Frank Panetta

Frank Panetta is passionate about supporting Australia’s transition to a more reliable and sustainable energy future. As hydropower market leader for Australia, he brings more than 30 years of experience delivering major infrastructure projects across the consulting, contracting and government sectors.

As a chartered civil engineer, Frank has extensive experience in the planning, development and delivery of complex transport, industrial, water and energy infrastructure programmes. His expertise spans project delivery, technical leadership, business unit management, client relationship management and business development. He has worked across a diverse range of sectors, including hydropower, hydraulics and hydrology, roads and highways, heavy rail, ports and maritime infrastructure, mining and energy developments.

At Mott MacDonald, Frank has played a leading role in the development and delivery of major energy projects, including the Oven Mountain, Muswellbrook and Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) developments, and more recently the New England Renewable Energy Zone (NEREZ) and Upper Hunter Hydro PHES. His involvement has ranged from pursuit, positioning and early-stage optioneering and feasibility studies, through to reference design, tender design, early contractor involvement (ECI) and activities supporting key investment decisions.

Drawing on both technical expertise and strong project governance experience, Frank helps clients, contractors and multidisciplinary teams navigate complexity, manage risk and make informed decisions at critical stages of project development. His collaborative approach and commercial acumen enable him to support the successful delivery of complex energy and infrastructure projects from concept through to implementation.