ARRC Gold Coast appoints board to guide Australia’s leading circular economy precinct

ARRC Gold Coast has appointed its inaugural Board of Directors, bringing together a distinguished group of leaders in engineering, governance, environmental management, resource recovery, infrastructure and public administration.

The appointments mark a significant milestone in the establishment of Australia’s newest and most ambitious circular economy precinct.

The Advanced Resource Recovery Centre (ARRC) is a landmark circular economy precinct that will transform how the Gold Coast manages waste, diverting up to 97 per cent of residual waste from landfill through integrated recycling, energy recovery and innovation facilities.

The ARRC Organics Pty Ltd Board, chaired by City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, includes Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel, City of Gold Coast Chief Executive Officer Tim Baker, Executive General Manager for Environment Heritage and Resilience Brett Brogan, and independent directors Claudia Bels FAICD, Dr Raj Aseervatham and Geoffrey Webster.

The directors bring deep expertise across waste, infrastructure, energy, governance, risk, sustainability and complex organisational leadership, ensuring ARRC Gold Coast has strong strategic oversight as it implements the City’s vision for the ARRC precinct.

Chair Mayor Tate said the appointments reflected the City’s commitment to building an organisation with the capability and foresight needed to deliver long-term environmental and economic benefits for the Gold Coast community.

“ARRC Gold Coast is the most significant sustainability initiative ever undertaken by our city,” Chair Tate said.

“The calibre of our board reflects the ambition and scale of this program. Each Director brings expertise that will help shape a cleaner, smarter and more resilient future for the Gold Coast. Their leadership will guide the investment, governance and innovation required to build a world class circular economy precinct that our community can be proud of.”

ARRC Gold Coast Chief Executive Officer Grant Gabriel welcomed the appointments and said the board would play a central role in guiding the organisation through its next phase of growth.

“This is a board of exceptional experience and strategic insight,” Mr Gabriel said.

“Collectively they bring decades of leadership in infrastructure, waste, energy, environmental management and governance.”

“Their guidance will strengthen our organisational capability, ensure strong decision making and enable ARRC Gold Coast to deliver meaningful environmental, commercial and community outcomes. The Board will support our work to unlock the full value of resource recovery on the east coast of Australia. With their expertise, the Gold Coast is positioned to become an international leader in innovation, advanced recycling, and sustainable infrastructure delivery.”

Located at Stapylton on the northern Gold Coast, the ARRC will deliver long-term environmental and economic benefits for the City of Gold Coast and beyond.

The ARRC precinct spans eight planned facilities, including organics processing, advanced recycling, education, innovation and future energy recovery. As a council-controlled entity, ARRC Gold Coast is responsible for delivering a modern, integrated system that transforms residual materials into valuable resources, strengthens domestic recycling capability, and reduces the city’s reliance on landfill.

The appointment of the inaugural board follows the recent establishment of ARRC Organics and the acquisition of the Yatala organics processing facility, marking the first operational milestone in the ARRC precinct.

Tom Tate, City of Gold Coast Mayor and Board Chair

Tom Tate has served as Mayor of the City of Gold Coast since 2012 and was re‑elected for a fourth term in 2024. A civil engineer by training, his career spans construction, tourism and hospitality. As Mayor, he oversees major city priorities including economic development, infrastructure, planning and regulatory reform. He is responsible for guiding the city’s preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and focuses on supporting long‑term economic growth, efficient council services and improved livability. Born in Asia and multilingual, he has lived on the Gold Coast for decades with his wife, Ruth and family.

Mark Hammel, City of Gold Coast Deputy Mayor and Division 1 Councillor and Board Director

Mark Hammel is the Deputy Mayor of the City of Gold Coast, Councillor for Division 1, and Chair of the Planning and Regulation Committee. A lifelong northern Gold Coast resident, he plays a central role in planning for population growth, environmental protection and long‑term infrastructure delivery. His professional background includes surveying, business development, commercial real estate and operational experience with national waste management firm JJ Richards and Sons. This mix of public and private sector experience supports his work on sustainable development and strategic investment for the city.

Tim Baker, City of Gold Coast Chief Executive Officer and Board Director

As CEO of the City of Gold Coast, Tim has driven Australia’s single largest council transformation, delivering $438 million in savings for ratepayers and projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2032. He established controlled entities including Experience Gold Coast, Brand Gold Coast, Invest Gold Coast and the Advanced Resource Recovery Centre (ARCC). Tim previously served as Secretary of Tasmania’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, leading major reform, strengthening regulatory systems and delivering initiatives across environmental management, national parks, tourism and emergency response. He has held statutory and board roles, holds a Bachelor of Information Systems, Stanford University executive training and is an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate.

Brett Brogan, City of Gold Coast Executive General Manager, Environment, Heritage and Resilience and Board Director

Brett Brogan is the City of Gold Coast’s Executive General Manager, Environment, Heritage and Resilience. His career includes senior roles in state and local government, overseeing major infrastructure, environmental policy, sustainability initiatives and heritage programs. He has delivered complex projects such as the Cairns Convention Centre upgrade, South Bank’s New Performing Arts Venue and regional health and corrections initiatives. Brett is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an Executive Fellow of ANZSOG and a recipient of the National Emergency Medal.

Claudia Bels FAICD, Independent, Non-Executive Board Director

Claudia Bels is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an experienced Non-Executive Director with extensive governance, legal, financial and risk management experience across national and global organisations. She is Chair of the Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform, a leading stewardship body for electronic waste, and is a Non-Executive Director with Endeavour Energy. Her director and senior executive career include leadership roles in financial services, international finance, investment and circular economy. Ms Bels brings high level governance capability, deep sustainability expertise and strong industry leadership to the Board.

Dr Raj Aseervatham, Independent, Non-Executive Board Director

Dr Raj Aseervatham is an engineer with a PhD, MBA and nearly four decades of experience in mining, energy and infrastructure. He has held senior roles in major ASX‑listed companies including BHP, Rio Tinto and Origin Energy, and has also consulted internationally across Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia. His experience spans project development, regulatory approval processes, social licence management and responsible production auditing. Raj is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of Engineers Australia and has served two terms as National President and Board Chair of Engineers Australia.

Geoffrey Webster, Independent, Non-Executive Board Director

Geoffrey Webster is an executive leader with extensive waste industry experience within national and international organisations across government, the private sector and not-for-profits. His career has included senior roles covering strategic operations, governance, organisational performance, transformation and financial management within the waste sector. Mr Webster has advised multiple local government agencies on reform, capability building and service delivery improvement as well as stage government agencies on policy and reform. He brings a balanced perspective on governance, operational efficiency and strategic oversight.

Grant Gabriel FIEAust CPEng, Chief Executive Officer, ARRC Gold Coast

Grant Gabriel is CEO of ARRC Gold Coast and has more than 20 years’ experience in infrastructure delivery, utilities and circular economy programs. He led the establishment of ARRC Gold Coast and ARRC Organics, including governance frameworks, organisational design, commercial formation and regulatory approvals. Grant oversees strategic direction, operational performance and delivery of the ARRC precinct, targeting 97 per cent landfill diversion. He has managed major commercial negotiations, including acquiring and integrating a large organics facility, and ensures the organisation delivers environmental, commercial and community value.

Michelle Seagg, Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary

Michelle Seagg is the Chief Operating Officer for ARRC Gold Coast and Company Secretary for ARRC Organics. She is an accomplished executive leader with deep expertise across corporate governance, legal and regulatory compliance, people and culture, organisational development and enterprise strategy. Michelle has played a pivotal role in establishing ARRC Organics Pty Ltd and steering its transition from inception to a legally established, well governed and operationally effective entity. With a background spanning corporate leadership, transformation programs, mergers, divestments and complex corporate environments, Michelle brings a unique blend of strategic insight and operational execution.