Incenta consists of a team of expert economists.
Our team members have a wealth of experience in applying economic principles to the infrastructure sectors, in both public policy and commercial settings.
Incenta is experienced at working collaboratively with other experts, including from other disciplines, and is able to draw on a network of associates when this would add value.
Jeff Balchin
Managing Director
Jeff Balchin is one of Australia's leading experts in economic regulation and the application of economic principles to the infrastructure sector more generally. Jeff has 30 years of experience in relation to economic and regulatory issues across the electricity, gas, ports, airports, water sectors in Australia and New Zealand.
He has advised governments, regulators and major corporations on issues including the development of regulatory frameworks, regulatory price reviews, competition assessments and the application of economic principles to commercial pricing and disputes. Jeff has undertaken a number of expert witness assignments.
His particular specialities have been on the application of finance principles to infrastructure pricing and regulation, the design of tariff structures, the design of incentive compatible regulation and the drafting and economic interpretation of regulatory instruments and commercial contracts.
Michael Lawriwsky
Executive Director
Michael has over 20 years of experience in economic regulation relating to a number of network and transport industries throughout Australasia.
He has advised on cost of capital and other finance issues for regulators and regulated businesses in the energy transmission and distribution, water, ports, airports, and rail sectors.
With extensive experience in investment banking, Michael has been involved in the corporatisation, privatisation and valuation of energy, aviation and tourism, wagering and gaming businesses, toll roads, capital structure and corporate governance reviews of GBEs, and performance reviews of PPPs. Michael has also undertaken several expert witness assignments.
Ray Challen
Senior Associate
Ray Challen has 25 years of experience in economic regulation as a consultant, senior public servant and regulator.
In a consulting career commencing in 1998, Ray was involved in many of the seminal regulatory decisions for energy and railway networks, advising government departments, regulators, regulated businesses and major consumers of regulated services.
From 2012 to 2017 Ray was the Coordinator of Energy and head of the Public Utilities Office in Western Australia where he advised the State Government on major reforms to regulations for electricity networks, and on reforms to the wholesale and retail electricity markets.
From 2017 to 2022, Ray was a Governing Body Member of the Economic Regulation Authority of Western Australia, responsible for decisions on access regulation for electricity networks and gas pipelines, as well as for compliance monitoring and enforcement actions under the Wholesale Electricity Market Rules.
Ray has particular expertise in the reform and evolution of regulatory regimes to as changes occur in the regulated industries, markets and customer behaviours.