AEMC Chief Executive Anne Pearson is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Kris Funston as Senior Director, Retail and Wholesale Markets.

“Kris joined the Commission’s Senior Management Team in July and assumed full responsibility for the retail and wholesale policy team this week. His appointment followed a competitive executive search which attracted strong interest from applicants both in Australia and internationally,” Ms Pearson said.

“Kris brings wide-ranging commercial experience to his role at the Commission having worked in the economic regulation and competition space across a number of industry sectors including water, telecommunications and energy,” she said.

Prior to joining the Commission Kris was Manager, Competition and Regulation for Australia’s largest water utility, Sydney Water. Earlier, Kris was Senior Regulatory Manager, Telstra Regulatory Wholesale; following positions as Deputy Chief Economist at the New Zealand Commerce Commission; Senior Economist, Access Economics; and Regulatory Economist AAPT.

Kris holds an honours degree in economics from the Australian National University and is a Doctor of Philosophy in economics also from the Australian National University.

The Commission’s three policy teams have not changed following this appointment. They remain: Retail and Wholesale Markets now led by Kris Funston; Transmission and Distribution Networks led by Richard Owens; and Market Development led by Suzanne Falvi.

Senior Director Chris Spangaro will remain with the AEMC; initially to continue managing the recently announced review of market frameworks for power system security.

“I would like to take the opportunity to thank Chris Spangaro for his dedicated leadership of the Retail and Wholesale Markets team, ahead of his planned retirement from full time engagement with the AEMC at the end of the year” Ms Pearson said. “Under his stewardship the AEMC’s annual reports on market competition and price trends have been established as valuable contributions to informed debates on market development and competition in the long-term interests of consumers.”

For information contact

AEMC Chief Executive, Anne Pearson (02) 8296 7800

AEMC Communication Director, Prudence Anderson (02) 8296 7817 or 0404 821 935