Management

BSc (Hons), PhD, MBA, GAICD

Julie is a development and change management leader with 23 years' experience working within Australia's resources sector, including senior coal, gas and chemicals project management roles with Peabody Energy, Anglo and BHP Billiton.

Previously, Julie was employed by Peabody Energy Australia as General Manager Strategic Planning and Projects, where she was closely involved in the development and expansion of Peabody's mining operations in Australia, including the $2 billion acquisition and integration of Excel Coal.

Significantly, Julie also managed and developed part of what now comprises the Meridian SeamGas CSG fields operated by WestSide, having acted as Manager Seamgas from 1999 to 2002 at the Moura Mine then operated under joint venture by Peabody Mitsui.

Julie sits on the Boards of ASX-listed coal miner Gloucester Coal and Queensland Government transmission company Powerlink and was appointed a Queensland Resource Industry Ambassador in 2009. She is also a member of the Queensland Exploration Council. Julie has previously held positions on the boards of Australian Coal Association Low Emissions Technology Ltd, Australian Coal Research Ltd, Queensland Resources Council Ltd and CRC Mining (CMTE Development Ltd).

Her qualifications include a BSc(Hons 1), PhD in physical chemistry, and an MBA.

BE Chem (Hons)

Simon is a chemical engineer with more than 30 years' experience in the oil and gas industry covering both upstream exploration and production, and downstream businesses, including refining and Liquefied Natural Gas.

Prior to joining WestSide, Simon was the Queensland Manager for oil, gas and alternative energy sector service provider AGR Asia Pacific and successfully expanded the business in this region for four years.

Previously, Simon worked in refining engineering and management for 16 years. He was also employed by Santos for 6 years where he gained experience in the exploration and production business.

CA, BBus (Accounting)

Damian is a Chartered Accountant with 18 years' experience in the financial management of companies in Australia and overseas.

Damian joined Westside from Queensland Gas Company Ltd where his most recent role was General Manager – Corporate Services & Financial Control and prior to that, Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary.

He has also had previous reporting and commercial experience with Premier Oil Plc and Price Waterhouse.

BSc (Hons) Geology, MPESA, FAusIMM

Andrew has more than 32 years' diverse experience as a coal geologist in both the exploration and mining sectors in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia - the last four of which he has specialised in Coal Seam Gas. Andrew has also spent some time as a consultant undertaking feasibility studies and due diligence on domestic and international projects.

Prior to joining WestSide Andrew was Exploration Manager for Arrow Energy, initially managing the Bowen Basin program and latterly its NSW exploration activities. During this time, his responsibilities encompassed exploration planning, budget preparation and reconciliation, contractor and geological personnel management and QA/QC on field activities.

Peter has 20 years' experience in the resources sector, spanning coal and metalliferous mining in Australia and abroad and worked in a number of roles within the CSG industry in the Bowen Basin.

Prior to joining WestSide in 2010 Peter was Vale's Australian Strategic Procurement Manager. He has also held several other senior Procurement and Logistics positions with Wesfarmers and BHP Billiton. 

He has a long association with CSG in the Bowen Basin, having started his career with the CSIRO on early exploration programs.

Peter subsequently joined Conoco which was then pioneering commercial CSG production at Moura in the mid 1990’s and later worked for BHP Billiton on its evaluation program around Blackwater and Moranbah. 

BE Petroleum, Member SPE

Ray has had more than 21 years' experience in the international oil and gas industry. Prior to joining WestSide in September 2010 Ray was working as a drilling consultant, specialising in coal seam gas directional wells, underground coal gasification well design, well completions and operations. He previously held the position of senior drilling engineer at Linc Energy Limited after working for Interoil as a drilling engineer.

Ray has had experience in international drilling operations spanning the USA, Russia, Greece, Europe and Papua New Guinea and has also been involved with rig management, design and procurement.He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Petroleum) from the University of NSW and is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. 

BSc Physics, MSc Petroleum Reservoir Engineering, Member SPE

Robert Johnson joined the Company in 2011 as Chief Petroleum Engineer. His 36 years' experience in the petroleum industry spans operations, reservoir and production engineering, research and development and economic analysis. He started his career in field operational roles for on North-West Shelf Gas exploration and appraisal drilling. Thereafter, his principal roles were in field development and production management and petroleum engineering research responsibilities with BP.

Robert's experience also covered new technology development with The Petroleum Science and Technology Institute, Scotland and CSIRO/Curtin University in Australia. Robert is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and a Master of Science degree in Petroleum Reservoir Engineering.

MBA, FAIDC

Garth has had a career spanning 25 years in the gas pipeline industry having held executive management positions in five Australian states and territories, including the General Manager of NT Gas and the State Manager Western Australia for AGL.

He has held directorships in several companies and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Garth's experience covers gas production, processing, transportation, transmission and delivery systems as well as gas-fired power generation and Liquefied Natural Gas production. Garth established an independent consultancy to the wider mining and energy industry before joining WestSide as the company's Commercial Manager.

BA (Journ), Dip Inv Rel (AIRA)

Richard is a communications professional with more than 30 years' experience in business journalism, marketing and sales while working as an investor relations consultant and in the newspaper publishing, manufacturing and retail sectors.

Before joining WestSide Corporation in 2010, Richard headed the Financial and Investor Relations team at leading Queensland marketing communications firm Three Plus for more than four years.

During that time Richard became an Associate of Three Plus and provided high level communications advice to many private and publicly-listed companies across a range of sectors, including financial services, ICT, resources and energy with a special focus on Coal Seam Gas.

Richard previously worked as a business journalist for 15 years with The Australian newspaper and subsequently as a Business Editor and Associate Editor of Brisbane's metropolitan daily newspaper, The Courier-Mail.