

Mr Kelly is a geologist with 35 years’ experience in exploration, operations management, mine planning, project evaluation, business development and project finance. Most recently he was employed by Resolute Mining Limited as Executive General Manager – Strategy and Planning, following 2 years as Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to joining Resolute, Mr Kelly was a Director of Optimum Capital, an independent advisory house servicing junior and mid-tier miners. He previously worked with group such as Consolidated Minerals Limited, WMC Resources Limited, Central Norseman Gold Corporation, NM Rothschild and Sons and Investec Australia and has held several Non-Executive Directorships in mining and exploration companies, including Predictive Discovery, Renaissance Minerals and Turaco Gold.

Robert Wilson is an Executive Director at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and leads the CEFC work in Western Australia and Resources to accelerate the development of clean energy investment opportunities in WA. Robert has extensive experience throughout the investment cycle, from concept through to operations across the renewables, infrastructure and resources sectors. Robert has held leadership positions in the Macquarie Capital’s African infrastructure business and Atlas Iron, and worked on the establishment of Climate Investor One, a European climate fund focused on emerging markets. Robert holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and an MBA from the University of Cape Town.

Erica has worked in leadership roles across clean energy and decarbonisation projects and strategy. She is currently an Executive Director at Pollination, a specialist climate change investment, project development and advisory firm, accelerating the transition to net zero. At Pollination, Erica is focussed on developing large scale clean energy and decarbonisation projects that incorporate innovative business models and partnership structures.

Prior to joining Pollination, Erica worked at Fortescue Future Industries, where she led the development of early green hydrogen projects in her role as Regional Manager Hydrogen.

Erica has also held roles at the Electricity Generation and Retail Corporation (Synergy), where she was involved in navigating complex regulatory environments and commercial structures to deliver energy to WA business and household customers and develop new energy projects.

Erica is a non-executive director of Palmerston Association and Primary Focus. She holds a Master of Business Administration (with distinction), Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Commerce, Graduate Certificate in Social Impact, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Educated as a mining engineer and lawyer in The Netherlands, UK, Germany and Finland.

Moved from underground mine production and mining technology to my current role, as 'Program Manager Climate Impact' at Boliden Mines.

My role is to coordinate different types of climate efforts, e.g. internal and external R&D that has climate impacts, compile data and draft policies related to our climate impact, align compliance and target setting and follow up between different mine sites, Group and our Smelters division, as well as external collaboration in regards of legislation standardisation within industry bodies (national, EU and ICMM).

During her 29-year career, Dr Streltsova has spent over 12 years in various technical and senior executive roles with major mining houses including Vale, BHP Billiton and WMC Resources.

A Chemical Engineer with both an MSc and PhD, Dr Streltsova spent the early part of her career working in chemical research before taking on several mining industry roles where she had considerable interaction with operations and business development. She was Program Leader – Hydrometallurgy and Project Manager for WMC Resources; Team Leader – Hydrometallurgy and Technology Development Manager for BHP Billiton between 2005 and 2008; Manager Development and Technical Solutions for GRD Minproc (2008) and Director, Technical Development, for Vale SA in Brazil between 2008 and 2013.

In the past ten years her focus has been on non-executive board memberships and consulting. Natalia is currently non-executive director and chair of the risk and sustainability committee of Ramelius Resources (ASX: RMS) and non-executive director of Centaurus Metals (ASX: CTM).

Sally currently sits on the board of Northern Star Resources, Sandfire Resources, The Gold Corporation, Federation Mining, Jupiter Mining, Hale school and is the Deputy Chair at Ronald McDonald House Charities. Sally previously sat on the boards of MMA Offshore and Saracen Minerals. Sally has experience in chairing both Audit and Risk, Sustainability and the Remuneration and Nominations committees. During her time as a Non Executive Director Sally has overseen large scale integrations, significant acquisitions, and development of assets globally.

Prior to her urgent roles Sally had more than 25 years experience in professional services across a variety of sectors. Originally qualified as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen, Sally moved into Executive search working closely with Boards and CEOs to advise on talent, succession planning, culture and organisation structure. Sally was the founding Partner for search firm Derwent Executive in Perth and spent 13 years in this role. Sally has spent the majority of her career focused on the natural resources and industrial sectors.

Sally is a graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Western Australia.

Sally talks an active interest in corporate culture, diversity and emerging ESG issues.

Vanida Lennon is a lawyer admitted in two jurisdictions: Western Australia and South Africa and is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Business Senior Executive Programme. She has more than 20 years’ experience in Native Title, commercial & executive management and governance in the Aboriginal, mining, electricity and gas sectors.

She has held various roles, including Executive Director for British Gas (BOC Africa), Sustainability Executive, In-House Legal Counsel and directorships on various boards.

She previously served as the business representative on the government negotiation delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC); and the Geneva-based World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). She was also instrumental as one of the founding members of the United Nations Global Compact and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

She was previously Independent Director for the Thalanyji Trust Advisory Council and Independent Director on the Noongar South West Aboriginal Corporation (SWALSC).

She is currently Managing Director for Tjiwarl Contracting Services, the commercial arm of Tjiwarl Aboriginal Corporation and a director on Tjiwarl Katu Power Pty Ltd and Tjiwarl Develop. She has been instrumental in the establishment of the four Tjiwarl commercial corporations currently contracted for various specialist works for the mines.

In her various roles, Vanida is passionate about collaboration and building partnerships towards creating sustainable businesses to bring about innovative solutions for enduring change.

Jessica has 25 years’ experience in the global resources industry in multi‐national organisations, including South32, BHP, Woodside, Chevron Australia, and Shell Oil Company. She has worked in the resources industry in Australia, Russia, Africa and Latin America. She has a detailed and balanced level of experience across projects, operations and the corporate side of the natural resources ESG.

Jessica's Qualifications include BSc (Biology), Post Grad in Environmental Assessment and MBA.

Her recent key roles have included General Manager Sustainability at Perseus Mining, Group Manager Sustainability Strategy at South32, and Manager Business Performance in BHP Minerals Americas.

Jessica has a strong track record of ‘joining the dots’ in global resources companies to build the collaboration and strategy necessary to solve complex ESG problems, and harness difficult to access opportunities.

Jun Song is a Portfolio Manager for Macquarie Global Carbon’s debt and equity investments in voluntary and compliance carbon markets. Jun has over seven years of international experience in energy and carbon markets comprised of previous work with Shell Nature Based Solutions, and most recently with Singapore based carbon credit ratings agency Calyx Global. Jun specialises in technical, operations, and governance aspects of origination and structuring debt and equity transactions

A fully Chartered Engineer in both Ireland and Australia, Darren is Director of Alcoa’s Refinery of the Future™ program, leading a team of multidisciplined experts working towards zero-carbon alumina refining through exploration and development of a host of processes and new technologies. 

With more than 20 years’ experience solving complex problems across technology, engineering and operations functions of major industries, his transformative leadership style builds high performing teams that deliver pioneering achievements.

Previously, Darren held diverse roles at Woodside Energy including Production Technology Program Manager - LNG Technology; Operations Division Assurance & Project Manager - LNG Processing & Oil Assets; and Process Safety Management Improvement - Project Manager. He has also held senior roles at PM Group, Shell, Jacobs Engineering and JRE Group.

Flyn McCarthy leads the consultancy in the development of decarbonization pathways for industry including modeling policy changes, developing energy and carbon mitigation approaches, application of low carbon technology, and identification of financing strategies. As an expert in carbon and energy management, he excels at building pathways that engage all stakeholders.

Flyn's experience includes developing and managing corporate decarbonization and energy strategies for resource intensive multinational corporations. His demonstrated ability to identify and develop innovative approaches and manage them through to implementation is his greatest strength. Well versed in systems engineering, policy, technology development and change management. Motivated and passionate about helping organizations quantify and mitigate carbon and energy risks in this rapidly changing environment.