Advisory Board
Jason Crusan
Bridging Complex Industrial Ecosystems with Strategic Foresight
With 25 + years leading large-scale technology programs across NASA and Woodside Energy, Jason Crusan connects innovation with execution. At NASA he led the Lunar Gateway strategy; at Woodside he advanced hydrogen and carbon-capture technologies and is now the CEO of Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth consortium (AROSE). His experience linking remote operations, partnerships, and cross-sector innovation helps Circular Ecosystems accelerate industrial transformation through symbiotic collaboration and shared value creation.
Jackie O’Dowd
Decoding Complexity Through Systems Thinking and Data-Driven Governance
Jackie O’Dowd, CEO of Realising-Potential, has 23 + years helping leaders make complexity visible. She aligns strategy, structures, people, and governance into coherent systems, simplifying data into clear, actionable insight. As Co-Chair of ICCPM’s Analytics SIG, Jackie applies a cybernetics and governance lens ensuring multi-stakeholder ecosystems remain aligned, measurable, and effective—expertise central to Circular Ecosystems mission of managing industrial complexity through collaboration.
Dr Chris Oughton
Pioneering Industrial Symbiosis Through Research and Stakeholder Orchestration
Dr Chris Oughton brings 17 + years at the intersection of industry, government, and research, including as CEO of Kwinana Industries Council. His PhD produced the KIC4 Model—the Four Dimensions of Industrial Symbiosis—defining how clusters collaborate for performance gains. Chris specialises in precinct optimisation, decarbonisation, and multi-stakeholder engagement. His ability to unite diverse actors and translate research into practical frameworks keeps Circular Ecosystems approach grounded in real-world industrial complexity.
Directors
Stephen McGurk — Director, Strategy
Architecting Industrial Transformation Through Co-Design Collaboration
Stephen McGurk, Founding Partner and Director of Strategy at Circular Ecosystems, turns complex industrial challenges into strategic opportunities through profit-for-purpose innovation. He has advised organisations from startups to multinationals, contributed to the World Economic Forum’s Circular Transformation of Industries initiative, and built partnerships with Schneider Electric and AVEVA.
His expertise in complexity leadership helps organisations use data for competitive advantage while maintaining long-term sustainability focus. Stephen leverages strategic partnerships across global industrial clusters and ports.
Ashley Olsson — Director, Industrial Circularity
Translating Ambition into Industrial-Scale Value
Ashley Olsson is an Environmental Engineer with 20 years experience delivering large industrial projects globally and being an International Expert on ISO Circular Economy Standards. From assessing industrial clusters for new project locations, where the foundations of Circular Ecosystems were first developed, to shaping circularity and climate strategies across mining, new energy, oil and gas, and automotive sectors, Ashley brings a commercially driven lens to circularity.
His systems-level approach integrates circular material, energy, and water flows to build regional resilience. As Director of Industrial Circularity, he enables clients to unlock, optimise, and commercialise material stocks and resource flows across industrial ecosystems.
David Hicks — Director, Operations
Converting Strategic Vision into Operational Reality
Founding Partner and Director of Operations, David Hicks turns ambition into executable frameworks. With cross-sector experience, he translates innovation into scalable delivery that balances commercial and environmental outcomes. David focuses on technology-enabled solutions, from resource optimisation to carbon sequestration, bridging traditional industry with circular economy principles.
His relationship-driven leadership aligns diverse stakeholders around shared goals while maintaining operational rigour. As Circular Ecosystems operational lead, he embeds circularity as a business driver, not a compliance task, forming partnerships that accelerate market-ready outcomes.
Vinnie Nici — Technology Director
Commercialising Platform Innovation at Industrial Scale
Vinnie Nici brings proven experience scaling platforms like Requis to 15 000 companies across energy and construction sectors. As Senior Director of Product Management, he integrated AI and data systems to double user growth and deliver measurable revenue outcomes.
With a Master’s in Marketing & Management, Vinnie bridges vision and execution—defining go-to-market strategies and KPIs that turn technology into commercial advantage. At Circular Ecosystems, he oversees the data architecture and integration of technologies that are adaptable, scaleable, and commercial for clients to deploy.
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Directors
Stephen McGurk — Director, Strategy
Architecting Industrial Transformation Through Co-Design Collaboration
Stephen McGurk, Founding Partner and Director of Strategy at Circular Ecosystems, turns complex industrial challenges into strategic opportunities through profit-for-purpose innovation. He has advised organisations from startups to multinationals, contributed to the World Economic Forum’s Circular Transformation of Industries initiative, and built partnerships with Schneider Electric and AVEVA.
His expertise in complexity leadership helps organisations use data for competitive advantage while maintaining long-term sustainability focus. Stephen’s vision leverages industrial intelligence and digital product passports to create closed-loop ecosystems across global value chains and ports.
Ashley Olsson — Director, Industrial Circularity
Translating Ambition into Industrial-Scale Value
Ashley Olsson is an Environmental Engineer with 20 years experience delivering large industrial projects globally and being an International Expert on ISO Circular Economy Standards. From assessing industrial clusters for new project locations, where the foundations of Circular Ecosystems were first developed, to shaping circularity and climate strategies across mining, new energy, oil and gas, and automotive sectors, Ashley brings a commercially driven lens to circularity.
His systems-level approach integrates circular material, energy, and water flows to build regional resilience. As Director of Industrial Circularity, he enables clients to unlock, optimise, and commercialise material stocks and resource flows across industrial ecosystems.
David Hicks — Director, Operations
Converting Strategic Vision into Operational Reality
Founding Partner and Director of Operations, David Hicks turns ambition into executable frameworks. With cross-sector experience, he translates innovation into scalable delivery that balances commercial and environmental outcomes. David focuses on technology-enabled solutions, from resource optimisation to carbon sequestration, bridging traditional industry with circular economy principles.
His relationship-driven leadership aligns diverse stakeholders around shared goals while maintaining operational rigour. As Circular Ecosystems operational lead, he embeds circularity as a business driver, not a compliance task, forming partnerships that accelerate market-ready outcomes.
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Vinnie Nici — Technology Director
Commercialising Platform Innovation at Industrial Scale
Vinnie Nici brings proven experience scaling platforms like Requis to 15 000 companies across energy and construction sectors. As Senior Director of Product Management, he integrated AI and data systems to double user growth and deliver measurable revenue outcomes.
With a Master’s in Marketing & Management, Vinnie bridges vision and execution—defining go-to-market strategies and KPIs that turn technology into commercial advantage. At Circular Ecosystems, he ensures the intelligence platform becomes an adoptable, scalable solution that clients deploy and pay for.
More About Us
Meet The Team
Circular Ecosystems brings together a globally experienced team of strategists, engineers, technologists, and researchers dedicated to accelerating industrial transformation. The group blends environmental engineering, digital innovation, and systems-thinking expertise with deep commercial and policy insight. The team connects theory with execution,bridging data, technology solutions, and human capital to deliver measurable circularity outcomes at scale.
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Dr Martin Anda, Environmental Engineering at Murdoch University
Advancing Circular Design and Environmental Engineering Education Dr Martin Anda, Discipline Lead for Environmental Engineering at Murdoch University, is a leading researcher and educator in circular water, energy, and waste systems. His work bridges academia and industry, guiding the next generation of engineers toward applied circularity. As a university partner, Martin strengthens Circular Ecosystems research translation and technical validation across industrial precincts and regional projects.
Dr Biji Kurup — Industrial Symbiosis Specialist
Applying the Six Capitals Framework to Strengthen Circular Ecosystems
Dr Biji Kurup, based at Murdoch University, is an Industrial Symbiosis specialist advancing circular systems thinking through applied research and industry collaboration. Her expertise lies in operationalising the Six Capitals Framework, integrating financial, manufactured, natural, human, social, and intellectual value into industrial ecosystem design. Biji supports Circular Ecosystems through research partnerships that link academic insights with on-ground implementation, enabling measurable, multidimensional value creation across industrial clusters.
University Partners