We are passionate believers in a renewable energy future, and one which doesn’t compromise energy affordability and reliability for zero emissions. We bring a professional, can-do attitude and believe we are in the problem-solving business, with many years of experience in delivering practical energy solutions. Our mission is to deliver renewable bio-methane facilities, alongside other renewable gases to industry.
Meet the Team
Our specialist team includes experienced professionals with deep experience and capability across development, financing, engineering, contracting, sales, marketing, finance and management.
Dr John Hewson
Chairman
Craig Dugan
Co-Founder and CEO
Mike Davis
Managing Director
Luca Febbraio
Chief Development Officer
Steve Budden
Technical Director
Dr John Hewson
Chairman
Dr John Hewson is one of Australia's most experienced economists, financial experts and company directors.
Whilst best known for his role as former Leader of the Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1990 to 1994, Dr Hewson has established several esteemed careers in academia, bureaucracy, business, and the media.
A passionate advocate for renewable energy, with a particular focus on the role of bioenergy, Dr Hewson brings a wealth of experience and capability to Optimal Renewable Gas.
Craig Dugan
Co-Founder and CEO
Craig has over 30 years of experience in the international onshore and offshore oil and gas industry, formally as major shareholder and managing director of Process Group.
Trained as a process engineer, Craig brings a detailed technical knowledge of the unique problems faced by the energy industry. He has utilised this experience to develop innovative energy solutions for over a decade as the CEO of Optimal Group Australia.
Craig was also a director of his family’s former extra-virgin olive oil business, Cobram Estate, which grew to become Australia’s most recognised olive oil product. He has since become a director of his family’s current award-winning organic extra-virgin olive oil business, Cockatoo Grove.
Furthermore, Craig holds numerous patents in gas purification, carbon capture and storage.
Mike Davis
Managing Director
Mike Davis has over 15 years of experience in the energy sector. Before joining Optimal Renewable Gas, Mike held several senior technical and commercial roles with APA, ATCO Australia and Jemena, where he was responsible for the development and commercialization of numerous innovative energy technologies. This included; underground gas storage, gas transmission and expansion, gas-fired power generation, green hydrogen production and blending into the gas grid. Mike was also a key figure in Australia’s first biomethane to grid project in collaboration with Sydney Water.
Prior to joining the energy sector, Mike served as a Weapons Electrical Engineering Officer in the Royal Australian Navy for 9 years. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Sydney University and Master of Business and Technology from UNSW.
Luca Febbraio
Chief Development Officer
Luca brings 3 decades of experience in corporate and business development across international energy and infrastructure sectors.
Before joining ORG, Luca was Associate Director at Macquarie Bank. Here he focused on the origination and techno-commercial due diligence of investment opportunities in projects and companies in the new energy space (renewable, BESS, green H2, biogas) and waste (FOGO).
Prior to his work in the banking and investment sector, Luca was a global leader in the energy space with Wärtsilä focusing on smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. During this time, he held the roles of North-East Asia Regional Director (based in China) and General Manager (based in Australia).
Luca has also been involved in the development of large infrastructure projects focusing on off-shore dry-bulk (iron ore, coal, wood pellets) logistics for the mining and steel mill industry in China and Indonesia, and in telecommunications.
Moreover in 2021-22, Luca was a Non-executive Director of Tymlez, an ASX public listed software company operating in the blockchain space. Luca holds a Master of engineering degree in Electronic and Automations from Federico II State University, Italy.
Steve Budden
Technical Director
Steve is an exceptional process engineer with over 35 years of engineering and project management experience.
He has made a career successfully delivering gas processing facilities and systems across numerous sectors worldwide. His work includes delivery of H2S and CO2 removal systems, water treatment, and gas compression.
Find out more about our capabilities and current projects