Professional services firm, Deloitte, recently appointed Phil Hopwood as the new leader of the energy, infrastructure and resources (EIR) group in Australia.

Mr Hopwood’s background is in consulting professional services, mostly in the resources and manufacturing space. His specialisation is in operational improvement, supply chain, large technology engagements and extracting value from IT.

Based in Melbourne, Mr Hopwood has been with Deloitte for 12 years. Passionate about the resources sector, he believes there is room to develop Deloitte’s eminence in the industry.

“Deloitte has a role in connecting the Australian resources sector with what is happening in the world right now where so much is changing, politically and economically. We are able to do this with the support of a strong global network that services the major global resources companies,” Mr Hopwood
said.

Mr Hopwood is also keen to further Deloitte’s presence in the energy and infrastructure areas. “With Australia focused on cutting carbon emissions, alternative energy sources will become increasingly important. There are some wonderful opportunities out there for companies willing to be innovative,” Mr Hopwood said.

“Infrastructure also presents strong opportunities, particularly given the current resources boom and the strength of the Australian economy. I believe one of the challenges facing Australia is how we spend the benefits coming out of the resources boom on improving infrastructure.”

Mr Hopwood believes that water is also a crucial issue for Australia as it is linked with climate change and sustainability, two issues that have captured the public’s attention in recent years.

“Water is the new ‘oil’ in Australia. In the next couple of decades, Australia has to make some very important decisions around the capture, storage, distribution and management of this very important resource. We believe we are in a great position to play an important role in facilitating these actions,” Mr Hopwood said.

A graduate of Oxford University, Mr Hopwood holds Masters degrees in Distribution Technology and Management, and Modern History.