Competition watchdog exec first boss at think tank

Launched last year by economist Ross Garnaut, chaired by former ACCC chair Rod Sims, the Superpower Institute (TSI) has appointed ex-ACCC economics lead Baethan Mullen as its inaugural CEO.

With more than 20 years' experience in public policy, competition and advocacy, Mullen will lead efforts in research and policy at the new climate-focused think tank.

TSI was created to "help Australia seize the immense economic opportunities of the post-carbon world".

Mullen will work towards helping Australia leverage its renewable energy resources and scientific and engineering capabilities, to become a green export "superpower".

This includes furthering the required policy settings and market incentives needed and providing practical knowledge to governments and industry to realise this opportunity.

Mullen has worked at the Essential Services Commission, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Commonwealth Treasury and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

He has qualifications from Harvard, Melbourne University and the Australian National University.

Sims commented: "His previous experience at the ACCC, as general manager in charge of economics and international issues, will be pivotal to The Superpower Institute as we prosecute the case for Australia to underpin its next phase of growth with the transition to a net zero economy focused on our comparative advantage.

"Baethan's experience in competition issues and economic regulation is essential to TSI. Since inception, our value-add as an institute is focused on unlocking the policy, regulatory and market incentives needed to make Australia an economic superpower and providing practical knowledge to governments and industry to realise this opportunity.

"Baethan comes to The Superpower Institute from the Essential Services Commission, having led a 70-person team delivering the largest energy efficiency program in the country."

Commenting on his appointment, Mullen said: "Rod Sims and Ross Garnaut have laid an excellent foundation for the work of the institute.

"I've come on board to help enable the Institute's vision because securing Australia's place in a decarbonised global economic order is a once in a century economic opportunity.

"The Institute will now seek to embed its strong policy framework into the political and economic narrative, and I look forward to driving that agenda."