Each year Appita holds a New Speaker Competition. The purpose of the Appita New Speaker Contest is to provide an opportunity for first-time presenters to develop their presentation skills and present in front of a large audience as part of their ongoing career development.

Top Left: Nafty Vanderhoek, Andrew McNish, Opal, Ana Serna (Winner), Norske Skog, Howard Burvill, Wood Beca, Adele Elice-Invaso, Appita.   Top Right: Evie Brake, OjiFS Tasman; Shally Nacis, Oji FS Kinleith (Winner); Blanche Herbert, Essity
Bottom Left: Matthew O'Connor, Norske Skog, John Della Bosca, Valmet, Ana Serna, Norske Skog, Camillo Lopez Aguirre, Norske Skog.  Bottom Right: Kim McGrouther, Scion; Evie Brake, OjiFS Tasman; Shally Nacis, Oji FS Kinleith (Winner); Blanche Herbert, Essity; Paul Robilliard, Wood Beca; Andre Pansegrouw, Valmet.

We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Appita New Speaker Runoff Competitions in Australia and New Zealand.  Shally Nacis, Plant Engineer at Oji Fibre Solutions Kinleith for her presentation “Kinleith No 2 Pulpmill Screen Floor Improvement Project” and Ana Serna, Business Improvement Process Engineer at Norske Skog, secures the top spot with her 'TMP Fractionation Improvement Project' presentation.  Sally and Ana will go head to head at the finals which will be held in conjunction with the Appita Fibre Revolution Conference, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Melbourne Australia  24th November.

A big congratulations to our winners Shally Nacis and Ana Serna and to all of our runner-ups, Evie Blake,  Graduate Process Engineer, Oji Tasman; Blanche Herbert, Graduate Process Engineer, Essity and Andrew McNish, Process Safety Engineer, Opal.

Thank you to our sponsors, Albany International, Asten Johnson, Andritz, Aurelia Consulting, BTG, Chemiplas NZ, Kemira, Manildra, Scandinavian Electronics, Solenis, Solenis NZ, Scion, Solvay, UJL Solutions, Valmet and Wood Beca for supporting this year’s event.

A special thanks to our judges - Paul Robilliard, Wood Beca; Kim McGrouther, Scion; Andre Pansegrouw, Valmet; Howard Burvill, Wood Beca and Nafty Vanderhoek and to everyone who participated and supported our talented speakers in this exciting competition. It was great to see such a great turnout.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the finals in Melbourne!

2023 COMPETITION FINALS - Australia vs New Zealand!
24 November 2023, The Fibre Revolution Conference, Clarendon Rooms A&B, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Melbourne Australia.  

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