Indigenous Culture and Community

Jop van Hattum | Chief Executive Officer

MSc, MBA, MComLaw, FIEAust, CPEng, EngExec, GAICD

Jop is the CEO at Gingerah Energy. He has been leading Longreach’s stakeholder engagement and exploration in the onshore Canning Basin since 2018. He has written extensively about the resource potential in the onshore Canning Basin and negotiated agreements with traditional owners to sustainably explore the energy resources. Previously, Jop has held a variety of executive roles in the energy sector including as senior director at the Northern Territory Public Service preceded by a distinguished career in the petroleum industry in Australia and internationally. He has broad senior executive experience in Stakeholder Engagement, Petroleum Engineering, Project Management, Operations Management, Commercial Law, Native Title and Business Management.

Jop holds postgraduate qualifications in Petroleum Engineering from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and Business Administration and Commercial Law from the University of Melbourne. He is a Fellow, Chartered Professional Engineer and Engineering Executive with the Institute of Engineers Australia and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jan Ostby | Director (Longreach)

MSc, DBM

Jan is the co-founder of Longreach Capital Investment Group and the Director of Longreach Mineral Exploration and Gingerah Energy. He has over 38 years of experience in executive management and business development roles in the energy sector. He is an experienced energy exploration entrepreneur across multiple disciplines, including new ventures, prospect maturation, drilling and farmouts with leading industry peers. Previous roles include various marketing and management positions with PGS, NOPEC Australia Pty Ltd and Fugro Multi Client Services.

Jan’s qualifications include a Master’s in Civil Engineering and Geophysics and a Bachelor’s in International Marketing and Management from the Norwegian School of Trade and Export, Oslo.

Odd Larsen | Alternate Director (Longreach)

BSc, MSc

Odd is the co-founder of Longreach Capital Investment Group and director of Longreach Mineral Exploration and alternate director of Gingerah Energy. Odd has held various owner/management positions in the resources sector and has more recently been involved in improving the company’s performance and defining its strategic goals. As a Director of Longreach Capital, Odd has liaised with governments, business partners and stakeholders and has been instrumental in arranging for new projects in various countries located in Europe, Asia, and South America. Odd holds degrees in Geology from the University of Oslo (Bachelor’s) and the University of Tromsoe (Master’s).

Phil Watson | Director (Fugro)

Prof, PhD, FIEAust, FTSE

Highly experienced in the fields of geotechnics, Phil has worked with specialists across a broad spectrum of technical disciplines (such as metocean, naval architecture, structural and mechanical engineering), and engaged in all aspects of business management (such as legal, commercial and human resources). Phil has global working experience, including the UK, US and Australia; and having worked on projects (including field assignments) on most continents. He led Australian specialists consultancy Advanced Geomechanics before negotiating its sale to international company Fugro, where he became global director of GeoConsulting, spanning onshore and offshore activities. At Fugro Phil championed innovation and technology developments, working to integrate specialists GeoConsulting groups around the world, and with a commitment to sharing expertise and streamlining access to leading edge design approaches.

At the University of Western Australia Phil is the Shell Professor of Offshore Engineering, and also holds the position of Director of the ARC ITRH for Transforming energy Infrastructure through Digital Engineering (TIDE). He is a fellow of The Australian Academy of Technology Science and Engineering (ATSE) and the Institute of Engineers Australia (IEAust).

Maree Ansey | Alternate Director (Karajarri)

BCom, BEd

As a proud Yawuru, Karajarri and Torres Strait Islander woman from Broome, Western Australia, Maree is both personally and professionally passionate about creating sustainable social impact and change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities.

With over 17 years’ experience working in Aboriginal affairs, social procurement and inclusion, and diversity, Maree is skilled in establishing strategic plans, policies, and operational processes. Maree has extensive experience in creating employment and training initiatives in addition to a comprehensive management understanding, which ensures achievement of Aboriginal participation, diversity, and social procurement outcomes for organisations.

Maree is an excellent communicator and an advocate for supporting local economic development and independence across Australia having worked in every State and Territory as well as experience in the Corporate, Community and not for profit sectors. In her current role as National Indigenous Engagement Manager at Stockland Australia, Maree is responsible for leading Stockland’s National First Nations Strategy, Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan including initiatives and commitments at a nationally and state-level.

Maree’s previous experience includes four years as Head of Indigenous Affairs and Social Inclusion at Laing O’Rourke, where she was responsible for leading the development of Laing O’Rourke’s first Indigenous Participation Strategy, and their previous Innovate RAP and prior to those 10 years as Indigenous Affairs and Social Inclusion Manager at CPB Contractors leading the strategic and operational delivery of CPB’s Indigenous & Social Inclusion Strategy which later informed the development of their current Innovate RAP.

Justin King | Director (Karajarri)

Justin King is a traditional man from the Karajarri language group south of Broome.

Justin lived with his family on Kennedy’s Hill reserve near Broome, before moving to Fredrick Street in the main township of Broome when he was 5. He completed his schooling up to Year 10 in Broome within the Catholic education system, ran by the ‘nuns and brothers’. Justin completed Year 11 in Geraldton in 1980 and began his pre-trade year at Pundulmurra Aboriginal Technical College. Justin was recruited by the South Fremantle Football Club.

Justin King has over 15 years’ experience in the mining industry. He also worked in many other industries like the Transport Depot and Justice Department. He has had various roles ranging from Tour Guide to Education Assistant.

Justin was born in 1964 when Australia still enforced assimilation policies and Aboriginal People were significantly disadvantaged under Australian law. Despite these challenges, Justin and the Karajarri nation have fought hard for fair recognition, including a 10-year case with the Federal Court which granted exclusive native title rights for the Karajarri people on their lands.

Having returned to his traditional lands, Justin King uses his experience, skill set and knowledge to care for and help his people of the Karajarri nation.