BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:Australia/Sydney X-WR-TIMEZONE:Australia/Sydney BEGIN:VEVENT UID:65@kuringgaichamber.com.au DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260408T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260408T210000 DTSTAMP:20260315T231725Z URL:https://kuringgaichamber.com.au/events/ku-ring-gai-community-and-busin ess-energy-summit/ SUMMARY:Ku-ring-gai Community and Business Energy Summit DESCRIPTION:On behalf of the Ku-ring-gai Chamber of Commerce\, in partnersh ip with EnergyZE North Shore Inc and the Better Business Partnership\, we are pleased to invite you to attend the upcoming:\n\n Community and Busin ess Energy Summit\nClean Energy\, Stronger Community\, Thriving Business\n \nWednesday 8 April\n6:00pm – 9:00pm\nGreengate Hotel\, Cnr Pacific Hwy &\; Greengate Rd\, Killara\n\nThis important event is proudly sponsored by Ku-ring-gai Council through its Environmental Levy Net Zero Grant\n\nW hy Attend?\n\nClimate change and energy transition are no longer distant p olicy discussions — they are shaping local businesses\, households\, inv estment decisions and community resilience right now.\n\nThis Summit will bring together business leaders\, policymakers and sustainability experts to explore:\n\n The economic and risk implications of the energy transiti on\n Practical steps businesses can take to strengthen resilience\n Comm unity-level strategies to support net zero ambitions\n How local leadersh ip can drive meaningful\, achievable change\n\nWhether you are a business owner\, professional adviser\, community leader or engaged resident\, this session will provide practical insight and forward-looking perspectives.\ n\nKeynote Presentation\n\nEnergy Strategy for a Changing Economy – risk management\, transition readiness and leadership foresight\, presented by Dr Cathy Foley. Dr Foley will explore how businesses and communities can prepare for the emerging energy landscape and manage both opportunity and risk in a rapidly shifting economy\n\nOther Speakers\n\nFollowing Dr Fole y's presentation\, we will hear from the following speakers:\n\n Jenny Me rkley\, Acting Deputy Secretary\, Dept of Climate Change\, Energy\, the En vironment and Water\, NSW Government\n Peter Vun\, Program Lead\, Energy Management and Net Zero Strategy\, Ku-ring-gai Council\n\nPanel Discussion \n\nPowering Tomorrow Together – The Local Path to a Clean Energy Future \n\nModerator – Hon Nicolette Boele MP\n\nPanelists:\n\n Tim Buckley\, Director\, Climate Energy Finance\n Dr Kate Wilson\, Climate\, Biodiversi ty and Sustainability Advisor\n Rod Sharples\, Member\, Electrifying Brad field and Energy ZE North Shore\n\nEvening Program\n\n 6:00pm – Meet an d greet\n 6:40pm – Welcome and introductions – Adrienne McLean and Sa rah Winn\n 7:00pm – Keynote presentation – Dr Cathy Foley\n 7:30pm – Panel session – Nicolette Boele\, Tim Buckley\, Dr Kate Wilson\, Pet er Vun\n 8:00pm – Audience Q&\;A\n 8:40pm – Conclusion and networ king\n 9:00pm – Close\n\nRegistration\n\nRegistration is free\, however online registration is essential\n\nPlaces are limited and strong interes t is anticipated. We encourage you to secure your attendance early and sha re this invitation with colleagues and community members who would benefit from the discussion.\n\nCLICK HERE TO REGISTER\n\nAbout the speakers\n\nA drienne McLean is President of the Ku-ring-gai Chamber of Commerce and a p assionate advocate for local business growth and community collaboration. She works closely with business leaders\, council and community organisati ons to strengthen economic resilience\, foster innovation\, and support su stainable development across the Ku-ring-gai region.\n\nSarah Winn is Chai r of EnergyZE North Shore Inc and a dedicated advocate for practical clima te action at the community level. She works to connect households\, busine sses and local leaders with trusted information and initiatives that accel erate the transition to clean energy and support a more sustainable future .\n\nDr Cathy Foley served as Australia’s Chief Scientist (2021–2024) and previously held senior leadership roles at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). A physicist specialising in superconductivity\, she champions translating science into practical outc omes\, particularly in clean energy\, innovation\, and national resilience .\n\nNicolette Boele is the Federal MP for Bradfield with a background in finance and renewable energy. She has held executive roles with the Respon sible Investment Association Australasia\, the Investor Group on Climate C hange\, and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.\n\nTim Buckley is a lead ing energy finance analyst with over 30 years’ global market experience. Founder of Climate Energy Finance\, he has authored 100+ reports on decar bonisation and previously held senior equity research roles at Deutsche Ba nk and Citigroup.\n\nDr Kate Wilson is an independent climate and sustaina bility advisor. Former Executive Director of Climate Change and Sustainabi lity for NSW Government\, she led delivery of the NSW Net Zero Plan 2020 –2030 and secured over $1 billion for emissions reduction initiatives.\n \nPeter Vun leads Ku-ring-gai Council’s energy and net zero initiatives. He oversees programs focused on emissions reduction\, energy efficiency\, renewable energy and implementation of the Towards Zero Emissions 2030 Ac tion Plan.\n\nRod Sharples is a member of Electrifying Bradfield and Ener gyZE North Shore. Rod is a local resident and business owner who is a comm unity advocate for the transition away from fossil fuels. With the support of Ku-ring-gai Council\, Rod has co-presented a series of free talks to o ver 300 local residents to try to help them on their electrification journ ey.\n\nJenny Merkley is Acting Deputy Secretary at the NSW Department of Climate Change\, Energy\, the Environment and Water\, where she oversees k ey policy and program delivery across climate\, energy and environmental p ortfolios. She brings extensive public-sector leadership experience in dri ving sustainable outcomes and government reform.\n\nCLICK HERE TO REGISTER \n\n \; ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kuringgaichamber.com.au/wp-content/uploa ds/2026/03/Ku-ring-gai-Energy-Summit-April-2026.png CATEGORIES:Chamber Networking and Business Events LOCATION:Greengate Hotel\, Killara\, Cnr Pacific Hwy and Greengate Rd\, Kil lara\, NSW\, 2071\, Australia X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Cnr Pacific Hwy and Greenga te Rd\, Killara\, NSW\, 2071\, Australia;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=Greeng ate Hotel\, Killara:geo:0,0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Sydney X-LIC-LOCATION:Australia/Sydney BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20260405T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR