Meet the team

Our team

Our team is made up of experienced renewable energy experts. Between us, we have many years of combined expertise in developing successful renewable energy projects around the world.

We’re proud to be a diverse team of engineers, project developers and managers, environmental, commercial and legal specialists – all with a shared vision to deliver energy for the future.

Meet our leadership team

Chad Hymas

Chief Executive Officer
Chad has more than 20 years of experience in the energy industry across strategy, growth, regulation, operations, and finance, having worked for TXU and AusNet Services since 2001. Most recently, Chad led strategic market and business development, innovation, and growth in existing and emerging markets for AusNet. His portfolio encompassed advocacy, government relations and development policy.
Evonne Bennett

Chief Projects Officer
Evonne is an energy and infrastructure executive with more than 20 years of experience in project development and delivery, commercial strategy and management across renewables, energy markets and infrastructure.
Prior to joining us, Evonne was the General Manager, Strategy and Planning at Windlab, Commercial Director at Squadron Energy and Project Director at Transgrid.
Andrew Hyland

Chief Commercial Officer
Andrew has more than 18 years of experience in the Australian renewable and energy sectors. His experience spans business development, asset development, operations, and asset commercialisation.
Prior to joining us, Andrew led ENGIE’s ANZ business with responsibility for operations, trading, asset development, retail and business strategy.
Eliza Bartlett

General Counsel
Eliza has more than 15 years of experience as an energy and projects lawyer. Prior to joining us, Eliza was Head of Legal – Energy at EnergyAustralia where she led the team advising EnergyAustralia’s portfolio development team, operations business, and wholesale markets team. Before this, Eliza was Special Counsel in Minter Ellison’s Energy & Resources team and Senior Associate in CMS Cameron McKenna’s Energy, Projects & Construction team in London.
Tim Michalas

Chief Financial Officer
Tim has more than 15 years of experience across energy and infrastructure investments. Prior to joining us, Tim was Chief Financial Officer of CWP Renewables, leading the company's project financing, finance, legal, human resources, and communications teams. Before this, he led more than A$1bn of investment in the Australian energy industry in his role at Partners Group.
Jessica Johnston

Chief People Officer
Jessica has a multi-discipline corporate background spanning more than 15 years in human resources, management consulting, corporate governance and legal. Prior to joining us, Jessica partnered with C-suite executives on the design and implementation of people, change and transformation programs. Her client-facing experience has spanned a range of industries across APAC, EMEA and North America.

Meet our board

Phillip Strachan

Chair
Phillip is a senior executive with deep financial, governance and operational expertise gained from 35 years working at Rio Tinto and more recently eight years as a non-executive director.
His roles at Rio Tinto included CEO of Rio Tinto’s bauxite and alumina global mining and refining operations and CFO of Rio Tinto Alcan. His directorship experience includes Tilt Renewables, Urban Utilities, Australian Aluminium Council, Queensland Rail, and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
Phillip is the founding Chair of Aula Energy.
Lachlan Creswell

Director
Lachlan has more than 20 years finance and investment experience.
He is Head of Macquarie Asset Management Green Investments (MAM GI) in Australia and New Zealand and oversees MAM GI’s operations and the development and growth of its investment portfolio in the region.
Lachlan has been involved in the energy sector throughout his career, has worked on Macquarie transactions across 15 countries and has completed over 9,000MW of renewable energy generation assets.
Lachlan is a founding director of Aula Energy and was instrumental in the establishment of the business.
Kirsten Hannan

Director
Kirsten has more than 20 years of experience in finance and investment at Macquarie Group.
She is a Division Director for MAM Green Investments based in Sydney, Australia and since 2017 has specialised in renewable energy investments.
Kirsten’s prior roles have provided her with broad experience in energy and infrastructure investments, as well as a focus on corporate strategy, operations, and risk management.
Kirsten is a founding director of Aula Energy and was instrumental in the establishment of the business.