New Australia Future Leaders Network Committee Member from Infrastructure Advisory Group

We are pleased to welcome on board Clare Griffis, Associate Director, Infrastructure Advisory Group as a Australia Future Leaders Network Committee Member:

We asked Clare a few questions to get to know her a bit better:

• If you could personally change or influence one thing within infrastructure and/or energy, what would it be?

If I could personally influence one thing through my career it would be to ensure that the infrastructure and energy sectors, particularly in commercial and project finance roles, continue to develop clear pathways for women and people from diverse backgrounds to join the sectors. Something I’m equally passionate about is empowering young women to better understand the broader application of their skills and experience as they come out of school and university and how to shape a meaningful career in industries that historically have been male-dominated. I’ve been fortunate to receive the support of incredible female and male leaders throughout my career, but as more young women start their career journey, more champions will be needed to support them. Continuing to employ from diverse backgrounds will be essential to achieving innovation and building the sustainable workforces required to meet the energy and infrastructure challenges facing us in the coming decades.

• Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to yourself at the start of your career?

Always be curious and open minded and don’t be bound by a rigid plan for what your career should look like – for me, the most interesting opportunities have come from the most unexpected connections, meetings, and projects.

• What do you hope to bring to the FLN Committee?

I hope to bring to the FLN Committee a different perspective and share my knowledge from my experience working in government. I’m particularly keen to share how some of the most significant infrastructure projects in Australia over the last decade have been developed, funded, delivered, and managed from the government perspective and share these insights with the broader IPFA network. Being in a role outside of government now, it’s apparent to me that there is still a certain level of ambiguity about how things work within government, and I think demystifying the processes on both the public side and within the private sector will only help to ensure better and more collaborative investment and project outcomes.