Melanie Woodward, Chief Financial Officer

Melanie joined MEA in 2022, bringing with her a wealth of experience in the areas of finance, risk management, corporate governance, and strategic planning. Melanie has over 28 years of experience in the financial services, community services, and not-for-profit sectors.

Melanie leads the Finance and IT teams with a focus on delivering a modern, professional service to key stakeholders, enabling informed decision-making throughout the business.

Melanie has a passion for business strategy, cultivating relationships, and building consensus amongst diverse individuals. She was the Winner of CFO of the Year in the 2018 Women in Finance Awards, holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from QUT, is a Fellow Member of CPA Australia, a Fellow Member of the Governance Institute of Australia, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Terry Costello, General Manager of Innovation

Terry is responsible for leading the organisations research and development activities and pioneering innovative directions both internally to MEA and externally to industry.

In recent years, he has a depth of insight from being engaged on a variety of projects including, identifying and developing product innovations, identifying future investment opportunities within the renewable energy industry, consulting on energy efficiency programs for the QLD Government and leading specialist development on Project Symphony, a WA state flagship Virtual Power Plant Pilot.

Terry is experienced in corporate business management and strategy, providing specialist skills related to business and project design, operational management, systems design and business innovation through product and service design.

Robert Pearson, General Manager of Operations

Robert Pearson is an accomplished General Manager of Operations with over 18 years of diverse industry experience, spanning electrical, civil, mining, and infrastructure sectors. Possessing a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business and Communication, Robert excels at steering organisations through dynamic transitions, with a focus on fostering sustainable growth and cultivating a positive corporate culture.

As a proficient creative problem-solver, Robert has a track record of crafting data-driven strategies that consistently yield exceptional results. His expertise extends to the successful delivery of complex system implementations, ensuring seamless project execution. Furthermore, Robert is skilled in formulating Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks, advocating ethical and responsible business practices.

Robert’s operational management acumen shines through as he excels in optimising the alignment of people, systems, and resources to achieve organisational objectives.