Energy & Environment

Global Energy Forum

November 18, 2019

Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum to be Held in Abu Dhabi on January 10-12, 2020

By Atlantic Council

Industry leaders and policymakers to focus on role of oil and gas in energy transition and on future of energy in a new era of geopolitics

Abu Dhabi, UAE – November 18, 2019 – The fourth annual Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum will be held in Abu Dhabi on January 10-12, 2020, again kicking off Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

The three-day high-level event gathers international and regional political, industry, and thought leaders to set the global energy agenda for the year ahead and examine the longer-term geopolitical and geo-economic implications of the changing energy system. The 2020 conference will focus on the role of oil and gas in the energy transition, financing the future of energy, and interconnections in a new era of geopolitics. Following up on the 2019 Global Energy Forum’s regional focus on East Asia, the 2020 Forum will emphasize South and Southeast Asia as a growing demand center.

The 2019 Forum brought over 500 energy and foreign policy leaders from around the world to Abu Dhabi, including CEOs, Ministers, global media, and industry experts.

The Forum will once again be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces. The Forum is convened in partnership with the Ministry of Energy & Industry of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and Mubadala Investment Company, with Sharjah-based Crescent Petroleum as Platinum Co-Chair.

Speakers at the 2020 Forum will include: H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, United Arab Emirates & CEO, ADNOC Group; H.E. Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy & Industry, United Arab Emirates; Musabbeh Al-Kaabi, CEO, Petroleum and Petrochemicals, Mubadala Investment Company; H.E. Mohammad Barkindo, Secretary General, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries; H.E. Dr. Tawfiq-e Elahi Chowdhury, Energy Adviser to the Honorable Prime Minister, People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Francis Fannon, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources, US Department of State; Nandita Parshad, Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Group, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Majid Jafar, CEO, Crescent Petroleum; Dr. Helima Croft, Managing Director & Global Head of Commodity Strategy, RBC Capital Markets; Manoj Kohli, Executive Chairman, SB Energy; Meg Gentle, President & CEO, Tellurian, Inc.; Adam Sieminski, President, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center; Anatol Feygin, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Cheniere Partners; and Steven Kobos, President and Managing Director, Excelerate Energy.

H.E. Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy & Industry, United Arab Emirates, said:

“We greatly value the relationship between the Atlantic Council and the UAE, recognizing that the expertise its members bring to Abu Dhabi for the Global Energy Forum is crucial to helping us gain a clearer picture of the future, so that we can tackle global energy issues for the coming year together.”

Frederick Kempe, President and CEO of the Atlantic Council, said:

“For the past three years, the Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum has brought together government officials, policymakers, experts, and business leaders to set the energy agenda for the year to come. The 2020 Forum will once again bring together these crucial actors from around the world to discuss the issues and opportunities in the energy sector and shape the energy landscape.”

Musabbeh Al Kaabi, CEO of Petroleum & Petrochemicals, Mubadala Investment Company, said:

“The Global Energy Forum is now established as a firm fixture in the global energy calendar. Together with other events, such as the World Energy Congress in Abu Dhabi in September, it highlights the UAE’s growing leadership role in convening key dialogue in the energy sector.”

Majid Jafar, CEO of Crescent Petroleum, said:

“We are pleased to be a Platinum Co-Chair of the Global Energy Forum for the fourth consecutive year, as the Forum grows in impact and reach. Abu Dhabi is a global capital for energy policy and innovation, and convenes some of the greatest minds thinking about the energy industry, its impact on society and the world, and how we can all build a sustainable future together. We look forward to a meeting that helps to frame the global agenda for the energy industry for the rest of the year.”

Randolph Bell, Director of the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center, said: 

“The Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum’s regional footprint expands in 2020 as we emphasize growing energy demand in South and Southeast Asia. Business leaders, policy makers, and experts will meet in Abu Dhabi to discuss how to finance the energy projects needed to meet this demand, what role of oil and gas companies have in decarbonizing the energy system while also providing energy to the world, and how a new era of geopolitics is shaping energy relationships in the region and across the globe. By encouraging forward-looking discussion between policymakers and business leaders, the Forum aims to maximize the opportunities emerging from the sweeping changes to the global energy mix, and shape outcomes that leaves us all more secure and prosperous.”

The event is on-the-record and open to press. To request media accreditation, please email Alex Kisling at akisling@atlanticcouncil.org. Media wishing to attend will be required to submit identification documentation to the Atlantic Council by December 23.

Learn more about the full event.