Leadership
Board of Directors
Paul CooperChairman
B. Bus (Accounting), GAICD, FCPA, CTA
Skills and experience
Paul Cooper is Chairman of the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre Ltd (AMGC) and, Owner and Executive Chair of Rinstrum Pty Ltd. Paul was appointed to the AMGC Board in 2015 and is tasked with overseeing the implementation of AMGC’s strategy and its alignment with the overall Federal Government’s Growth Centre Initiative.
Paul has over 25 years’ manufacturing industry experience as owner and Executive Chair of Rinstrum, an industrial electronics manufacturing company. Rinstrum is based in Brisbane and actively exports to global markets with subsidiaries in the United States, Germany, India and Sri Lanka.
Other directorships and offices
- Chairman of Manufacturing Skills Queensland Ltd
- Director of Vadain International Pty Ltd
- Director of Horizon Two Capital Partners Pty Ltd
Not-for-profit directorships
- Chair of Audit and Risk Management Committee for Queensland Department of Premier and Cabinet
Dr Jens GoennemannManaging Director
PhD (Econ), BA (Business)
Skills and Experience
Jens has been Managing Director since AMGC’s inception. He brings extensive experience from overseeing large manufacturing operations in Australia and Europe. Jens served as Managing Director of Airbus Group Australia Pacific and Airbus Helicopters. Before his eight-year appointment to Australia, Jens spent six years in Germany with the former European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), today known as Airbus Group. He was Head of the CEO’s office in Germany, and before that in charge of Soldier and Parafoil Systems within the Defence Division. Previously, Jens spent two years in Athens where he established and managed the Eurofighter Office of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, one of the three founding partner companies of EADS. He began his career with Daimler-Benz AG in January 1996.
Other directorships and offices
- Chairman of the Board / German Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce
- Chairman of the Advisory Board / AW Bell
- Former member of the Board / Innovative Manufacturing CRC
- Former member of the Prime Minister’s National COVID-19 Coordination Commission Manufacturing Taskforce and Prime Minister’s Industry 4.0 Taskforce
Kelly GodeauChief Operating OfficerExecutive Director
BA (Hons I)
Experience
Kelly is Chief Operating Officer at AMGC. She joined the organisation in 2016 and is on its board of directors.
Kelly brings 20 years of international experience having worked at global technology company Microsoft covering its North America marketing services, and then transferring to Paris to oversee Microsoft’s Intellectual Property Protection across Europe, Middle East, and Africa. She has also worked at the cyber security firm, Symantec, and advised government officials in Brussels.
Leadership Team
Matthew CroninState Director, Western Australia
Bachelor of Agriculture Economics, University of Sydney; Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance, Macquarie University; Advanced Negotiation Skills, Clayton Utz
Experience
Matthew Cronin joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in September 2024 as the State Director, Western Australia. Matthew began his career in corporate banking and finance in Sydney, and has been focussed on the energy transition in one way or another since helping establish Suncorp’s direct equity investment business, SunCapital, in 2007.
He has been WA-based since 2013, relocating to take the Head of Regulation & Investment Management role at Western Power, followed by executive roles with ATCO Gas and Water Corporation. Matthew’s State Director position is part of a partnership between AMGC and the WA government to drive advanced manufacturing activity in the wind energy supply chains. The co-investment fund aims to enhance the capacity and capability of local businesses to participate in wind turbine manufacturing and servicing supply chains. Away from work, Matthew enjoys working through two lists: one of Australian literature, and another of Japan’s 100 famous mountains.
Other directorships and offices
- Director, Blackbird Management Consulting
- Contractor/Volunteer, Australian Business Volunteers
- Member, Desert Knowledge Australia’s Risk Audit Committee
Angela DoyleIndustry Liaison, Western Australia
Cert. Disruptive Strategy (Harvard Business School), MBA (Curtin University), B. Ed (Edith Cowan University), GAICD
Experience
Angela Doyle joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in 2018 as State Director – Western Australia.
In the previous eight years, Angela worked with over 150 businesses in her role as a Business Adviser with AusIndustry’s Entrepreneurs’ Programme (formerly Enterprise Connect). Through comprehensive business management analyses, she helped these companies to improve their business performance and to grow. These firms have come from all corners of Western Australia covering the resources, engineering and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Previously, Angela spent 17 years in senior management roles including General Manager of Issey Sunshade Systems, CEO of SIDS and Kids WA and leading a team of science and technology educators at Scitech Discovery Centre.
Mark PetersState Director, QueenslandNational Director Projects
CPA, GAICD, Dip. (Corporate Management)
Experience
Mark Peters joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) in 2017 and is the National Director, Projects as well as State Director, Queensland and is based near Brisbane. Under Mark’s leadership, manufacturers are encouraged to automate their manufacturing processes and enter global supply chains. He helps companies deliver greater commercial outcomes through strong collaboration with research institutions and lift skills across management and the workplace. Previously, Mark worked as a Business Advisor as part of the Entrepreneurs’ Programme. He has worked with hundreds of firms covering diverse manufacturing industries, such as clean energy, critical minerals, food and agribusiness, medical devices, space, defence, and recycling. Mark has held a number of directorships with commercial and NFP organisations and is an experienced Chair. He has a commercial background as a CEO with companies in the process control and motion control industries.
Charmaine PhillipsTerritory Director, Northern Territory
FAIOP, Masters of Business Management
Experience
Charmaine joined the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre in September 2021 as Director, Northern Territory (NT). Before this, Charmaine was in charge of Business Development and Client Services, Acting Chief Executive Officer and Operations Manager for the Industry Capability (ICN) Network NT, where she worked with thousands of businesses and led strategic activities including capability mapping and gap analysis for the Territory.
Charmaine joined AMGC in a role created as part of a 2020 AMGC-NT Government agreement to invest $8.75 million over five years in fast-tracking innovation among manufacturers in the Northern Territory. The effort continues a long involvement in the Territory’s industrial community for Charmaine, whose resume includes co-founding Top End Steel Supplies and over a decade as Director at R J Welding & Fabrication Solutions. Charmaine holds a range of qualifications across Human Resources, Management and Training disciplines.
Tyson BowenState Director, New South WalesDirector Media and Government Relations
Experience
Tyson began as Manager, PR and Communications in December 2019. He has held senior communications roles for technology and other businesses over the past 15 years, with most of his career spent in the automotive industry, including at MSR Group, Lexus Australia, and Peugeot Citroen Australia. After beginning university by studying two years of geomatic engineering, he shifted to public relations. Tyson’s background combining engineering, automotive and telecommunications gives him an appreciation of the technical as well as the importance of conveying this in a compelling and accessible way.
Ellen McGarrityManager, Business
Experience
Ellen commenced as Communications and Membership Associate in June 2017. She is an experienced client service professional having worked with a large multinational organisation consisting of over 1000 global members. Ellen is responsible for the day to day membership experience and communications activities. Prior to joining AMGC, Ellen was Assistant Operations Manager at The Executive Centre, one of a variety of roles she held at the organisation. This followed positions as Client Service Leader and Client Service Associate.
Emilia ShelstonManager, Marketing and Communications
Bachelor of Communications, Digital and Social Media
Experience
Emilia began as Communications Coordinator in February 2020. Her background is in client-facing roles, most recently as part of the customer service team at BlueFit. Emilia graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, majoring in digital and social media. During her degree she interned at refugee, asylum-seeker and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) advocacy group Settlement Services International. Emilia is fascinated by the role of advanced manufacturing in helping deliver sustainable outcomes and a more just world.