Robert McMillanDirector
focus areas
- Regulatory frameworks
- Regulatory support
- Modelling
- Policy development
- Business decision making
- Project management and governance
education
- Masters of Regulatory Economics (Australian National University)
- Bachelor of Economics (Monash University)
- Diploma of Management, Australian Institute of Management
- Member, Australian Institute of Company Directors
Robert McMillan is an experienced economist and leader with expertise in regulatory policy and practice in the energy, water, and transport sectors. He also advises on commercial strategy, stakeholder engagement, and competition matters. He is recognised for his considered approach to solving commercial and policy problems, adapting and applying regulatory regimes, progressing tariff reforms, and engaging customers and stakeholders in business decisions.
Robert is expert in infrastructure regulation, having designed rules, led regulatory reviews, advised on regulatory and pricing strategy, and provided expert testimony. He brings deep commercial and policy understanding, which he combines with proven skill in leading multi-disciplinary teams. This makes him highly effective in delivering business decisions, regulatory submissions and stakeholder engagement.
In 2016, Robert rejoined farrierswier after a successful period in general manager roles in regulation and strategy for Jemena. He was accountable for regulation of Jemena’s $11 billion portfolio of Australian electricity, gas and water assets, and for assessing opportunities in new energy technologies and services.
Robert is an experienced economist with expertise in regulatory theory, policy and practices. Over the past decade he has advised businesses, governments and regulators on regulatory strategy, market and incentive design and competition policy.
Since 2016, Robert has advised on increasing the role of customer participation in regulatory processes in energy, water and ports. He has designed, facilitated and evaluated customer research and engagement programs for utilities across Australia, and has helped regulators to articulate the preconditions for them to place reliance on engagement outcomes.
In recent years he has worked for policy makers, energy businesses and regulators on integrating distributed energy resources, hydrogen, and state and market operator-initiated transmission investments into national and jurisdictional energy regulatory regimes.
Robert appreciates the context within which consumers, businesses and government agencies make decisions, and the practical realities of implementing them. He draws on his broad combination of experience working in and for government, regulators, infrastructure investors, and utilities. He has held roles at Jemena, NERA Economic Consulting, the Victorian Essential Services Commission and the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance. He is presently a member of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s expert advisory panel where he has been assessing renewable technology grant funding applications since 2017.
For a full curriculum vitae, please contact Robert via email.