Rick McElhinney

Chief Executive Officer

Rick is an experienced entrepreneur, angel investor, a recognised author and speaker.

He is the founder of Founders Forum, Gold Coast Angels, Brisbane Angels and the Australian Association of Angel Investors. His experience and interest in engineering and renewable energy provides background to his key skills in bringing startups to fruition through his business investment, financial management and mentoring.

Originally, Rick earned his stripes as a Civil Engineer managing projects in Australia and Canada. He founded a US based software company taken public in 1987 well known for providing computer solutions to engineering companies within the region. The company worked in close association with Autodesk, Solidworks, Digital Equipment and Apple Computer.

Rick is CEO of Koko Matrix, a startup that develops leadership within business organisations using a proprietary quality assurance framework. Has held board positions in manufacturing and technology companies within the US, Canada and Australia. Was a shareholder and chief financial officer in renewable energy company, Eco-kinetics, from 2008 to 2012 which grew from startup to in excess of $100m in revenues. The company was sold to ASX listed, CBD Energy, in 2010.

Rick authored “Using AutoCAD” for Que Publishing Corporation, a division of McMillan Publishing, along with articles for CAE Magazine, Desktop Engineering and Computer Reseller News. He was a speaker at such events as technology conferences (California & NY), Society of Manufacturing Engineers (Midwestern US), company technology days, University programs (US and Australia) and Apple Developer conferences (Ann Arbor, MI).
He co-authored “Commercialising Innovation” with Rodney Overton in 2008. Designed for entrepreneurs, investors and mentors, the publication provides inspiration, ideas and knowledge to raise funds, invest in and to commercialise great ideas.

Rick is an active Rotarian and three time president of the Rotary Club of Coomera Valley.
Specialties: Business investment, restructuring, exits, mentoring and acquisitions. Interests in civil, structural, mechanical and manufacturing engineering, renewable energy, 3D graphics, technology and eCommerce.

Swati Johri

Swati has extensive experience of providing legal, commercial and strategic advice on program design, procurement and transaction execution to major infrastructure projects (including PPPs) and renewable energy projects.

Work history includes leadership roles at PwC and Pegasus Legal, legal practice experience at international law firms including Ashurst, K&L Gates and Allens and in-house experience at Transurban and Sky TV. Co-founder of legal practice, Pegasus Legal and legal-tech platform, InfraDocs.

Michael Myer

Chairman

Michael is a serial entrepreneur with venture capital experience in startup ventures, venture capital and sustainable development. He has a passionate interest in bringing engineering and economics to projects to support our social and environmental challenges.

In recent years Michael has been the leading practitioner of Conservation Sustainable Development in the country having developed “Sunrise at 1770” at Agnes Water on the Great Barrier Reef. This development won the award for the Best Environmental Development in Queensland in 2007 (UDIA), the Best Environmental Development in Australia in 2008 (UDIA) and then the Silver Medal for the Best Environmental Development in the world (FBICA) in 2009.

Michael is closely involved in development of hydrogen as fuel and now brings his guidance to Sunshine Hydro to commercialise our projects.

Tim Cummings

Tim is a software engineer, mathematician and chemical engineer. He consults on energy optimisation, and has 25 years’ experience developing software for engineering applications including pinch analysis of energy flows in refineries. Recently, he successfully combined his skills in software development, accounting, business, logistics and maths for an energy trading and risk management project at Caltex Australia.

In his spare time, Tim loves harnessing the free energy which nature provides. He sails, windsurfs and competes in hang-gliding competitions. Versatile, innovative and wholistic by nature, Tim developed the world’s first software for tracking GPS devices in hang-gliding events. 

Dan Raymond

Dan has over forty years’ experience in civil engineering, environmental engineering, sustainable infrastructure, environmental science, project management, team leadership, public consultation, negotiation, policy development, risk assessment and strategic planning in Australia and Internationally.

Dan is an acknowledged expert in the field of sustainability, climate adaptation and environmental impact assessment.

Dan has extensive experience in conceptualising, assessing, modeling and designing for climate and climate change, water, waste-water, biogas, solar, hydrogen production methods and distribution and wind energy systems.

Dan specialises in the technical, environmental, economic and social impact analysis for clean energy, infrastructure, energy and resource projects.

Gerald Arends

Director

M: +61 468 841 854
E:   gerald@sunshinehydro.com.au

Gerald is a senior lawyer specialising in energy and infrastructure projects (in particular renewable energy) having worked in Australia, the UK and Germany. He has advised contractors, project sponsors, banks and procuring authorities on projects in Australia and overseas.

Gerald is an industry leader in the renewable energy sector having advised on projects in more than 20 countries both from within the industry and as a practising lawyer.  He is a director of Pegasus Legal, an energy and infrastructure boutique legal practice.  Most recently, Gerald has successfully closed market-leading transactions in Australia, the Philippines and Japan.

He also has substantial expertise in the transport industry, having worked on numerous rail and airport projects in the UK, Europe, India and Australia.

Other activities: Gerald is the Secretary of Brisbane Symphony Orchestra, a leading community orchestra serving South-East Queensland.  Gerald has been a Visiting Lecturer within the LL.M. programme at the University of Warwick (UK) and within the L.L.M. programme at the University of Queensland (Australia).

Chris Baker

Director

MIEAust CPEng NER RPEQ APEC Engineer Int PE(AUS)
M: 0409466271
E: chris@sunshinehydro.com.au

Chris is a generalist civil engineer and software engineer with a recent focus on electro-mobility and renewable energy integration.

Past experience includes infrastructure projects such as construction planning of coal loader offshore works, detailed design of highway grade separated interchanges, design and systems analysis for highway design software used in 42 countries, design and construction of municipal facilities.

Chris is a joint venture partner in Eco Boats Australia Pty Ltd a leading marine electro-mobility company with offices in Sydney and Brisbane. Chris is the technical lead for design and implementation of electrical propulsion systems for yachts, motor boats, work boats and small vessels. He has a special interest in renewable energy powered vessels.

Chris’s company Creative Engineering Australia Pty Ltd has developed software for geometric design of Highways and other major civil engineering projects. The software has been translated to French, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, and Hungarian and has been used in 42 countries world wide for a variety of infrastructure projects.

Sorin Lupulescu

Sorin is a specialist in pumped hydro power station operation and maintenance, with expertise in catchment hydro and thermal power generation.

Sorin was manager of Wivenhoe Power Station for 11 years — the largest hydro machine in the Australia and Queensland’s only pumped hydro plant. As well as CS Energy, the owner of Wivenhoe Power Station, Sorin has also worked for  Hydro Tasmania as Power Schemes engineering manager, for Fluor Global in the role of Operations Engineer and for Macquarie Generation at Bayswater Power Station.

Sorin is adviser to Sunshine Hydro, and lives north of Brisbane with his wife Bianca.

Donovan Burton

Advisor

Donovan is a climate change adaptation specialist with a diverse portfolio of experience, having completed more than 150 climate change risk and adaptation projects. He is focused on influencing change adaptation governance through disruptive technology, big data and the internet of things. Donovan recently founded the Informed.City platform for climate change adaptation governance assessments. In the past 12 months the platform has been used to understand the adaptation governance of 230 organisations across numerous jurisdictions.

Over the past decade Donovan has  helped numerous organizations identify risks and opportunities associated with climate change. His sector experience in this space includes insurance, property development, infrastructure (including roads, rail, ports, tunnels), information communication technology, United Nations, national governments, state governments, local governments, NGOs