A graduate of The University of New South Wales (UNSW) and a highly experienced Technical Manager, Ms Finlay is a hugely influential contributor to Standards Australia. Ms Finlay is actively involved in representing industry on the IEC Australian National Committee and Ai Group on various electrical standards committees. She is also an active participant and contributor to Ai Group’s Electrical Equipment Manufacturing and Suppliers Forum.

‍Ms Finlay is an experienced Technical Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the electrical and electronic manufacturing industry.

Ms Finlay became involved and interested in electrical engineering from a young age.

“My father was a builder and my neighbour an electrician. At the age of eight I was given a switch (a device, which can make or break an electrical circuit) and entertained myself. The exposure to the mechanics at a young age developed a passion, and this passion has guided my career ever since,” explained Ms Finlay.

Ms Finlay attended UNSW, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Science (Physics) and later a Master of Philosophy in Electronics Engineering from the University of Queensland (UQ).

“I believe my time at university taught me how to learn. It’s here that I was exposed to first principles thinking and the need to think independently, without bias,” said Ms Finlay.

Following university, Ms Finlay went on to specialise in technical management and operations before eventually honing her skills in standardisation and regulation.

In her role as Standardisation and Regulation Manager, Pacific Zone at Schneider Electric, Ms Finlay is well-versed in the need for standards across the electrical engineering industry. With a specific dedication and interest in decarbonising the Australian economy, Ms Finlay’s aim with her work is “to leave the world a better place —that it’s sustainable and that we decarbonise —in a way that makes the Australian economy stronger.” She calls this out as “our biggest challenge today” and works methodically to contribute to a framework that will help build this future for Australia’s economy.

“I’ve been fortunate to have a varied and diverse career. But when I look back, I can see that safety has been a common theme throughout all roles. Which is why I have such a strong interest in standards.“Standards allows us to uniformly store, control and transmit electricity safely and collaborate around the world on innovation. They provide consumers with a level of confidence, which is interesting as it could be argued that a measure of a standard’s success, is people not knowing about it” elaborated Ms Finlay.

“My direct involvement with Standards Australia is recent, however, I’m excited to see how standards will evolve, not just when it comes to development in industry, but in how standards are delivered and consumed. We live in a tech focused world, and this will continue to force us to adapt and change as needed,” said Ms Finlay.

Despite her recent official introduction to the company, Ms Finlay has wasted no time getting involved in numerous committees. Including EL-001 – Wiring Rules, EL-004 – Electrical Accessories and Cable Management Systems and QR-012 – Conformance Marking to Regulatory Requirements among many others.

Ms Finlay also believes diversity and enticing younger generations into standards is crucial for continued development.

“Unsurprisingly, we face an inter-generational challenge in the next few years. Leading committee members are retiring, and we need new, engaged people with strong experience. This challenge is only heightened by the decrease in manufacturing in Australia. I believe this challenge needs to be faced head on, and that we should be striving for all committees to represent and work for the Australian community. In my opinion, facing these issues head on will result in a stronger process in future,” said Ms Finlay.

“Lucy’s work, both in a professional capacity, and in regard to her contribution to Standards Australia is backed with expertise knowledge and dedication. We look forward to a long-standing relationship with Lucy and are certain her influence will be felt by future generations,” said Adrian O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer at Standards Australia.