Leadership Team
Matthew Williams
Managing Director and Founder
Matthew has over thirty-five years’ experience in corporate and investment banking with a deep knowledge of project finance. With expertise across M&A, private equity funds management, corporate and project advisory Matthew has experience as a director of major listed and unlisted companies in the infrastructure, natural resource and financial services sectors.
Matthew brings to Tennant Burnett a wealth of expertise and a depth of knowledge spanning capital intensive industries including: energy, transport, water and social infrastructure as well as telecommunications and plantation timber land. His recent projects have included Public-Private Partnerships, energy management systems, and agribusiness.
Eugene Kopp
Director
Eugene is a global citizen, having held senior executive and board roles across Australia, Europe and USA in venture capital, technology and sustainable energy and is passionate about the environment. In the last 6 years his professional focus has been on marketing “smart” windows technologies in the USA and promoting solar photovoltaic solar windows in Australia to improve sustainability outcomes in the built environment.
With over 30 years of experience Eugene has held senior executive and board roles across Australia, Europe and USA in venture capital, private equity and sustainable energy.
Eugene worked in senior positions in the London and Moscow offices of global leaders in project finance, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell. In 1998 he returned to Australia to lead the project finance advisory team at ANZ Investment Bank. He has extensive experience in the project finance of capital-intensive industries and in the project management of large multi-disciplinary teams for the delivery of complex projects. In the Clean Technology space, Eugene led advisory teams on the privatisations of Southern Hydro and the Melbourne Electric Tram services.
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Kate Gaffney
Associate Director
Kate has over twenty -five years experience in Higher Education teaching and research. Holding postgraduate qualifications across Education, Arts and Business, Kate is a highly experienced generalist committed to enhancing social sustainability and equality through education and research. Kate brings to Tennant Burnett a highly trained eye for the 'big picture' and deep commitment to social equity.
Kate enjoys a broad range of interests with a particular passion for supporting female founders and innovators from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Kate is a former member of the Community College Gippsland Board and is a current member of the Victorian Government Adult, Community and Further Education Board (ACFEB) . From November 2023 to November 2024 Kate will be on secondment to Federation University where she will take up the role of Manager Renewable Energy Transition working in partnership with TAFE Gippsland, Energy Australia, and Star of the South to develop the essential energy transition workforce. Gippsland is a designated "Renewable Energy Zone" and Kate is committed to supporting communities and businesses through the New Energy Transition accross Australia.
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Darren Shipard
Director
Darren is an established executive leader in the Climate Tech industry leading government funded and commercially funded innovation projects and entrepreneurial companies.
Darren brings a passion for helping companies progress sustainable financial and environmental performance.
Darren is a leader of high value growth and transformation projects in Cleantech, Fintech, Healthcare and FMCG/Retail sectors with an excellent track record in both developed and emerging markets,
Darren is Managing Director of Asset Excel with offices and London and Luxembourg and is on the Board of Directors for the Luxembourg Australia New Zealand Chamber of Commerce
Darren is a