The Panel is comprised of members who represent a range of participants in the national electricity market, including consumer groups, generators, network businesses, retailers and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

Panel members are selected on the basis of their direct interests in the reliability of electricity supply and the process set out under the National Electricity Rules (NER). Consideration is also given to balancing Panel membership representation according to geographical location and participating jurisdictions.

The AEMC appoints members to the Panel for a period of up to three years. Members are appointed in consultation with who they are representing.

Members who are appointed to represent ‘Registered Participants’ must be agreed to by at least one third of the category of Registered Participant they represent (for example, generator, market customer, network service provider).

The NER require that the Panel is comprised of the following membership:

• An AEMC Commissioner (appointed for three years);
• The Chief Executive Officer or delegate of AEMO;
• Four members that represent Registered Participants including:
  • Generators;
  • Market Customers;
  • Transmission Network Service Providers (TNSP);
  • Distribution Network Service Providers (DNSP);
• A person representing the interests of end use customers for electricity.

The AEMC also has discretion to appoint up to three members who may have expertise in areas that are not otherwise represented by other Panel members.

Current panel members

Rainer Korte (Chair)

                                      Organisation: Australian Energy Market Commission

                                                    Market Segment: AEMC

Mr Korte, Commissioner at the AEMC, has extensive senior leadership experience in the electricity industry. He has overseen the delivery of safe, reliable, and sustainable electricity transmission services to customers, while leading key energy transformation initiatives in South Australia. This includes 14 years of executive responsibility for the planning and development of the South Australian electricity transmission network to meet customer demand and support the integration of world leading levels of variable renewable energy resources. Throughout his career, Mr Korte has been at the forefront of addressing challenges related to the transition to a low-carbon energy future, balancing the needs for system security, reliability, and affordability.  

Term expiry: 30 June 2028 

Sally McMahon (Acting Chair)

                                     Organisation: Australian Energy Market Commission
                                                       Market Segment: AEMC

Ms McMahon, Commissioner at the AEMC, is an economist with more than 25 years’ experience in energy and industry reform programs. She has been an advisor and executive with economic regulators, governments, electricity and gas businesses, and investment funds in Australia and Canada. More recently, Ms McMahon 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.

Term expiry: 9 October 2027

Stewart Bell

With over three decades of experience in the electricity industry experience Dr Bell has been responsible for planning the Queensland transmission network since 2012. During his tenure, Powerlink has enabled over 7GW of renewable generation and storage projects. Dr Bell is presently the Executive General Manager Network and Business Development at Powerlink Queensland.  

Term expiry: 29 May 2027

Suzanne Falvi

                       Organisation: Executive General Manager, Corporate Affairs at AGL

                                            Market segment: Market Customer

Suzanne Falvi, Executive General Manager of Corporate Affairs at AGL, specialises in regulatory, governance and policy issues and reforms across electricity, gas, retail, and climate change framework, with a keen interest in decarbonisation. Ms Falvi brings over a decades’ experience in highly technical areas across the energy industry and currently leads AGL’s Corporate Affairs function, including the policy, market regulation and sustainability portfolios. Ms Falvi previously held Executive General Manager and Acting Chief Executive roles at the AEMC, where she was responsible for developing and delivering its security and reliability policy work program as well as the AEMC’s corporate strategy, stakeholder engagement and communication functions. Suzanne holds a Bachelor of Economics, a Bachelor of Law (Honours) and a Master of Laws (International Law) from the Australian National University.

Term expiry: 31 March 2028 

Joel Gilmore

Organisation: General Manager Regulation & Energy Policy, Iberdrola Australia 

Market segment: Discretionary 

Associate Professor Joel Gilmore is the General Manager Energy Policy & Planning at Iberdrola Australia, with over fifteen years’ of experience in market design, market modelling, and technical and economic analysis of integrating renewable energy into the grid. In addition to engaging on policy design, he also leads Iberdrola’s long-term market modelling team and develops business cases for both renewable and firming assets. He was previously a Senior Manager at EY/ROAM Consulting, managing projects such as modelling and design for the Victorian Renewable Energy Target, and has held roles with Queensland Government and AEMO. Joel is also an Associate Professor at Griffith University Business School, has published in international peer-reviewed journals in both physics and energy, and is a passionate science communicator across a range of media.

Term expiry: 30 June 2028

Ken Harper

Ken Harper is Group Manager - Operational Support at AEMO, responsible for operational forecasting, planning power system operations up to seven days ahead, congestion and grid modelling, and training of gas and electricity operators. He has more than 25 years’ experience in developing, analysing and operating energy trading operations, having worked at Marsden Jacob Associates, Alinta Energy, Delta Electricity, Snowy Hydro, Red Energy and EnergyAustralia.

Term expiry: N/A

Craig Memery

Craig Memery has represented energy users for the last decade, and now leads the Justice and Equity Centre's (formerly known as PIAC) Energy and Water Consumer Advocacy Program. The program promotes access to affordable, sustainable energy and water for NSW households, through improvements in policy, regulation and markets that benefit all energy users and targeted supporting measures for people facing hardship and disadvantage. Mr Memery is also a board member of the Energy & Water Ombudsman NSW and Co-chair, NSW Government Renewable Energy Sector Board.

Term expiry: 30 June 2026

Melissa Perrow

Organisation: General Manager Energy at Brickworks Limited

Market segment: Discretionary

Melissa is the General Manager Energy at Brickworks Limited. She is responsible for managing the energy needs as a large user of electricity and gas. Melissa has 20 years of wholesale energy trading experience gained across electricity, gas, carbon and green markets having previously worked for Origin Energy and AGL. She holds a Bachelor in Applied Science, a Bachelor of Business, a Graduate Diploma in Technology and a Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance.

Term expiry: 30 September 2027

Damien Sanford 

Organisation: Chief Executive Officer, Polar Blue

Market segment: Generators

Damien Sanford is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Polar Blue. Mr Sanford was previously the Chief Operating Officer at Tilt Renewables, where he was responsible for the asset management, generation and trading of Tilt Renewables existing 1.7 GW portfolio of generation across QLD, NSW, Victoria and SA. He has more than two decades of experience in the energy sector and has held senior positions in infrastructure development, energy grid and market operations, and business development. Mr Sanford has a Bachelor of Business Management from Southern Cross University and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Term expiry: 1 June 2026

Mark Vincent

                                       Organisation: Chief Operating Officer, SA Power Networks

                                         Market segment: Distribution Network Service Providers

Mark Vincent has over 40 years' experience in the energy industry and has been engaged in many areas within the electrical sector, including Strategy, Regulation, Operations Management, Asset Management and Business Transformation. He leads the asset management and operations teams at SA Power Networks, ensuring the South Australian distribution network remains safe and reliable while the state transitions to a decentralised, decarbonised energy system. Mark holds a Degree in Electronic Engineering and several post-graduate qualifications. He is also a Director and chairs the Corporate Governance Committee of ElectricSuper. 

Term expiry: 30 June 2028
 

Rachele Williams

Organisation: Plenary Group  

Market Segment: Discretionary  

Rachele Williams is a Director at the Plenary Group. Ms Williams has over 20 years of experience working in both industry and government in the energy sector including roles as Senior Energy Adviser for the Energy Security Board (ESB), Senior Adviser to the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction and CEO associated at TransGrid. She specialises in innovation and has extensive experience in emerging technology and has worked on fuel cell, small-scale wind turbines, distributed energy and storage projects. Ms Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wollongong and a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from the University of Technology, Sydney.  

Term expiry: 29 September 2025