Key Executives
Nick Smith - Managing Director and Founder
Nick is an energy infrastructure operator with two decades across commercial, governmental, and international roles in the Australian and global energy markets.
As Executive Director, Growth and Low Carbon for the South Australian Government, responsible for capturing the economic opportunities around the low emissions energy and mineral sectors. He delivered the 276MW emergency generator program in under six months — believed to be an Australian record — funded the Hornsdale BESS expansion (the world's first synthetic inertia from a grid-scale battery), and led the development of South Australia's Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Act 2023. Prior to this, he led the South Australian and Northern Territory business of Elgas Ltd, the Australian subsidiary of the Linde Group and the country's largest LPG marketer.
Nick is President of the International Association for Hydrogen Safety (HySafe, Belgium) and works with standards and advisory bodies in China, Japan and the United States. His commentary on energy transition capital flows has been published in the Financial Times and Reuters.
Nick is concurrently Managing Director of Global Decarbonisation Advisory, which provides advisory services to GDI on an arm's-length basis. He holds an MBA, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a Fellow of the AIE.
Advisory Board
Reza Evans
Reza was the Founder and Managing Partner of CQ Energy, which was purchased by EnergyOne in 2022. Reza and his team built CQ Energy from startup to have a trading book of around $2.5 billion across the gas and electricity markets in Australia. Reza brings key trading experience, commercial knowledge and industry connection. Reza continues to operate across the sector in his current role as Principal and Founder of Azer Energy. Reza specialises in energy sector consulting, including mergers and acquisition due diligence and advice, electricity, gas, carbon and renewable consultancy.
Robert Stobbe
Rob has over 30 years of senior leadership experience in the infrastructure sector, having held Director, Chief Executive and other senior management positions in electricity, water, gas, and transport in Australia and overseas.
Rob is the former CEO of SA Power Networks, Spark Infrastructure (ASX:SKI), and TransAdelaide. Currently, Rob is a non-executive director of Ausnet (owned by Brookfield Asset Management) and Principal, EERST Consulting.
Rob has held numerous Board roles in public, private and regulated businesses and charities, including Directorships on major representative organisations including Energy Networks Australia and BusinessSA.
Duncan McGrath
Duncan is an experienced and highly ranked lawyer admitted to the bar in both Australia and England. He was the former Chair of Baker McKenzies' Australian offices and was the lead Partner Banking and Finance.
His career has spanned 25+ years in legal practice working across a wide range of clients, including financial services, corporate and government clients both in Australia and offshore.
Duncans expertise covers general corporate finance, real estate finance, domestic and international debt capital markets, green and sustainable finance, renewables finance, securitisation, structured finance, derivatives as well as leveraged finance.