What new ideas in your industry excite you?

To round off each issue, we ask our contributing business leaders for their views on the same question, “What new ideas in your industry excite you?”

Chris Peters, CEO, Pacific Tug Group  

“The rapid increase in technology within our vessels and ships is definitely something interesting within our industry. We’re a long way behind a lot of other industries and transport sectors in terms of sophistication, automation, and communication, so there is a lot of focus on improving those areas, alongside environmental monitoring to ensure the future of our communities and the world as a whole.”

Grant Wechsel, Executive Chairman, Mining Pro

“As we see a number of new entrant owners and investors into the coal mining industry, it excites me to look at new operating models for these assets. Single mine owners or investor-backed groups without operational experience are looking for experienced owners’ teams to partner with. Instead of outsourcing the work to a contract mining company, they can partner with a mining operator who takes the statutory responsibility to operate the mine and provide a key management team for the project. I am currently working on several opportunities in this space and look forward to what lies ahead.”

John Fry, General Manager, Kongsberg Defence Australia

“The adaptions of technology in Ukraine are really exciting, as they have challenged us in terms of how we deal with complicated threats. There has also been a lot of discussion around the increased use of drone technology and the innovative ways it is being adapted and used in the conflict. In addition, there has been a lot of focus on countering US drone threats and how this can be done cost-effectively. It’s an exciting challenge, as it brings forward different technologies around varied sensors and effector types, and forces people to think more about command and control.”

Greg Kennard, CEO and Founder, MASPRO

“The focus on reducing the world’s carbon footprint is driving the demand for base metals, and mining companies in Australia and abroad are riding off the back of the increased base levels. We are also seeing significant technological advancement, as there’s a lot of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) that is producing a drive for new technology.”

Martin Haeger, Director, HL Design Group

“What excites me is our next generation! I am excited to see how their desires and aspirations will shape the future of our built environment, and how, as we strive for a greater connection with nature, we will strengthen our resolve to impose a lighter footprint on Earth’s resources. This will no doubt lead towards less aggressive development driven by scale and greed, to perhaps more human-centric solutions using more efficient materials, systems, and technology, harnessing natural energy for greater operational efficiency.”