Speakers MEFED24

H.E. Theodoros Skylakakis

H.E. Skylakakis was appointed Minister of Environment and Energy as of June 2023. He was a member of parliament for the New Democracy from 2022-2023 and from 2020 until 2023 Alternate Minister of Finance, responsible for Fiscal Policy. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Minister of Fiscal Policy (2019-2020), as Member of the European Parliament (2009-2014) and Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation (2006-2009).

H.E. Skylakakis holds a PhD from the University of Athens and is engaged in politics since 1990.

H.E. Dr Robert Habeck

Dr Robert Habeck, born in Lübeck on September 2, 1969, has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2021 and co-leader of ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS since 2018. From 2017 to 2018, he served as Deputy Minister-President and Minister of Energy, Agriculture, the Environment, Nature, and Digitalisation of Schleswig-Holstein. Before that, he was for five years Deputy Minister-President and Minister of Energy, Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Areas of the Land of Schleswig-Holstein. Prior to that, he was Chair of the Parliamentary Group in the Schleswig-Holstein Land parliament (2009-2012) and the Schleswig-Flensburg district council (2008-2009). He has been a member of ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS since 2002, holding various leadership roles. Dr Robert Habeck, who has a doctorate from Universität Hamburg, worked as a freelance author from 2000 to 2009.

He studied German language and literature, philosophy, and philology in Freiburg im Breisgau, Roskilde/Denmark, and Hamburg, graduating with a Master’s degree. He is married and has four children.

H.E. Vladimir Malinov

H.E. Vladimir Malinov was born on June 3, 1976, in Sliven and is the current Minister of Energy in the Republic of Bulgaria.  From March 2018 to 2024, he served as Executive Director of Bulgartransgaz EAD, where he led strategic projects to enhance energy connectivity and diversify gas supply sources and routes in Bulgaria and Southeast Europe. Prior to this role, he headed the Legal Department at Bulgartransgaz, managing regulatory issues, relations with European institutions, certification, and EU market code implementation. In 2019, Malinov was elected Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Balkan Gas Hub, Bulgaria's first gas exchange, and since 2021, he has been a Board member of Gastrade S.A., overseeing the Alexandroupolis LNG terminal project. He also serves on the Board of ENTSOG, contributing to the development of gas networks for the energy transition. 

He holds a Master's degree in Law from the Faculty of Law of St. Kliment Ohridski University in Sofia. He is fluent in English and German. 

H.E. Abdulla Balalaa

HE Abdulla Balalaa is the Assistant Minister for Energy and Sustainability Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), following his role as Special Advisor to the Foreign Minister. In January 2023, he was appointed Chairman of Masdar City’s board, where he has driven the city's strategy, initiatives, and partnerships. Notably, he led the establishment of the Masdar Green REIT, the first sustainable green fund in the MENA region, with an initial investment of AED 2.8 billion. HE Balalaa also served as Executive Director of Sustainable Real Estate Development at Masdar and was Commercial Director at Etihad Rail, playing a key role in the UAE’s rail infrastructure. Earlier, he managed sustainable urban development at the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council and was instrumental in establishing the Estidama program. HE Balalaa sits on several boards, including the Abu Dhabi Free Zones Council and the Mohamed Bin Zayed Water Initiative.  

He holds degrees from Harvard, Paris Sorbonne, and the University of Cambridge Abu Dhabi. 

H.E. Yossi Dayan

Yossi (Yosef) Dayan, born on July 26, 1975, is the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, a role he assumed in February 2024. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A licensed attorney, Dayan holds a bachelor's degree in law and two master's degrees—one in Business Administration (Integrative Management) and another in Law—from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. After his army service, he co-founded the law firm Akiva-Nino-Dayan and Partners and later established his own firm specializing in civil and commercial law. He has also held senior positions, including CEO and partner, in various real estate companies and served as CEO of the Eilat and Ashkelon Economic Corporations. In January 2023, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen appointed him as Deputy Director General, later selecting him as Director General of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

H.E. Ditte Juul Jørgensen

H.E. Ditte Juul Jørgensen is the Director-General for Energy at the European Commission, where she leads work to ensure access to affordable, secure and sustainable energy in Europe as part of the energy transition towards climate neutrality. Prior to her appointment to Director-General for Energy, Ditte Juul Jørgensen served as Head of Cabinet for Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, leading EU competition policy. Ditte Juul Jørgensen has more than 20 years of experience in trade policy and held senior management positions in the Directorate-General for Trade of the European Commission, leading policy development and multilateral trade negotiations and enforcement. Ms. Juul Jørgensen’s career also includes service as Economic Counsellor in the European Union Delegation to the United Nations in New York, as well as positions in the Directorate-General for Competition and the European Court of Justice.

Ms. Juul Jørgensen is a law graduate from the University of Copenhagen and the College of Europe.

H.E. Nasser Kamel

A career diplomat for the Egyptian government, Nasser Kamel held the position of Ambassador of Egypt to the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2018. He was also Ambassador to France in the period 2006-2012, during which he took part in the drafting of the Joint Declaration of the 2008 Paris Summit that marked the launch of the Union for the Mediterranean. Furthermore, between 2012 and 2014, he was Assistant Minister for Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs. From 2004 to 2006, he was the Director of Egypt’s Public Information Service. Prior to this position he served in various embassies.

Mr Kamel studied Political Science at Brussels University and Cairo University’s Faculty of Economics and Political Science. He graduated from the Diplomatic Institute – Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo and the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in Paris. He holds the title of Grand Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite of the Republic of France and has also received decorations from the Kingdom of Belgium and the Republic of Portugal. He is fluent in Arabic, English and French.

H.E. Gert Jan Koopman

As of January 2023, Gert Jan Koopman is the Director-General of the Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations. From 2018 to 2022, he was Director-General of the European Commission’s budget department, where he helped establish the EU's €800 billion NextGenerationEU recovery plan and the €18 billion MFA+ for Ukraine, enabling financing through a sovereign-style funding system. With nearly three decades of EU service, Mr. Koopman previously led State Aid control at the Commission´s Directorate-General for Competition and held senior roles in Economic and Financial Affairs and Enterprise and Industry. He was a member of the Commission’s Impact Assessment Board and worked in Vice-President Kinnock's private office. Before joining the Commission, he was an associate at the CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.

A Dutch national, he holds degrees in Economics, and Latin and Greek from the University of Amsterdam.

H.E. Francesco La Camera

H.E. Francesco La Camera has been the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) since April 4, 2019. With over thirty years of experience in climate, sustainability, and international cooperation, he leads IRENA’s work programme and strategy, working closely with member states to address urgent climate challenges and advance Sustainable Development Goals. Under his leadership, IRENA has established key strategic partnerships with UN organizations such as UNDP, UNFCCC, and the Green Climate Fund, as well as various financial institutions. La Camera’s priority is to drive a more action-oriented approach within the Agency. Previously, he served as Director-General at Italy’s Ministry of Environment, Land & Sea, where he spearheaded international cooperation, represented Italy at UNFCCC COPs, and organized Italy’s G7 Environment Presidency in 2017.

H.E. Eng. Sabah Mashaly

H.E. Sabah Mashaly is the new Vice Minister of MoERE and the former Chairwoman of the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC). Since July 2023, she has served as the President of Med-TSO and has over thirty years of experience in the electricity industry, holding several key managerial positions in the Egyptian energy sector.

Mashaly graduated in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering from Cairo University. In 2003, she completed a program at Harvard Business School. In 2020, she was recognized as one of the Top Four Women Engineers worldwide by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) and UNESCO.

H.E. Osama Mobarez

H.E. Osama Mobarez has 30 years of experience in the Oil & Gas industry. He is currently the Secretary General of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), where he played a key role in its creation. Previously, as Undersecretary for Technical Affairs at Egypt's Ministry of Petroleum, he led Egypt’s modernization program in the Oil & Gas sector. Osama developed energy subsidy reform strategies, initiated gas market reforms, and updated upstream agreements. He also led bilateral cooperation on oil and gas issues and worked with financial institutions and organizations. He represented Egypt on the Executive Boards of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) and the International Energy Forum (IEF). He chaired the Organizing Committee for EGYPS, Africa’s largest oil and gas show.

Osama holds an MBA with Distinction from Edinburgh Business School and completed Post-Graduate Studies in Energy Economics at Reading University.

H.E. Marios Panayides

H.E. Marios Panayides has been the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry since September 1, 2020. He previously served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth from October 15, 2019, to August 31, 2020, and as District Officer of Nicosia from September 2013 to October 2019. He has also held senior positions such as Acting District Officer for Nicosia, Kyrenia, and Larnaca, and Head of Technical Services at the Ministry of Interior. He serves on the boards of various public benefit organizations and has represented Cyprus in European and international committees, including the Standing Committee for Construction and the European Committee of Competent Market Surveillance Authorities of Construction Products.

He holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Civil Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens, a Master's degree in Public Administration from the Cyprus International Institute of Management, and is a PhD candidate at the Cyprus University of Technology.

H.E. Alexandra Sdoukou

Alexandra Sdoukou currently serves as the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, assuming this position in June 2023. Prior to her current role, she held the position of Secretary General for Energy and Mineral Resources from 2019 to 2023. From 2004 onwards, she has actively participated in the administration of co-financed European programs within the Development Program Management Organization Unit (MOU S.A.). Throughout her career, she has occupied significant administrative roles within various ministries. Notably, between 2017 and 2019, she assumed the position of special adviser to the President of the New Democracy Party, focusing on energy and mineral resources matters. 

Academically, Mrs. Sdoukou holds a degree in Law from the Democritus University of Thrace. She furthered her education by obtaining an LL.M. in European Commercial Law from the University of Bristol, as well as an MSc. in International and Economic Studies from the Athens University of Economics. 

H.E. Stefan Wenzel

Born on May 5, 1962, in Nakskov, Denmark, H.E. Stefan Wenzel has been a Member of the German Bundestag since 2021. Since July 2022, he has served as Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Previously, he chaired the Budget and Finance Committee in the Lower Saxony State Parliament from December 2017 to September 2021 and was Lower Saxony's Minister for Environment, Energy, and Climate Protection from February 2013 to November 2017. H.E. was also a member of the Lower Saxony Parliament from 1998 to 2021.  

H.E. Stefan Wenzel studied agricultural economics at the Georg-August University of Göttingen, earning a degree in agricultural engineering (Dipl.-Ing. agr.). 

Ralph Bahke

Ralph Bahke began his career at Verbundnetz Gas AG (now VNG AG), Leipzig, in 1994. In 2001, he moved to the gas transport division and in 2006 took on various management tasks in the area of network marketing at the then newly founded transmission system operator ONTRAS. Since November 2008, he has been one of the two managing directors at ONTRAS, responsible for commercial affairs and corporate development. Ralph Bahke holds various supervisory board mandates in national and European companies and organizations. Following his position as Chairman of the Board of FNB Gas e.V., he has been active on the Board as Deputy Chairman since 2020. Ralph Bahke has been a member of the Board of GIE - Gas Infrastructure Europe since January 2021.

Arno Büx

As Chief Commercial Officer at Fluxys since October 2015, Mr. Büx oversees the group's commercial activities, driving business growth through strategic initiatives in the energy sector. Additionally, he has been a Board Member of Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) since April 2019, representing the industry's interests and promoting a sustainable energy future across Europe. Prior to these roles, Mr. Büx served as General Manager of Storengy Deutschland for nearly six years, from January 2010 to September 2015, managing its infrastructure operations in Germany. Earlier in his career, he held various leadership positions, including Chargé de Mission at Electrabel and Chairman at Energie SaarLorLux AG.

Mr. Büx holds an MBA from IMD (2020-2021), where he was recognized as the 'Most Valuable Participant', and completed the INSEAD International Directors Program (2022-2023). He also holds a Certificate in Corporate Governance from INSEAD, awarded in October 2023.

Belhassen Chiboub

Mr Chiboub has been Director General for Electricity and Energy Transition at the Tunisian Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy since 2019. Previously, Mr Chiboub was Director of ‘ELMED Studies’, a joint venture of STEG and TERNA. He is an industrial engineer and energy expert with more than 20 years of experience in the energy sector.

Damian Cortinas

Damian Cortinas is the Chair of the Board of ENTSO-E, the European association of Transmission System Operators. Damian began his career in the R&D department of EDF, later joining RTE as a junior advisor when it was established in 2001. He held various operational management roles at RTE, including Customer Service Manager and Regional Director for several areas, including the Iberian Peninsula interconnection. In 2019, he became RTE’s European Coordination Director. Elected to the ENTSO-E Executive Board in 2021, Damian led the "A Power System for a Carbon-Neutral Europe" project, managed relations with European electricity distributors, and oversaw market design reform proposals. In 2023, he was elected Chair of the ENTSO-E Board.

Born in Valencia, Spain, he graduated with a joint engineering degree from Universitat Politècnica de Valencia and Centrale Supélec in Paris in 1994.

Angelo Ferrante

Angelo Ferrante is Secretary General of Med-TSO, since 2015. Med-TSO is the Association of the Mediterranean TSOs for electricity (www.med-tso.org), participated by the companies managing the High Voltage electricity grid of 20 Mediterranean Countries. The companies represented in Med-TSO operate more than 400.000 km HV transmission lines, serving more than 500 million people. Mr. Ferrante is an electrical engineer with a huge professional experience in all the areas of Power Sector, with special focus on International Co-operation, Project Financing, Regulation and relations with International Organizations. In his carrier, Mr. Ferrante has been also deeply involved in R&D and Technical Assistance projects in many parts of the world.

He graduated with Honors in Electrical Engineering from Sapienza Università di Roma, earning an MSc degree.

Maria-Rita Galli

Maria Rita Galli is the CEO of DESFA (Hellenic Gas Transmission System Operator). Previously, she was the Executive Vice President of Business Development & Asset Management at Snam S.p.A., a leading global energy infrastructure company, and Chairman of SENFLUGA Energy Holdings S.A., which controls 66% of DESFA's shares. At Eni, she held various roles within the International Business Development Department, participated in significant international projects, and was involved in M&A activities. As a board member, she managed operations of several Eni subsidiaries abroad. Since 2006, Ms. Galli has led the International Business Development unit, and from January 2010, she also managed International Business Development and Assets Management. In October 2016, she joined Snam as Head of Business Development and International Asset Management.

Ms. Galli began her career at Eni in 1997 after graduating in nuclear engineering from Milan Polytechnic University.

Guido Guida

Guido GUIDA is an electrical engineer with over 25 years of experience in the energy sector and currently serves as the Head of International Public Affairs at TERNA, Italy's Transmission System Operator. He was a Member of the Board of Directors of ENTSO-E, the EU Network of Transmission System Operators, until July 2023, where he also chaired the Digital and Research, Development, and Innovation Committees. Guido was the former Chairman of the European Technology & Innovation Platform for Smart Networks in Energy Transition (ETIP SNET), guiding RD&I activities for the European energy transition. He also led TERNA’s Domestic Dispatching Department, overseeing national and cross-border system operations. Previously, he headed Planning and Energy Operations, focusing on integrating renewable energy, enhancing TSO-DSO cooperation, and developing storage systems. Currently, Guido manages ELMED Etudes SARL, a joint venture between Italian and Tunisian Transmission System Operators.

Dr Gunther Grathwohl

Dr. Gunter Grathwohl has been Head of Division for bilateral cooperation in hydrogen infrastructure at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in Berlin since December 2023. In this position, he is responsible for H2 pipeline import corridor dialogues with European and selected North African partner countries and stakeholders. and in charge of pre-selecting national IPCEI- and European PCI-projects on hydrogen infrastructure. Before that (2021 - 2023) during the crisis on energy supply, he was acting as head of division for KfW-affiliates and special financing. From 2016 to 2021, he continued in the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, in the Department for International Digital Policy. Between 2012 and 2016, he worked at the Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU in Brussels as deputy head of the economic department, from 2006 to 2012 he was working for the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Technology, in the Division of European Digital Policy. 

Gunther Grathwohl holds a PhD in International Economics.
 

Tarik Hamane

On June 1, 2024, His Majesty the King appointed Mr. Tarik Hamane as Director General of ONEE. Mr. Hamane returns to ONEE, where he previously held several senior positions with notable success. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Hamane served as Acting CEO of MASEN (Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy) from 2023 to 2024, and hold the position as Vice President at TOTAL Energies, where he had been in charge of worldwide green hydrogen development activities. In this role, he played a key part in advancing sustainable energy initiatives in Morocco. Mr. Hamane’s career reflects a strong background in leading major projects and strategic initiatives, positioning him effectively for his current role at ONEE.

Mr Hamane is an electrical and automatic engineering graduate from INSA Lyon and holds a master's degree in industrial information systems from Ecole Centrale and INSA Lyon. He also holds an MBA from the Ecole des Ponts et Chaussées in Paris.

Dr Andrea Hauser

Since September 2021, Dr. Andrea Hauser has been a Member of the Management Committee for Non-Financial-Risks, Global Equity and Funds, MENA Region at KfW Development Bank in Frankfurt am Main. From January 2017 to August 2021, she served as Director North Africa at KfW Development Bank. Between 2012 and 2016, she was the Director of the Legal Department and Human Resources at KfW IPEX-Bank. In 2011-2012, she held the position of Head of International Group Strategy at KfW Group. From 2009 to 2011, she was the Head of Corporate Investment Management at KfW Group. Between 2006 and 2008, she worked as Head of Group Policies at KfW Group. From 2003 to 2006, she was a Consultant for Group Development at KfW Group. She began her career as a Consultant at McKinsey & Company from 1998 to 2002.

Dr Hauser holds a Dr.rer.pol. from Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, earned between 2000 and 2002, and a degree in Economics from Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, obtained between 1992 and 1997.

Bart Jan Hoevers

Bart Jan worked for the Ministry of Finance, where he was engaged in the field of state participations, managing the purchase and restructuring of state participations (Tennet, Port of Rotterdam and Gasunie). In 2007 Bart Jan started working for Gasunie, where he had various functions in the field of regulation, business development and management of joint ventures. Since April 2015 Bart Jan was on the management team of Gasunie Transport Services (GTS), as Manager Network Planning. On 1 September 2017 Bart Jan was appointed as CEO of GTS. As of that date he also has joined Gasunie’s Executive Board. The ENTSOG General Assembly unanimously approved the appointment of Mr. Bart Jan Hoevers as President of ENTSOG for the term 1 July 2021 - 31 December 2024. 

Bart Jan studied Monetary Economics at the University of Groningen. He started his career in 1996 at the Dutch National Bank (Nederlandsche Bank) specialising in sovereign risk and export credit insurance.  

Stefan Kapferer

Stefan Kapferer has been Chairman of the Management Board of 50Hertz since December 2019 and member of the steering committee of the German-Belgian Elia Group (Elia Group Management Board). He looks back on a long career in politics and business. For several years he was State Secretary in various departments at state and federal level. In 2011, he was appointed State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and was thus also responsible for the energy sector. He represented the ministry in the EU Council of Energy Ministers and was Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the German Energy Agency (dena). From 2014 to 2016 Kapferer was Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. From 2016 to 2019 he was Chairman of the Executive Board of the Federal Association of the German Energy and Water Industries (BDEW).

Ioannis Karydas

Mr. Karydas is the CEO of the Renewables, Energy Storage, and Interconnections Business Unit at Copelouzos Group, founded in 1973. The Group operates in key industrial and technological sectors in Greece and abroad, focusing on energy, including natural gas marketing, electricity production and trading, renewable energy sources, and energy storage. Notably, the Group is developing the GREGY electrical interconnection project to transfer 3,000 MW of green energy from Egypt to Greece and Europe. Mr. Karydas served on the Board of Athens International Airport (2009-2012) and was COO of Copelouzos Group (2005-2011). He is also the Managing Director or an Executive Board Member of major Group companies in RES, energy storage, and electrical interconnection projects.

He holds an M.B.A. from Bath University, an M.Sc. in Computing Science from Oxford University, and a B.Sc. in Computer Science with Mathematics from London University. Prior to joining Copelouzos Group, he held senior positions in various companies.

Dr Egbert Laege

Dr Egbert Laege is the CEO and Managing Director of SEFE Securing Energy for Europe since June 2022 and served as trustee of the German Federal Network Agency for SEFE Group between April and November 2022. With 25 years of experience in energy and commodity trading, he has held various senior and executive positions in power and gas trading, asset optimization, and strategy. Notably, he served as a Member of the Management Board at EEX, President and CEO at POWERNEXT, CEO of EEX Asia, and Chief Commercial Officer at E.ON Global Commodities. Prior to joining SEFE, he was a senior advisor at Boston Consulting Group. Dr Laege is also an honorary board member of the European Federation of Energy Traders (EFET), recognized for his significant contributions.

He holds degrees in Energy Engineering and Economics from the University of Stuttgart and the University of Arizona, along with a Ph.D. in Energy Economics.

Dr Ioannis Margaris

Ioannis Margaris, Dipl. Electrical and Computer Engineer (NTUA 2006), earned his PhD in Power Systems from NTUA in 2011. He worked at the Public Power Corporation (PPC) focusing on the dynamic security of power systems and data management for Smart Networks and MicroGrid applications on Greek islands. He completed Post-Doc research at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in 2012, where he continued as a Researcher and R&D project manager. In 2015, he became Executive Vice-Chairman of Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator. In the past he has served as member of the BoD of OTE and as technology and policy advisor for projects in Europe, Latin America, Africa and China. Since 2017, he's Vice-Chairman of the BoD at IPTO and Chief Technology Officer. Since 2018, he is also General Manager of ARIADNE INTERCONNECTION and Deputy Chairman of the BoD for Great Seat Interconnector.

Manos Manousakis

Manos Manousakis is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer of Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO or ADMIE) since June 2017. Previously, Mr. Manousakis was the CEO of OTE Rural North and South, having held various positions of responsibility in the Greek Telecommunications Company, where he played an instrumental role in the design of cutting-edge telecommunication services. He was appointed Secretary General of the Hellenic Ministry of Economy (2015), as well as a Director at Black Sea Trade and Development Bank for the same period.

Mr. Manousakis holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens. He has also academic experience having been a lecturer at the University of Piraeus. His career combines business development leadership and complex project management with country strategic planning.

Tim Meyerjürgens

Tim Meyerjürgens is Chief Operating Officer (COO) of TenneT and a member of the Management Board of TenneT Holding B.V.. In this role, he is largely responsible for the activities of Europe's largest offshore transmission system operator, which will connect the majority of offshore wind farms in the German and Dutch North Sea to the grid in the coming decades. TenneT is also one of the key drivers for the development of a meshed European offshore grid. Mr. Meyerjürgens has 29 years of experience in the energy sector and broad technical and operational knowledge in the offshore wind sector.

Dr Emanuela Menichetti

Emanuela Menichetti is the Director of the Electricity and Renewable Energy Division at the Organisation Méditerranéenne de l'Energie et du Climat (OMEC, formerly OME, http://www.omec-med.org), a not-for-profit industry association of Mediterranean energy companies, based in Paris. Prior to joining OME in 2008, Mrs. Menichetti worked at the Energy Branch of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE) in Paris, and at Ambiente Italia, a leading environmental policy and analysis institute in Italy. She also worked as a consultant for various private and public organizations and lectured for several university programmes. She has over 25 years of international experience in the field of renewable energy and sustainable development.

As an Environmental Economist, she received a PhD in Economics from the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland). 
 

Hasan Ozkoç

Mr. Ozkoç is the Director of Mediterranean Energy Regulators (MEDREG), where he leads the development of regulatory tools, standards, and practices to enhance a sustainable and interoperable regulatory framework in the Mediterranean region. Before joining MEDREG, he was Sector Manager for Energy at the European Union Delegation to Turkey (July 2010 - March 2018), overseeing energy reform processes, pre-accession developments, and EU Financial Assistance projects. In 2006, he served as Senior Gas Expert at the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna, aiding in gas market strategy development and compliance monitoring for South-Eastern Europe. From 2001 to 2009, he worked at Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA), contributing to the Natural Gas Market Law. He began his career at BOTAS in 1994, focusing on natural gas and LNG agreements and infrastructure.

He holds a BS and MS in Metallurgical and Materials Science Engineering from Middle East Technical University (METU).

Hans-Joachim Polk

Hans-Joachim Polk joined VNG AG as a Member of the Executive Board in December 2013 and is responsible for infrastructure and technology. His international expertise ranges from storage of natural gas to exploration and production of oil and gas. As Member of the Supervisory Board, he monitors and advises VNG’s subsidiary ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH. In addition to day-to-day business, he is involved in the board of Biogasrat+ e.V., the board of trustees of ASUE Arbeitsgemeinschaft für sparsamen und umweltfreundlichen Energieverbrauch e.V. (Working Group for Energy Conservation and Environmentally Friendly Energy Use) and the Board of Trustees of the foundation „Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg“.

Hans-Joachim Polk has a master’s degree in Petroleum Engineering,

Samir Rachidi

Since December 2023, Samir Rachidi has been the Director General of IRESEN. With his team, they are developing research projects and demonstration activities focusing on PtX, green chemistry, energy storage, concentrated solar (CSP) and hybridization of solar and bioenergy. Prior to his current position, Samir served as an R&D program manager at MASEN. His role consisted in catalyzing national R&D efforts in the solar energy field, building international R&D project partnerships and collaborations in the area of solar applications, as well as helping in defining strategic R&D orientation to help unleash a Moroccan industrial potential in the solar sector in the future. Previously, he held a position as an R&D Engineer.

Samir holds a PhD in the field of Hydrogen PEM Fuel Cells and a double degree as MSc and MEng.

Prof Mario Ragwitz

Prof. Mario Ragwitz has been Joint Institute Director of Fraunhofer IEG with Prof. Rolf Bracke since December 2019. On April 1, 2020, he was appointed Speaker of the Fraunhofer Hydrogen Network, coordinating 25 institutes in the field of hydrogen research. Since 2019, he has also served as Scientific Director of the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence "Integrated Energy Systems," leading the joint research of seven Fraunhofer institutes on energy system transformation.

His scientific work covers energy system analysis, modeling, infrastructure analysis, and policy transformation in energy and climate. As coordinator of numerous international and national projects, he has contributed to the scientific foundations of national and European energy policies and authored over 60 peer-reviewed articles. He advises the German government, European Commission, German Bundestag, EU Parliament, World Bank, and other entities. He holds a PhD in Physics.

Belgin Rudack

Belgin Rudack joined the Management Board of KfW IPEX-Bank on 1 January 2023. Since 1 April 2023, she has been CEO of KfW IPEX-Bank. Belgin Rudack held the position of Chief Executive Officer at Creditplus Bank, part of the French Crédit Agricole Group, until the end of 2022. Belgin Rudack has held senior management positions at Citigroup, GE Capital, SEB Bank, Santander Bank and UniCredit’s financial platform PlanetHome over recent decades as well as various supervisory board positions, e. g. Private Banking Bankhaus Neelmeyer, FCA Bank Germany and Austria and Credibom Bank Portugal. As one of the few female CEOs in the German banking industry, Belgin Rudack also excels in her extensive banking expertise and excellent knowledge of the international financial sector. Belgin Rudack is committed to sustainability and diversity in the financial sector.

Dr Karsten Schlageter

Dr Karsten Schlageter, an industrial engineer by profession, has been Managing Director of ABO Energy since 2022. He has been working at ABO Energy since 2013 and initially, played a key role in shaping international business development as a division manager. He has been a member of the management team since October 2018. Before joining ABO Energy, Dr Schlageter built up the renewable energy business in Peru for EnBW, among other things, and worked in management consulting.

Dr Karsten Schlageter studied industrial engineering & management at the KIT-Department of Economics and Management.

Radia Sedaoui

Ms. Radia Sedaoui, Chief of Section, Economic Affairs, at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) since 2016, is an internationally recognized expert with over 22 years of experience in energy and economic policies. Her expertise spans renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy modeling, oil and gas markets, carbon management, the water-energy-food nexus, circular economy, economic diversification, and climate change policies. She has authored numerous technical and policy papers and led sustainable energy and climate change projects. Previously, she served as Head of the Statistics and Gas Modeling Department at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Qatar and held senior positions at Sonatrach in Algeria. She is President of the Arab Energy Club and received the UNESCWA Gender Award in 2021.

Ms. Sedaoui holds a Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering, a Master’s in Petroleum Economics, and an MBA.

Dr Michalis Thomadakis

Michael Thomadakis is the Strategy & Development Chief Officer of DESFA, since 2020. Formerly, he was the Vice Chairman and Member of the Board of RAE from 2005 to 2015, member of the BoR of ACER, the CEER General Assembly, the Board of MEDREG, the Board of Appeal of ACER and Chairman of the Investment Group of the Energy Charter. He has extensive experience in the development of the gas regulatory framework of the Greek gas market, and deeply involved in corresponding developments in South East Europe, especially in the regulatory framework for several gas infrastructure projects related to the Southern Gas Corridor. Started his carrier in DEPA, were he worked as the contractual administrator of the Gas Procurement contracts from Russia (pipeline) and Algeria (LNG), the LNG transportation contracts, the development of underground gas storage, the derivation of transportation tariffs and on the establishment of the Gas Distribution Companies in Greece.

He is a Mechanical Engineer of NTU Athens with a PhD from the same University. He is the author of more than 40 scientific papers and reports and invited lecturer in many events of the energy industry worldwide.

Ioannis Tsakiris

Mr. Tsakiris is a Vice President in the European Investment Bank. From 2019 to 2023 he was Deputy Minister for Development and Investments in Greece, responsible primarily for the public investment programme, the European funds and the national development bank. He was also Alternate Governor of the EBRD and the World Bank and in the Board of Directors of the Black Sea Trade and development Bank. Until 2019, he held several senior positions in the European Investment Fund, involved in European venture capital markets that were under development phase, in particular in the South-eastern Europe and EU Neighbouring Countries, where he had also set-up and developed several investment and financing initiatives and platforms.

He holds a BSc and an MSc in Mining Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and an MBA degree from the Management School of the Imperial College in London.

Stefano Venier

Stefano Venier, born in Udine in 1963, has been the Chief Executive Officer of Snam, Europe’s leading gas infrastructure company, since April 2022. Stefano has more than 30 years of managerial experience in the energy and utility sectors, both in Italy and internationally. From 2014 to 2022 he was the Chief Executive Officer of Hera, a multiutility company listed on the Stock Exchange and active in energy, water and the environment. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of the MIB Trieste School of Management and Board Member of Industrie De Nora.

He holds a degree in IT from the University of Udine and completed a Master’s degree in Energy and Environmental Management and Economics from the Scuola Superiore Mattei.

Mary Burce Warlick

Mary Burce Warlick is the Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA). As retired career diplomat and former U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, Ms. Warlick has held a variety of senior leadership positions at the U.S. Department of State, National Security Council and Department of Defense, serving in Washington and abroad. From 2014-2017 she served as the State Department’s Principal Deputy and Acting Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs and represented the U.S. on the IEA Governing Board.

Ms. Warlick holds a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in Law and Diplomacy.

Dr Susanna Zapreva

Dr Susanna Zapreva has been a member of the Executive Board of Verbund AG since January 2024, where her responsibilities include the international growth business, among other things. Prior to that, she was Chairwoman of the Executive Board of enercity AG in Germany from 2016 to 2023. Her career path led her to the energy industry via the consulting sector. Before moving to Germany, Dr Susanna Zapreva was Managing Director of Wien Energie GmbH for nine years. Dr Susanna Zapreva holds several supervisory and advisory board positions in well-known companies in German-speaking countries.

She completed her studies in electrical engineering and a doctorate in technical sciences at the Vienna University of Technology. In addition, Dr Susanna Zapreva successfully completed a degree in business administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business and at the University of South Australia in Adelaide. She completed her management and leadership training at the Said Business School at the University of Oxford.

Dr Melinda Crane

Melinda Crane is an accomplished journalist and political analyst with over 30 years of experience. Held key roles at Deutsche Welle, including Chief Political Correspondent (2011-2022) and host of "Quadriga" and "To the Point" since 2000. Extensive experience as a presenter for various news programs, including "Journal" and "European Journal." Worked as a freelance moderator and analyst, offering insights on US and European politics for public and private sectors. Notable educator at Deutsche Welle Akademie and Hamburg Media School. Published writer with contributions to The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Christian Science Monitor.

Melinda Crane Holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and a B.A. from Brown University. Fluent in English, French, and German. Member of Oxfam and trustee of the American-German Institute. Honored with multiple awards for journalism and public service.

Simon Benmarraze

Simon Benmarraze is a dynamic leader in renewable energy with over fifteen years of experience. At the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), he plays a pivotal role in integrating renewable technologies into modern energy systems, contributing to global climate goals and the energy transition aimed at limiting global warming to 1.5°C. His dedication to global energy transformation focuses on developing countries, leading initiatives in technical assistance, capacity building, and the integration of renewable energies into power grids, supporting renewable energy in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and spearheading IRENA's efforts in the Global Offshore Wind Alliance (GOWA).

A French national, holds a Master's degree in Materials Engineering and an MBA with a specialization in General Management.

Matteo Fumerio

Matteo Fumerio is Team Leader in the International Relations unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy. He was previously Head of Sector for East Asia and regional coordination at the Directorate-General for International Partnerships, Economic Analyst at the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, and Team Leader at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology. Before joining the European Commission in 2006, he worked at the College of Europe in Bruges, at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Milan, and at the Mission of Italy to the United Nations in New York. He holds master’s degrees in Economics and Public Sector Management from Bocconi University in Milan, and in European Political and Administrative Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges.

Anne Jacobs-Schleithoff

Since April 2023, Anne Jacobs has been Head of the Division for the Middle East and North Africa in the Department for External Economic Policy of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). From 2021 to 2023 she was Head of the Division for Mobility Concepts and Transport Policy in the Industrial Policy Department of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. From 2016 to 2021 she headed the Division for the Maritime Industry of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the Office of the Coordinator for the Maritime Industry of the Federal Government. From 2010 to 2016 she was Deputy Head of the Division for the USA, Canada, Mexico and the coordination of G7, G20 and OECD at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Dr Jauad El Kharraz

Dr Jauad El Kharraz is the Executive Director of the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), an intergovernmental organization with diplomatic status with 17 Arab countries onboard. Dr El Kharraz brought over 25 years of experience in various sustainable development fields including energy policies, green hydrogen in addition to water policies, desalination, water-energy-food nexus, and climate diplomacy. Dr El Kharraz has been senior consultant for several prestigious institutions and programs, and he held the position of Director of Research at the Middle East Desalination Research Center in Oman (2015-2020). He served as a senior expert for several international institutions (European Commission, UN-ESCWA, PRIMA, EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network...). He started his career in 1998 as a researcher at the Global Change Unit -University of Valencia and projects manager later at the Euro-Mediterranean Water Information System, France (2004-2015).

Dr Karoline Steinbacher

Dr Karoline Steinbacher is an Associate Director in the Energy, Sustainability & Infrastructure Practice at Guidehouse Energy Germany. Karoline’s expertise includes policy design and energy strategies for the energy transition in developing and industrialized countries, energy sector regulation as well as international cooperation and stakeholder management. She currently focuses on sector coupling, electrification and flexibility in distribution systems, energy cooperation with the Gulf countries as well as grid expansion processes. Karoline has ample experience advising governments and corporate clients in regulatory processes and navigating implementation, in steering complex multinational projects and managing cross-sectoral teams.

Prof Dr Theodoros Tsakiris

Dr. Theodoros Tsakiris is a Professor of Geopolitics & Energy Policy at the University of Nicosia where he coordinates the Energy Studies Programs of the School of Business. In parallel, since 2019 he has been serving in the Office of the Minister of Environment & Energy as the Coordinator of International Energy Policy & Energy Security. He is also a Member of the Board of Directors of DESFA SA, the Greek Natural Gas Transmission System Operator. From June 2022 onwards Dr. Tsakiris has been appointed as the Coordinator of the Committee for the Acceleration of E&P Hydrocarbon activities. He was also a member (2021-2023) of the National Committee responsible for the Drafting of the Greek Hydrogen Strategy and is an expert adviser to the Committee responsible for drafting the Greek NECP since 2022.
He has also coordinated the special expert groups of the Program Secretariat of Nea Demokratia which were responsible for the drafting of the party’s government program for Energy in the periods 2016-2019 and 2022-2023. From 2008 to 2010 Dr. Tsakiris served as a senior policy adviser on international energy affairs to Energy Ministers Christos Folias, Kostis Hatzidakis and Deputy Minister Yiannis Maniatis. From2014 to 2016 Dr. Tsakiris served as a member of the Board of Directors of the state-owned Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company (CHC) and the Geostrategic Council of the Republic of Cyprus.
From 2011 to 2019 he directed ELIAMEP’s Geopolitics of Energy Program.
Between 2017-2019, Greece’s preeminent Foreign Policy think tank. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of HAEE (Hellenic Association for Energy Economics). During that period he was also a non-resident Research Associate for the Research Center for Energy Management of ESCP Europe where he taught between 2018-2020. From 2013 to 2014 he was an Associate of the Southern Europe Program at the LSE Ideas think-tank of the London School of Economics. He is a regular contributor to Kathimerini and Energy Press.