Australian Enterprise Awards 2026 | 39 Based in Perth but working internationally, OPAM Consulting is an environmental consultancy specialising in odour measurement and built upon 25 years of international expertise across European and Australian regulatory frameworks. We speak to Founder, Philippe Najean, about the olfactory revolution in the wake of his firm succeeding in the Australian Enterprise Awards 2026. Founded in December 2019, Odour Process Audit Management (OPAM) Consulting was established by a former senior specialist with 12 years of experience at the Air Quality Branch (AQB) of Western Australia’s Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER). Recognising that the industry, and the community, required more transparent, realistic risk assessments to odour emissions than those provided by traditional methods, Founder Philippe Najean transitioned from the public sector to lead a revolutionary shift in odour management. Philippe has had considerable experience in the area of odour management. Since 2001, he has managed an olfactometry laboratory in Paris, led the French Standardisation Committee for Olfactometry, represented France at the European Standardisation Committee (CEN) and was one of the main advisors for the Minister of Environment in France for odour policies. In 2008, Philippe opted for a new life in Australia with his family, and began his new role as odour expert at DWER WA. Through this position, Philippe provided extensive technical expert advice and managed departmental investigations into some of the most contentious odour and air quality issues in the Perth area. During his tenure at DWER, Philippe successfully integrated a new, more rigorous methodology into the official DWER Odour Emissions Guidelines. This approach replaces theoretical modelling with a comprehensive review of operational processes, management protocols, and contingency actions. Operating under the motto: “Performance relies 80% on Management and 20% on Technology.”, this philosophy focuses on empirical, verifiable information. By prioritising the understanding of daily operations and management over software predictions, OPAM provides regulators with the clarity needed to make informed judgements and offers the community more realistic protection from impacts. Whether working with industry leaders or regulatory bodies, OPAM Consulting maintains a reputation for uncompromising integrity. The firm avoids biased ‘positive outcomes,’ focusing instead on truthful, objective assessments that reflect the actual risks of an operation. By moving the industry away from flawed data and toward a technical understanding of process management, OPAM Consulting has become a revolutionary force in Australian environmental consulting. Philippe explains how the industry is currently undergoing a major shift. In 2025, Australia officially adopted the revised European standard, continuing its long-standing tradition of aligning with international best practices. However, the more significant change is coming from the government. Regulators are moving away from relying solely on computer models to predict odour. Now, there is a push for evidence-based assessments - looking at real-world data and how a business operates, rather than trusting a computer’s prediction. “While establishing this approach at DWER, it happened that a similar blueprint was initiated at the Victoria Environment Protection Authority (EPA) where odour specialists were working in revising their odour risk assessment methodology,” Philippe elaborates. “Once both aware of this alignment, I worked with them in refining their guidance. It was seen as an emerging regulatory change in Australia, with WA and VIC driving this process. Those agencies were the only in Australia and New Zealand with odour specialists as officers, who could, from inside, weight onto the regulatory path that broke with the conventional approach.” Philippe believes other states will eventually follow this lead, but it will take time. For this change to happen elsewhere, state governments need to hire their own specialists and have the courage to push back against big consulting firms. For his transformative approach to the industry, Philippe and OPAM Consulting recently received the accolade of Best Environmental & Odour Consulting Firm 2026 at the Australian Enterprise Awards. Now, as the future beckons, Philippe is setting his sights on visiting olfactometry laboratories and consultancies in France and Europe to present and roll-out the odour risk assessment (ORA) approach that he developed in the WA and VIC states in Australia. Contact: Philippe Najean Company: OPAM Consulting Web Address: www.opamconsulting.com Best Environmental & Odour Consulting Firm 2026
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