AEMC Commissioners are appointed by Australia’s state, territory and federal governments to make the rules under the national energy laws, and to advise governments on overall energy market development.

The Commissioners exercise the AEMC’s statutory rule making and market development functions, subject to some delegations as explained below. Most of the functions relating to the management and day-to-day running of the organisation are the responsibility of the Chief Executive and the Executive Leadership Team. The Commission retains the majority of the statutory rule making powers and market development functions, and is also responsible for the AEMC’s strategic direction.

The Commissioners review the corporate governance framework of the organisation, overseeing the development of the AEMC’s strategic priorities and business planning, and approving corporate development initiatives as proposed by the Chief Executive with the Executive Leadership Team. The Commission holds monthly organisational meetings to review operational matters. In terms of risk management and reporting, the Commissioners review the AEMC’s budget, monitor its financial performance, and consider and approve the annual financial statements.

Ms Anna Collyer

Anna Collyer has more than two decades of experience in the Australian energy sector and has worked extensively on industry reform. She was appointed as Chair of the Australian Energy Market Commission on 1 February 2021.

Along with Chair of AEMC, Anna was appointed Chair of the Energy Security Board on 1 November 2021, charged with delivering the Post-2025 energy market reforms to create a power system fit for the future.

As a partner of Allens law firm from 2001 to 2020, and in her early career, Anna focussed on the energy sector throughout its evolution, from the initial reforms of the 1990s to its current period of major transformation.

Drawing on her in depth sector knowledge and strategic approach, Anna advised a broad range of clients in the public and private sectors on major projects and transactions, working closely with energy ministers on a number of occasions.

Anna’s leadership roles have focussed on managing complex organisational change. As Allens’ Head of Innovation she fostered innovation at all levels of the firm, not only in technological developments but also in new ways of working and addressing disruption. In 2022, she became one of Australia’s inaugural ambassadors for the global Energy Equality Initiative, supporting the urgent task of improving female representation in the energy sector. 

Anna has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne.

Tim Jordan

Tim Jordan is an economist with more than 15 years’ experience in the energy transition. 
 
He has worked across corporate strategy, investment and public policy in energy and climate change and has held senior roles in management consulting, at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, at Deutsche Bank, and in the Australian Government.
 
Tim has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland. He also has an MPhil from University College London, where he was a Commonwealth Scholar, and a Master of Economics from the University of Sydney.

Sally McMahon

Sally McMahon is an economist with more than 25 years’ experience in energy and industry reform programs. Commencing her career investigating third-party gas access regimes, she has been an advisor and executive with economic regulators, governments, electricity and gas businesses, and investment funds in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and Canada.

Sally has held key roles in the evolution of jurisdictional energy markets and the establishment and ongoing development of the law and rules for the National Electricity and Gas Market. More recently, Sally has been Special Advisor to the Energy Coordinator in Western Australia on stage two of the Energy Transformation Strategy, an advisor on the regulatory framework for the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and is the Independent Chair of the Market Advisory Committee, the Gas Advisory Board and the Pilbara Advisory Committee in Western Australia.

Sally holds an Honours degree in Economics from the Flinders University of South Australia and is a GAICD. Sally is also a member of the Economic Society of Australia and a former Chair of Women in Economics Network of WA.

Mr Charles Popple

Charles Popple has spent more than four decades in the energy network sector. In the 1990s he played a significant role in the development of the National Electricity Market including reform of the network sector and the implementation of transmission system planning and pricing arrangements.

He has also held management roles with Victorian Power Exchange, VENCorp, SPI PowerNet and SP AusNet. As a consultant, his focus was on energy markets and regulatory arrangements, with a view to achieving a balance between security, environmental challenges, and competitive pricing and products for energy consumers.

Charles is also a director of the Bass Coast Community Foundation, which is a charity organisation involved in community projects in the Bass Coast Shire in Victoria.

Charles has a Bachelor of Engineering from Monash University and a Master of Engineering Science in power system engineering from the University of Melbourne.

Ms Michelle Shepherd

Michelle has over 20 years’ experience in energy policy and regulation in both the private and public sectors and has been at the forefront of the markets' development across Australia.

Michelle was the General Manager Regulatory and Government Affairs at Alinta Energy for 6 years where she was actively involved in energy policy reform and the commercial implementation of policy changes nationally. Prior to Alinta, Michelle spent nearly 10 years at AGL where she played a key role in the development of the regulatory frameworks across Australia. Michelle has also worked for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, UK Competition Commission and the Federal Department of Finance.

Michelle has strong Board experience and a focus on governance. She was a board member of the YMCA WA for four years, serving as Vice President (Deputy Chair) for her final two years of service. Michelle also spent almost 5 years on the board of REMCo when it operated the WA gas market. She is a Graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin University and a Bachelor of Applied Economics from Murdoch University.