Our delivery model starts with our Principal Consultant, Philip Harrington, and his associates and partners, most of whom have worked for or with Philip for many years or even decades.

Our model to offer our clients the best-for-project team tailored to out-perform expectations, deliver on time and offer outstanding value for money.

Our flexible approach brings together the expertise and skills you need under the professional guidance and experienced project management of Philip Harrington.

Philip Harrington, Managing Director and Principal Consultant

B Arts (Professional Writing) University of Canberra, Grad. Dip. Applied Economics (University of Canberra), GAICD

Philip Harrington is an economist with over 30 years experience in the development, analysis, administration and evaluation of public policy, strategies and programs.

His experience includes working at the highest levels in international organisations, governments and the private sector.

He played a key role in developing and was the Senior Executive Manager of the Australian Greenhouse Office, the Australian Government’s first dedicated climate change mitigation organisation.  He was Division Head, Energy Efficiency Policy Analysis, at the International Energy Agency in Paris.  He worked for energy business, Aurora Energy, as Executive Manager, Strategy & Regulation; and as Deputy Secretary for Infrastructure, Energy & Resources in state administration.

Prior to establishing Strategy. Policy. Research., Philip led the Carbon & Energy Team for consulting engineers, pitt&sherry.  Over the last decade, he and his colleagues have delivered more than 500 projects for clients including:

• Australia’s G20 Secretariat
• C40 (a network of now more than 40 of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change)
• Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance (a collaboration of 20 major cities around the world targeting net zero or at least an 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions)
• Council of Australian Governments and Australian government agencies
• New South Wales, ACT, Victorian, South Australian, Western Australian and Tasmanian government agencies
• Cities of Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and more
• Local governments including Inner West Council (Sydney), Flinders Island
• Infrastructure organisations such as TasRail, NSW Roads and Maritime Services
• Companies and industry associations including the Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand (ICANZ), Master Builders Australia (MBA), Gas Energy Australia (GEA)

Associates

Mark Johnston, Director, 2XF Consulting

Mark is an experienced economist and policy analyst with a background working for the Australian Government, and more than six years experience in consulting.

He applies his economic analysis and policy development skills in energy, greenhouse gas reduction, transport, infrastructure and agriculture. His key skills are in the identification and analysis of drivers of improved performance – by businesses and industry sectors, particularly in the areas of energy, emissions and infrastructure use.

Mark has experience in energy efficiency regulations, energy management systems, and energy assessment and audit standards. He also has skills in the economic and strategic analysis of transport infrastructure projects, along with commercial experience in the agribusiness sector.

As a former Assistant Manager with the Australian Government Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (Industrial Energy Efficiency Branch), Mark has an excellent understanding of government processes and is experienced in stakeholder engagement strategies and in managing government-industry relationships.  In recent years, he has developed a strong reputation for transport and infrastructure economics, and evidence based policy analysis.

Mark was a key member of Philip Harrington’s Carbon & Energy Team at pitt&sherry over the 2011 – 2016 period, contributing economic analysis, report writing and project management skills, and offering a key liaison point for clients.

Brett Janissen, B.Economics (Hons)
Executive Director, Meta Economics Consulting Group

Brett founded Meta Economics Consulting Group in 2010, building on a successful career in the public and private sectors. He served the Australian government for 18 years as a professional economist and policy adviser, working in agencies including the Productivity Commission, Bureau of Industry Economics, Australian Greenhouse Office, Department of Finance and Commonwealth Treasury. He joined the Allen Consulting Group in 2004, and later became a Director of that company and leader of its Natural Resources & Environment practice

area. His career spans a wide range of issues and policy areas including environmental regulation, climate change, industry development and structural adjustment, natural resource management, energy efficiency, program design and regulatory analysis and the development and application of market-based approaches. He became Principal Economist with pitt&sherry in September 2012, and is still an Associate with that company.

Experience and career highlights include:

Emissions Trading

• lead author and adviser to the National Emissions Trading Taskforce (Australian States and Territories) on development of a greenhouse gas trading system, and its economic impacts
• lead author of the Australian Greenhouse Office’s (AGO) emissions trading discussion paper series and the Australian Government’s ‘credit for early greenhouse action’ initiative
• lead author of reports to the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) and Victorian Dept of Primary Industries on the feasibility of including agricultural emissions in an ETS
• co-author of the “Deep Cuts’ economic modeling report, evaluating the feasibility and impact of achieving major emission reductions by 2050, and CGE modeling analysis for Meat & Livestock Australia
• Executive Director of the Asia-Pacific Emissions Trading Forum from 2007 to 2010

Energy Efficiency

• co-author of the pitt&sherry review of implementation of energy efficiency measures in the building industry
• project leader on a process review of the National Framework for Energy Efficiency (NFEE)
• review of the Greenhouse Challenge Plus program — a voluntary approach to emissions reduction
• adviser to COAG industrial energy efficiency committee on design and economic impacts of a mandatory energy efficiency investment program
• executive oversight of the AGO’s $400m (GGAP) abatement purchase program and emissions trading development activities

Climate Change Adaptation

• co-author of the ‘Risk and Vulnerability’ report to the Australian Greenhouse Office on climate change adaptation priorities
• adviser to COAG Climate Adaptation committee on research funding needs and priorities (leading to establishment of the $126m Climate Adaptation Program)
• adviser to the Victorian Dept of Treasury and Finance on policy approaches for enhancing autonomous adaptation capabilities across the economy

Environmental Program Design, Review and Regulatory Assessment

• advice to government on program design in the areas of conservation stewardship, marine protection and waste minimization
• regulatory impact assessment — in areas including state-based resource efficiency programs, building energy efficiency improvement and performance disclosure, mandatory industrial energy efficiency targets, water efficiency labeling, waste reduction and green investment facilitation.
• Brett has advised key agencies including the Commonwealth, State and New Zealand governments and clients including BHP Billiton, Anglo Coal, the Australian Automobile Association, Refrigerants Australia, Gas Energy Australia, Perdaman Chemicals, NFF, Dairy Australia, MLA and MTAA Superannuation.
• He began his career in mechanical engineering, later moving into Economics at the University of Newcastle (NSW). He graduated with Honours in 1985 – receiving the Morison Prize in Economics IV and the Economics Society Prize.

Brett worked with Philip Harrington at the Australia Greenhouse Office, and was a key member of the Carbon & Energy Team at pitt&sherry.