Damien Pasco has been appointed as Country Manager Australia & New Zealand, bringing his extensive expertise in mature and maturing offshore wind markets, to best support the growth and expansion in the market. Previously serving as Project Manager in Singapore for our sister company, Longitude Engineering, Damien has vast experience and exposure and is equipped with the best tools and strategies to kick-start and structure the Australian and NZ markets. 

Ahead of OWC's exhibition at the Australia Wind Energy Conference in Melbourne from 25-26 July 2023, Damien shares with us a little about his career, his ambitions in his new role and how he intends to shape OWC's growing presence in the Australian Market. 

As country manager I will be responsible for growing our renewable business in Australia & New Zealand. A crucial part of my new role is to develop our understanding of the local challenges and opportunities and cater this to meet our clients’ needs. OWC Australia & New Zealand will benefit from the extensive expertise of our regional teams in mature and maturing markets to best support this exciting market.

HOW WILL YOU USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE FROM YOUR PREVIOUS ROLES TO BE A SUCCESSFUL COUNTRY MANAGER?

I have led teams of consultants through large technical due diligences, early-stage studies and pre-FEED studies, expected to be sought after during the early stages of Australian projects. My exposure to various maturing offshore wind markets, such as the US, Taiwan and South Korea, has provided me with a great insight into the various strategies to kick-start and structure new markets.

As I have several decades of experience working on Australian projects, I am very excited to support and mentor our Australian teams with our future renewables challenges, ensuring that our skill set is continuously shared throughout our experts.  

WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR YOUR NEW ROLE?

I am excited to be involved in the development of a sustainable renewable industry supporting developers, sponsors and the regional supply chain. I am thrilled to be a part of the long-term strategy development in Australia and New Zealand and to continue to build OWC’s outstanding reputation in the market. On a personal level, my family and I are very excited to relocate to a country full of new opportunities.

WHY IS AUSTRALIA SUCH A GREAT RENEWABLES HUB AND AN IMPORTANT PRESENCE FOR OWC?

Australia was identified as a key new market for OWC primarily due to its exceptional technical potential and mature renewable and energy markets. Our strong presence in Asia made Australia and New Zealand natural target markets for us, that we support with our existing and future regional resources. The existing onshore renewable market and notable investor confidence make both markets very attractive.

ARE THERE ANY EXCITING PROSPECTS OR HOT TOPICS IN THE REGION AT THE MOMENT?

The extensive interest in the Gippsland feasibility application process confirmed the market’s excitement for offshore wind. Floating wind prospects in Hunter and Illawarra will surely follow suit.

As the relevance of current bidding processes are questioned in mature European markets, Australia has a chance to benefit from valuable lessons learned and structure bidding/auction processes to ensure the ability to lead projects to completion and generate social benefits prevail over high bidding fees or unsustainable electricity prices.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING WHEN YOU ARE NOT WORKING?

As a proud dad, I frequently arrange family trips to expose my son to different cultures and mix education with fun!

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