Andrew Tod
Director – Renewable Energy
Andrew has more than 30 years experience in the resources, energy and infrastructure sectors. He has progressed from technical roles leading successful minerals and hydrocarbon exploration crews throughout Australia and Central and South America to executive management roles in marketing, business development and corporate strategy. Andrew has worked for international and national market leaders including Western Geophysical, Exxon, ARCO, Southern Company and Leighton Contractors.
Andrew was one of the pioneers of Queensland’s Surat Basin having been responsible for the first commercial export shipment of thermal coal from this region in his role as Marketing and Business Development Manager with Allied Queensland Coalfields. Later as General Manager, he was heavily involved in the planning and development of the Kogan Creek Power Station and the adjacent coal mine.
Immediately prior to joining the Tinkler Group Andrew was General Manager of Strategy and Business Planning with Leighton Contractors – one of Australia’s largest contractors and services providers with operations spanning energy, resources, infrastructure construction and investment and telecommunications. Andrew’s focus was corporate development, looking for new business opportunities, including acquisitions, and developing strategies to underpin sustainable growth across all business sectors. He had an integral role in the development of Leighton Contractor’s mining business and the acquisition of Henry Walker Eltin.
Andrew joined the Tinkler Group in 2011. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the Australian National University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Queensland.
Michael West
Manager – Energy & Infrastructure
Michael joined the Tinkler Group in 2011. Prior to joining the company, Michael worked in Group Strategy for Leighton Contractors – one of Australia’s largest contractors and services providers with operations spanning construction, resources, telecommunications, energy and infrastructure investment.
In this role, Michael provided strategic advice and analysis regarding opportunities for sustainable growth of the company and its operating divisions, including; acquisitions, partnership opportunities, competitor assessment, and economic and policy implications.
Prior to this, Michael worked at Archer Capital as an Investment Manager for the Archer Capital Growth Fund 1, targeting buyouts and acquisitions of businesses worth $20 million to $100 million. Michael has also owned a small business and worked as an Analyst for Deutsche Bank Australia’s M&A team.
Michael attended Sydney University where he was awarded a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and Economics) and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours class 1).
Chris Lauritzen
General Manager – Technical
Chris started his mining career in 1981 as a coal geologist with CRA (now Rio Tinto) and worked on a variety of CRA coal exploration projects and mining operations in both Queensland and NSW over a period of twenty years. These projects included Maules Creek, Vickery, Western Main, Howick, Blair Athol and Tarong.
In 2000, Chris joined PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) in Indonesia as Manager Geology and later General Manager Development, being responsible for exploration, grade control, mine planning, contract mining operations and development of the Bengalon Project. During this period KPC increased production from 15 million tonnes per annum to 36 million tonnes per annum, making it the world’s largest export coal mine.
In 2007 Chris returned to Australia and rejoined Rio Tinto Coal Australia as Manager New Developments, and managed project development work, including the Hail Creek expansion and the Mt Thorley Warkworth Coal Bed Methane Project. In mid 2009 Chris joined BHP Billiton Mineral Exploration in Singapore as Principal Geoscientist, in which role he was BHP Billiton’s global coal commodity specialist.
In April 2011 Chris joined the Tinkler Group in Brisbane, Qld as General Manager Technical and he provides technical advice and leadership to the group in the areas of resource assessment and project development.
Chris has a Bachelor of Science degree from Macquarie University in Sydney NSW and is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM).
Steve Van Barneveld
Director – Engineering & Construction
Steve van Barneveld has a wealth of experience from engineering consultancy through to a leading design, construction, and contract operations company in the global coal industry.
As Chief Operating Officer of Sedgman Limited’s Coal Division, Steve was responsible for all of Sedgman’s business in the global coal industry. This included client relationships and business development, consulting services, all engineering and project delivery and contract operations. The most recent acknowledgement of the business achievements was in winning the Queensland Premiers and Australian Export Awards in 2010 for Large Services.
Steve joined the Tinkler Group in November 2010 as MD of Hunter Ports to lead development and investment in infrastructure opportunities. Steve brings a wealth of business management experience in design, construction and operations of coal handling infrastructure.
