Professor Jim Johnston is the inventor of the CaSil technology and co-founder of CaSil Technologies Ltd. He has over 40 years’ experience in new materials, products and technology research and development, and progressing them through pilot scale operation to commercialisation, working with NZ and international companies. His research has founded several new technology-based companies. He is internationally recognised as a leader in geothermal chemistry, enhancing energy recovery and in developing silica-based environmentally beneficial products. He has strong linkages with the geothermal industry, Iwi and farming

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of NZ and a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Chemistry. Jim’s awards include: Wellingtonian of the Year (Science and Technology), Royal Society of New Zealand Thompson Medal for Excellence in Science and Technology, The New Zealand Institute of Chemistry Industrial Chemistry Prize, the Bayer Research Award (Germany and NZ), a Victoria University of Wellington Research Excellence Award, winner of the 2020 KiwiNet Baldwins Researcher Entrepreneur Award and the 2020 KiwiNet BNZ Supreme Award. He has been awarded a number of MBIE research grants to progress his industry-based research.

Dr Thomas Borrmann has 20 years of experience in silica chemistry, geothermal systems and the CaSil technology product development. He has extensive practical chemistry experience and science leadership in the laboratory and scale-up plant development, and process chemistry..

He has strong linkages with the geothermal industry.

He designed the first CaSil proof-of-concept pilot plant, which used Wairakei geothermal water (2017-2018). This enabled design and operation of the automated demonstration CaSil pilot plant. He leads the process chemistry R&D and commercial implementation of the CaSil Technology.

Dr Michael Schweig has significant expertise in chemical and process engineering and the CaSil technology. He led the design, construction and operation of a PLC controlled geothermal pilot plant and scaled-up design to continuously produce the nano-structured calcium siicate material.

He is knowledgeable in the engineering design and regulatory requirements for geothermal process equipment, and is an expert in CAD, and dynamic flow modelling. He leads the engineering of the commercial-scale development and commercial implementation of proprietary technology.

Dr Putri Fraser has substantial expertise in CaSil chemistry, inorganic phosphate and nitrate, and environmental chemistry.

Her knowledge and skills in analytical chemistry, material characterisation and performance testing are integral to the development and commercialisation of CaSil technology, the smart CaSil-based fertiliser, and in other products in laboratory development.

Sir Neville Jordan KNZM CNZM, is a graduate engineer and has an honorary Doctorate from Canterbury University. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Professional Engineers NZ and has been awarded the UK IEE Kirby Medal for “outstanding eminence and distinction in advanced technology”.

Neville has served on numerous and varied Ministerial Advisory committees and Boards for the Australian and NZ governments.

He has founded or co-founded over 30 science/tech startup companies including his microwave telecommunications company that achieved a successful IPO on the NASDAQ Main Board.

He received the Governor General's Supreme award for Exporting and is a Laureate of both the NZ Hi-Tech Hall of Fame and the Business Hall of Fame.

He is a Past President, Royal Society of NZ, and Past Chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington.

Knighted by Royal Assent in 2015 for “Services to business, science and the community”.