Our People - Leadership Team

Mr Andrew Grant, Chief Executive Officer

Andrew has lead CO2 Group and its related entities since 2005. Andrew was the National Head of Ernst and Young’s environmental advisory division and was the lead adviser to the New South Wales Government in relation to implementing the New South Wales Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme. He has over 25 years experience in broad acre land management and has managed major commercial forestry operations in Victoria. As a widely recognised authority on climate change and carbon trading, Andrew has advised many major corporations across Australia and has performed design and audit roles in a variety of carbon trades. With significant executive management experience, he has a unique combination of commercial, carbon trading and natural resource management skills. Andrew was an Independent Director of the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting. The CRC has been at the leading edge of carbon sequestration modelling and research. From 2006 to 2009, Andrew was Chairman of the Port Phillip Western Port Catchment Management Authority. Andrew is a Director of the Banksia Environmental Foundation, which runs the Banksia Awards, and a Non-executive Director of Earthwatch Institute. View Andrew on Sky Business News.

Dr Chris Mitchell, Executive Director Corporate Development

Chris has a PhD in biology from the University of Melbourne, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a 20 year involvement in Australian and international climate change research. Prior to joining CO2 Group full-time Chris was Foundation Director of the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research - a partnership between CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology and was CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting. He is a member of the Victorian Climate Change Minister’s Reference Council on Climate Change Adaptation and was recently appointed to CSIRO’s Environment and Natural Resources Sector Advisory Committee.

Mr Aaron Soanes, General Manager Operations

Aaron has a long history of working with large scale commercial tree plantings, and has formal university qualifications in forestry science. Over the last 15 years of his work history, Aaron has held a number of senior operational management roles and has been responsible for overseeing some of Australia’s largest plantation establishment and management programs. His extensive experience includes management of operations in five Australian states, encompassing a wide range of landscapes, environmental conditions and regulatory frameworks.

Dr James Bulinski, Manager Carbon & Innovation Services

James, who has completed a PhD by research with the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Production Forestry, has over a decade of experience working with tree plantings. His work history includes technical and senior management roles within the plantation forestry sector, where he has managed large technical, operational and forest inventory programs. He has extensive experience in forest measurement and carbon accounting.

Mr Ashley Shilkin, Commercial Manager

Ashley has a background in investment finance and commercial modelling. Ashley previously worked as a Business Analyst for Avatar Industries Limited; a diversified listed holding company. Ashley has been with CO2 Australia for over 4 years, for which most time he spent as the head of finance, before moving solely into commercial management. Ashley is CO2 Australia’s contract manager and the designated contact person for most clients.

Mr Martin Crevatin, Manager Plantations

Martin has separate formal university qualifications in resource and environmental management and forest science. His experience with tree plantings is extensive, stretching across a 20 year work history that has included a range of technical and senior management roles in the public and private sectors. Martin’s comprehensive forest management experience extends across the full forest cycle, from site selection, through planting, to harvesting.

Mr Mark Ritchie, Manager Land Acquisition

Mark is responsible for managing the land acquisition process from liaison with landholders, contract negotiations through to registration of legal documentation. Mark has formal qualifications in Agricultural Science and has developed an extensive network of rural contacts through over 20 years experience in the livestock and farming industries. Mark is also a Churchill Fellow having spent time in Canada and the United States reviewing a range of environmental issues relevant to Australian agriculture.

Ms Elise Margaritis, Marketing and Communications Manager

Elise is responsible for the strategic development of CO2 Australia's brand, communication programs and co-operative marketing initiatives, with a special focus on community engagement and public relations. Prior to joining CO2 Australia, Elise drove marketing and business development within leading organisations in the franchising and environment sectors and has a unique range of skills combining B2B, B2C and not-for-profit experience.