Make way for EY's energy transition team amid deal frenzy
EY's bench includes four seasoned dealmakers, all of whom migrated across from PwC last year. There's ex-Rothschild managing director Danny Bessell; young gun David Fair, who started his career at ICA; Belinda Cogswell, whose advisory experience spans government and investment banking; and power and utilities specialist Michael Newman.
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The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
GWM becomes a permanent resident at former GM Holden proving ground
In a poignant sign of the times, GWM has taken up permanent residency at the former General Motors proving ground in Lang Lang, where it will continue to conduct Australian chassis tuning for its entire model range under the direction of ex-Holden engineering guru Rob Trubiani. Underlining the Chinese automaker's position as one of the few brands to conduct local product development these days – alongside the likes of Ford and Kia – GWM says the move will ensure its vehicles "are optimised not just for performance, but for the comfort, confidence, and control that Australian and New Zealand drivers expect". GWM, which wants to be a top-five auto brand Down Under, said the Lang Lang Proving Ground, as it's now known, "will form the cornerstone of a comprehensive localisation strategy, enabling GWM to engineer dedicated ride and handling packages, undertake full vehicle integration, and execute precision tuning across its growing product portfolio". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The fast-growing brand is the only automaker to become a permanent resident of the proving ground since GM sold the historic purpose-built facility 95km southeast of Melbourne to Vietnamese automaker VinFast in September 2020, as part of its decision to kill off the Holden brand following the end of Australian manufacturing in 2017. VinFast remains the owner of the sprawling 877-hectare facility, which was opened in 1957 and has been used to test every locally produced Holden since the FC of 1958, after a deal with three potential new owners reportedly fell through at the 11 hour in October 2024. GWM describes the major milestone in its vehicle localisation strategy as the culmination of its "deliberate and determined efforts to evolve its product offering for the ANZ [Australia and New Zealand] region, a commitment fuelled by continuous feedback from customers, media, and dealer partners". It says Lang Lang will become "the heart of GWM's mission to deliver more refined and locally tuned vehicles" and that its expanded commitment to local chassis tuning comes after several years of "listening closely, learning, and adapting within global parameters". GWM appointed Mr Trubiani, who has a distinguished automotive engineering career spanned 25 years, many of them driving still-secret Holdens at Lang Lang, to lead its intensified product localisation program. "With full-time access to Lang Lang now secured, this is far more than symbolic – it's a statement of intent," said GWM ANZ COO, John Kett. "When Rob presented the idea of establishing Lang Lang as our home base for local development, it was met with overwhelming support, both locally and from our global leadership. "Rob has been relentless in defining what the true GWM feel should be for our markets, and with the right tools now in place, we're confident this investment will deliver improved products right here on home soil." Mr Trubiani said his return to Lang Lang was satisfying from both a personal and professional perspective. "Lang Lang is an iconic proving ground, one of the best in the world," he said. "It's an absolute dream to be back, developing great cars specifically for Australian and New Zealand drivers. I know this track like the back of my hand, having spent a considerable amount of my career here with Holden. "The intimate knowledge I have of the road network, combined with understanding the high performance benchmarks required here, is key to 'Aussifying' our vehicles and ensuring what we develop here translates directly to real-world driving. "LLPG provides me the ability to push vehicle dynamics to the edge, identifying precisely where we can optimise and improve. We're not just tweaking cars, we're transforming them to deliver the confidence, control, and comfort that local drivers deserve." GWM's engineering team has already used Lang Lang to fine-tune several models for Australia, but the brand says long-term residency at the facility will "unlock even greater opportunities for collaboration, faster iteration, and more ambitious goals". The brand says permanent access to the proving ground now allows it to "apply deeper scrutiny and a more rigorous development process under genuine Australian conditions, building vehicles that feel truly at home on local roads". GWM said that in the coming months it would showcase the results of Mr Trubiani's work across multiple vehicle platforms as part of a program codenamed AT1, which will demonstrate the ride and handling enhancements shaped by feedback from the local market. Furthermore, it said it will outline how his expertise is "already showing potential to shape future global [vehicle] programs, ensuring that vehicles destined for Australia and New Zealand are developed with local road conditions, driving styles, and customer expectations in mind from the outset". MORE: Everything GWM Content originally sourced from: In a poignant sign of the times, GWM has taken up permanent residency at the former General Motors proving ground in Lang Lang, where it will continue to conduct Australian chassis tuning for its entire model range under the direction of ex-Holden engineering guru Rob Trubiani. Underlining the Chinese automaker's position as one of the few brands to conduct local product development these days – alongside the likes of Ford and Kia – GWM says the move will ensure its vehicles "are optimised not just for performance, but for the comfort, confidence, and control that Australian and New Zealand drivers expect". GWM, which wants to be a top-five auto brand Down Under, said the Lang Lang Proving Ground, as it's now known, "will form the cornerstone of a comprehensive localisation strategy, enabling GWM to engineer dedicated ride and handling packages, undertake full vehicle integration, and execute precision tuning across its growing product portfolio". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The fast-growing brand is the only automaker to become a permanent resident of the proving ground since GM sold the historic purpose-built facility 95km southeast of Melbourne to Vietnamese automaker VinFast in September 2020, as part of its decision to kill off the Holden brand following the end of Australian manufacturing in 2017. VinFast remains the owner of the sprawling 877-hectare facility, which was opened in 1957 and has been used to test every locally produced Holden since the FC of 1958, after a deal with three potential new owners reportedly fell through at the 11 hour in October 2024. GWM describes the major milestone in its vehicle localisation strategy as the culmination of its "deliberate and determined efforts to evolve its product offering for the ANZ [Australia and New Zealand] region, a commitment fuelled by continuous feedback from customers, media, and dealer partners". It says Lang Lang will become "the heart of GWM's mission to deliver more refined and locally tuned vehicles" and that its expanded commitment to local chassis tuning comes after several years of "listening closely, learning, and adapting within global parameters". GWM appointed Mr Trubiani, who has a distinguished automotive engineering career spanned 25 years, many of them driving still-secret Holdens at Lang Lang, to lead its intensified product localisation program. "With full-time access to Lang Lang now secured, this is far more than symbolic – it's a statement of intent," said GWM ANZ COO, John Kett. "When Rob presented the idea of establishing Lang Lang as our home base for local development, it was met with overwhelming support, both locally and from our global leadership. "Rob has been relentless in defining what the true GWM feel should be for our markets, and with the right tools now in place, we're confident this investment will deliver improved products right here on home soil." Mr Trubiani said his return to Lang Lang was satisfying from both a personal and professional perspective. "Lang Lang is an iconic proving ground, one of the best in the world," he said. "It's an absolute dream to be back, developing great cars specifically for Australian and New Zealand drivers. I know this track like the back of my hand, having spent a considerable amount of my career here with Holden. "The intimate knowledge I have of the road network, combined with understanding the high performance benchmarks required here, is key to 'Aussifying' our vehicles and ensuring what we develop here translates directly to real-world driving. "LLPG provides me the ability to push vehicle dynamics to the edge, identifying precisely where we can optimise and improve. We're not just tweaking cars, we're transforming them to deliver the confidence, control, and comfort that local drivers deserve." GWM's engineering team has already used Lang Lang to fine-tune several models for Australia, but the brand says long-term residency at the facility will "unlock even greater opportunities for collaboration, faster iteration, and more ambitious goals". The brand says permanent access to the proving ground now allows it to "apply deeper scrutiny and a more rigorous development process under genuine Australian conditions, building vehicles that feel truly at home on local roads". GWM said that in the coming months it would showcase the results of Mr Trubiani's work across multiple vehicle platforms as part of a program codenamed AT1, which will demonstrate the ride and handling enhancements shaped by feedback from the local market. Furthermore, it said it will outline how his expertise is "already showing potential to shape future global [vehicle] programs, ensuring that vehicles destined for Australia and New Zealand are developed with local road conditions, driving styles, and customer expectations in mind from the outset". MORE: Everything GWM Content originally sourced from: In a poignant sign of the times, GWM has taken up permanent residency at the former General Motors proving ground in Lang Lang, where it will continue to conduct Australian chassis tuning for its entire model range under the direction of ex-Holden engineering guru Rob Trubiani. Underlining the Chinese automaker's position as one of the few brands to conduct local product development these days – alongside the likes of Ford and Kia – GWM says the move will ensure its vehicles "are optimised not just for performance, but for the comfort, confidence, and control that Australian and New Zealand drivers expect". GWM, which wants to be a top-five auto brand Down Under, said the Lang Lang Proving Ground, as it's now known, "will form the cornerstone of a comprehensive localisation strategy, enabling GWM to engineer dedicated ride and handling packages, undertake full vehicle integration, and execute precision tuning across its growing product portfolio". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The fast-growing brand is the only automaker to become a permanent resident of the proving ground since GM sold the historic purpose-built facility 95km southeast of Melbourne to Vietnamese automaker VinFast in September 2020, as part of its decision to kill off the Holden brand following the end of Australian manufacturing in 2017. VinFast remains the owner of the sprawling 877-hectare facility, which was opened in 1957 and has been used to test every locally produced Holden since the FC of 1958, after a deal with three potential new owners reportedly fell through at the 11 hour in October 2024. GWM describes the major milestone in its vehicle localisation strategy as the culmination of its "deliberate and determined efforts to evolve its product offering for the ANZ [Australia and New Zealand] region, a commitment fuelled by continuous feedback from customers, media, and dealer partners". It says Lang Lang will become "the heart of GWM's mission to deliver more refined and locally tuned vehicles" and that its expanded commitment to local chassis tuning comes after several years of "listening closely, learning, and adapting within global parameters". GWM appointed Mr Trubiani, who has a distinguished automotive engineering career spanned 25 years, many of them driving still-secret Holdens at Lang Lang, to lead its intensified product localisation program. "With full-time access to Lang Lang now secured, this is far more than symbolic – it's a statement of intent," said GWM ANZ COO, John Kett. "When Rob presented the idea of establishing Lang Lang as our home base for local development, it was met with overwhelming support, both locally and from our global leadership. "Rob has been relentless in defining what the true GWM feel should be for our markets, and with the right tools now in place, we're confident this investment will deliver improved products right here on home soil." Mr Trubiani said his return to Lang Lang was satisfying from both a personal and professional perspective. "Lang Lang is an iconic proving ground, one of the best in the world," he said. "It's an absolute dream to be back, developing great cars specifically for Australian and New Zealand drivers. I know this track like the back of my hand, having spent a considerable amount of my career here with Holden. "The intimate knowledge I have of the road network, combined with understanding the high performance benchmarks required here, is key to 'Aussifying' our vehicles and ensuring what we develop here translates directly to real-world driving. "LLPG provides me the ability to push vehicle dynamics to the edge, identifying precisely where we can optimise and improve. We're not just tweaking cars, we're transforming them to deliver the confidence, control, and comfort that local drivers deserve." GWM's engineering team has already used Lang Lang to fine-tune several models for Australia, but the brand says long-term residency at the facility will "unlock even greater opportunities for collaboration, faster iteration, and more ambitious goals". The brand says permanent access to the proving ground now allows it to "apply deeper scrutiny and a more rigorous development process under genuine Australian conditions, building vehicles that feel truly at home on local roads". GWM said that in the coming months it would showcase the results of Mr Trubiani's work across multiple vehicle platforms as part of a program codenamed AT1, which will demonstrate the ride and handling enhancements shaped by feedback from the local market. Furthermore, it said it will outline how his expertise is "already showing potential to shape future global [vehicle] programs, ensuring that vehicles destined for Australia and New Zealand are developed with local road conditions, driving styles, and customer expectations in mind from the outset". MORE: Everything GWM Content originally sourced from: In a poignant sign of the times, GWM has taken up permanent residency at the former General Motors proving ground in Lang Lang, where it will continue to conduct Australian chassis tuning for its entire model range under the direction of ex-Holden engineering guru Rob Trubiani. Underlining the Chinese automaker's position as one of the few brands to conduct local product development these days – alongside the likes of Ford and Kia – GWM says the move will ensure its vehicles "are optimised not just for performance, but for the comfort, confidence, and control that Australian and New Zealand drivers expect". GWM, which wants to be a top-five auto brand Down Under, said the Lang Lang Proving Ground, as it's now known, "will form the cornerstone of a comprehensive localisation strategy, enabling GWM to engineer dedicated ride and handling packages, undertake full vehicle integration, and execute precision tuning across its growing product portfolio". CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The fast-growing brand is the only automaker to become a permanent resident of the proving ground since GM sold the historic purpose-built facility 95km southeast of Melbourne to Vietnamese automaker VinFast in September 2020, as part of its decision to kill off the Holden brand following the end of Australian manufacturing in 2017. VinFast remains the owner of the sprawling 877-hectare facility, which was opened in 1957 and has been used to test every locally produced Holden since the FC of 1958, after a deal with three potential new owners reportedly fell through at the 11 hour in October 2024. GWM describes the major milestone in its vehicle localisation strategy as the culmination of its "deliberate and determined efforts to evolve its product offering for the ANZ [Australia and New Zealand] region, a commitment fuelled by continuous feedback from customers, media, and dealer partners". It says Lang Lang will become "the heart of GWM's mission to deliver more refined and locally tuned vehicles" and that its expanded commitment to local chassis tuning comes after several years of "listening closely, learning, and adapting within global parameters". GWM appointed Mr Trubiani, who has a distinguished automotive engineering career spanned 25 years, many of them driving still-secret Holdens at Lang Lang, to lead its intensified product localisation program. "With full-time access to Lang Lang now secured, this is far more than symbolic – it's a statement of intent," said GWM ANZ COO, John Kett. "When Rob presented the idea of establishing Lang Lang as our home base for local development, it was met with overwhelming support, both locally and from our global leadership. "Rob has been relentless in defining what the true GWM feel should be for our markets, and with the right tools now in place, we're confident this investment will deliver improved products right here on home soil." Mr Trubiani said his return to Lang Lang was satisfying from both a personal and professional perspective. "Lang Lang is an iconic proving ground, one of the best in the world," he said. "It's an absolute dream to be back, developing great cars specifically for Australian and New Zealand drivers. I know this track like the back of my hand, having spent a considerable amount of my career here with Holden. "The intimate knowledge I have of the road network, combined with understanding the high performance benchmarks required here, is key to 'Aussifying' our vehicles and ensuring what we develop here translates directly to real-world driving. "LLPG provides me the ability to push vehicle dynamics to the edge, identifying precisely where we can optimise and improve. We're not just tweaking cars, we're transforming them to deliver the confidence, control, and comfort that local drivers deserve." GWM's engineering team has already used Lang Lang to fine-tune several models for Australia, but the brand says long-term residency at the facility will "unlock even greater opportunities for collaboration, faster iteration, and more ambitious goals". The brand says permanent access to the proving ground now allows it to "apply deeper scrutiny and a more rigorous development process under genuine Australian conditions, building vehicles that feel truly at home on local roads". GWM said that in the coming months it would showcase the results of Mr Trubiani's work across multiple vehicle platforms as part of a program codenamed AT1, which will demonstrate the ride and handling enhancements shaped by feedback from the local market. Furthermore, it said it will outline how his expertise is "already showing potential to shape future global [vehicle] programs, ensuring that vehicles destined for Australia and New Zealand are developed with local road conditions, driving styles, and customer expectations in mind from the outset". MORE: Everything GWM Content originally sourced from:
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Coastal erosion researcher warns against Gold Coast plan for bars on beaches
Beach bars could become a permanent tourist attraction on the Gold Coast from next year, but an environmental researcher warns the city's eroded beaches are in no shape to accommodate them. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said he would like the first venue to be set up at Broadbeach in the 2026 summer and packed up in winter. "The ideal beach bar is that I can go down there and enjoy the surf," Cr Tate said. A beach bar was successfully trialled at Broadbeach during the 2021–22 Christmas school holidays. Gold Coast City Council endorsed a three-year extension of the Kurrawa Beach Bar trial, but it was blocked by the Department of Natural Resources in 2022 after complaints from environmental groups. Councillor Tate said a resurrected beach bar would need to be affordable and accessible to the public, unlike some European beach clubs. Bond University coastal erosion researcher Mark Ellis said the venture wouldn't be viable given the city's beaches still bore the scars of damage inflicted during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. "The issue is you actually need to have a beach to have it on," Mr Ellis said. An estimated 6 million cubic metres of sand, the equivalent of 2,000 Olympic swimming pools, was washed away from beaches across the city. The Gold Coast City Council predicts it could take up to three years to recover from the storm, with more than $30 million already spent on a sand-pumping barge to help speed up the process. Several major events have been relocated or cancelled, including the Pacific Airshow, because of the erosion. Mr Ellis said any planned beach bar would be vulnerable to future storm threats. "I think from an environmental point of view and a climate and modelling point of view, it's not really a good long-term business model because the next storm surge is going to increase," he said. "I think we're going into a La Niña summer and La Niñas are usually profound for bringing in more storms and, when more storms come in, that leads to more erosion. While councils pay to maintain and manage Queensland beaches, the state government owns them. There has been a change of government since the Kurrawa Beach Club was shut down, and Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has publicly supported its revival. But the Gold Coast City Council would have to apply for a trustee lease if it wanted to operate a beach club long term. The Gold Coast Council has been drafting a land-management plan for the Broadbeach foreshore and it carried out community consultation last year. A city spokesperson said the final report would be ready in the coming months. While residents and businesses have previously opposed commercial activities on the beach because of noise and pollution, Cr Tate said the new proposal would have minimal impact on the community. "This is only taking a small part of the beach, not even 50 metres," he said. "We've got 66 kilometres of beach so, if you don't want to go to the beach bar, you've got [plenty of beach] to choose from."
AU Financial Review
4 days ago
- AU Financial Review
EY sacked partner over money-laundering warnings, lawsuit alleges
A former EY partner has accused the consulting giant of enabling criminal activity by ignoring warnings about high-risk clients, including Crown Resorts and Star Entertainment and Macau-based junket operators. In a lawsuit filed in New York last week, former senior partner Joe Howie claims he was demoted and sacked after he raised concerns about the criminal connections of a range of EY clients, and that the firm's decision to ignore his warnings was indicative of a systemic failure to comply with internal and external audit rules.
