BGSOBA Professional Networking - Engineering 2025

The Brisbane Grammar School Old Boys' Association cordially invites you to its Engineering Professional Networking Evening on Thursday, 27 March 2025 at Darling & Co.  

Come along and make valuable connections, build your strategic network, strengthen relationships, find mentors and mentees, uncover opportunities, and hear from the expert panel of Old Boy engineers as they discuss their diverse careers spanning the energy, utilities, industrials and technology fields. 

The format of the evening will consist of a panel discussion followed by a Q&A.

The rest of the evening will provide a chance to meet and network with the panelists and fellow industry colleagues.

Drinks and canapes will be served on the evening.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Panel: James Chin Moody ‘93, Ross Evans ‘90, Hugo Schmelzer ‘15 and Greg Shapland ‘87
Guest of Honour: Warren Traves ‘82

Tickets

**Young Old Boys** (2018-2024): $20 + booking fee
General Tickets: $30 + booking fee

PANELIST PROFILES:

James Chin Moody '93

James Chin Moody is a co-founder and CEO of Sendle, a global parcel delivery service dedicated to helping small business thrive through delivery that is simple, reliable and affordable. Sendle is also Australia’s first technology B Corporation and only 100% carbon neutral delivery service.

Previously James has held roles as Executive Director, Development at the CSIRO, Australia’s national research agency. He was an Australian National Commissioner for UNESCO, member of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and Australian Bureau of Statistics Advisory Boards and Trustee for the Australian Museum. He was also formerly the Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Digital Economy and Society and Chief Systems Engineer for the Australian Satellite FedSat, the first Australian satellite to be launched in 30 years.

Ross Evans '90

Ross Evans finished BGS in 1990 with his highlights including being School Dux and playing Opens tennis. Ross studied Mechanical Engineering at UQ and graduated with a University Medal and First Class Honours in 1994. He now has 30 years’ experience in the oil & gas industry including in leadership roles across operations, commercial, technical and business development.

Ross is currently the Chief Operating Officer of Central Petroleum, an ASX listed oil & gas company generating annual revenues of $40m. In this role Ross is accountable for the safe, reliable and cost-effective delivery of energy to customers including oversight of HSE, community relations, operations, subsurface, drilling, projects and engineering. Prior to working at Central, Ross held various roles with large corporates including Origin Energy, BHP and Exxon. Ross also holds other degrees including a Masters degree from Imperial College, London, and an MBA from the University of NSW.

Hugo Schmelzer '15

Hugo attended the University of Queensland, studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) / Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Finance. While at university, Hugo held undergraduate engineering roles with Thiess (mining), Worley (bulk material handling), and Wiley & Co. (industrial facilities).

During his time at Wiley & Co., Hugo helped design and construct Australia's first commercial scale textile recycling facility (BlockTexx) which was also the first of its kind in the world. Upon graduation, he worked as a power generation engineer with GHD, supporting clients in a technical capacity with early-stage design and modelling of greenfield power stations, modification to existing facilities, technical due diligence for transactions, and optimisation of asset management strategies. This role covered a range of technologies, including wind (onshore and offshore), solar, utility scale batteries, pumped hydro, and gas. 

Since early 2024, Hugo has been working as a Development Associate in the Future Energy Development team at CS Energy. He is responsible for the development of new power generation assets from the concept stage through to practical completion in both a technical and commercial capacity.

Greg Shapland '87

Greg is currently a Senior Manager of Technology at Orica providing modelling and simulation solutions for the minerals processing industry. Greg has over 30 years' experience in managing and implementing systems and process improvements using various technologies and IT systems. After graduating with an Honours degree in Civil Engineering majoring in Geomechanics, he started his career along an IT path with Andersen Consulting (now known as Accenture) in Systems Integration working across Government, Transport, Manufacturing and Mining sectors. 

After moving to the UK, he further implemented systems in Oil and Gas, Banking and Telecommunications before returning to Brisbane to complete an M.B.A. in Strategy and Marketing. Greg then returned to his initial focus of geotechnical work by joining a global Mining Software provider. The last 10 years has seen Greg broaden his career into Minerals Processing and Mine to Mill initiatives around the world to lessen the energy intensity of processing plants.

Greg is in the Old Boy Class of 1987.