At AGL, we believe progress is powered by our people. That’s why we’re showcasing our People Promise and the unique employee experiences we offer our people right across the business.
Here Chris Goodyear, Head of Legal – Major Projects, Operations and People, shares some of his experiences at AGL and how, as a business, we’re overcoming complex challenges and delivering exceptional outcomes for our communities.
Collaboration is the name of the game
Around two months after I started at AGL, I was providing advice on a major outage at the Liddell Power Station, and that was when I knew I had made the right decision to work for this business.
We urgently needed to return Unit 1 to service, but the team was working with supplier terms and conditions that we felt did not align with AGL’s risk appetite. I conducted a review of the relevant agreement and sat down with our leaders to work collaboratively on a detailed risk assessment. We identified each risk and considered practical mitigation measures, making joint decisions on any ‘deal breakers.’
During this very collaborative and open process, I felt like an integral part of the project team, and I learnt a lot. It was a hugely positive career achievement and reinforced my choice to join AGL.
Signed, sealed and Silverton
There are so many moments that I look back on as standouts, but one of the best was the day that we achieved financial close on the Silverton Wind Farm.
The project was the first greenfield wind project developed with the Powering Australian Renewables Fund, and the schedule was incredibly ambitious. After a challenging but incredibly rewarding 12 months, with the project team pulling out all stops to meet every milestone, we closed the project out.
The morning that we achieved financial close was intense. Coming into the office that morning, I was ready for lender status calls every 30 minutes and had ensured all the executed documents and other deliverables were in hand. Even with this methodical preparation, we were chasing legal opinions and insurance certificates right up to the 10am deadline to confirm conditions precedent were satisfied.
Around 4pm that day, after confirming funds transfers and ensuring all final notices had been sent, we closed out the deal and the relief was palpable, you could almost hear everyone letting out a giant breath.
For those involved in the project, this experience bonded us as a team – with everyone from power development, corporate development, external legal and other internal stakeholders working towards a common goal in record time. It was also a great demonstration of our AGL values, particularly better together and deliver your best.
Unprecedented challenges and opportunities
AGL’s brand and the initiatives we have taken to progress Australia’s energy transition is something I am very proud to be a part of. While short-term results are important, the company’s trajectory is even more important to me, and I feel a connection with the direction that the business is heading.
From our Greenhouse Gas Policy and Climate Statement, to our investment in renewable energy, carbon neutral products and expansions into telecommunications, AGL has been on a journey of continual positive change since I joined in 2014.
Our response to recent events, including the Australian bushfire crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as our dedicated support for our customers and communities through other hardships, shows great integrity, authenticity and accountability. These are core values that I live by, and I am proud to work for a company that shares these values.
Careers at AGL
Does Chris’ story inspire you to be part of the family at AGL?
Find out more about what it’s like to work for AGL, and have a look through our current job opportunities, via our AGL Careers page.