Athens Energy Summit 2026
“The Energy Transition is About Talent, Too” – The shift from oil and gas to renewable energy is not only a technological or financial challenge; it is a talent challenge, too! How do we develop the skills we need? How do we empower the leaders who will drive this transformation?
An interesting discussion, hosted by Tsomokos Communications at the Athens Energy Summit 2026, on how people and leadership are just as critical as technology and capital in shaping the future of energy.
Solar & Storage Live – Riyadh Front 2025
Three insightful panels exploring the opportunities and challenges shaping the energy transition – from improving energy efficiency in agribusiness to accelerating renewable energy investment across the GCC and highlighting the important role women are playing in advancing green technology. The discussions reinforced that innovation, investment, and inclusive leadership will be critical to achieving a more sustainable and resilient future.
MEF Energy Forum 2025
Once a quiet and often overlooked region, the Western Balkans is rapidly emerging as a pivotal player in Europe’s energy landscape. At the roundtable discussion, “A Decade Since the Paris Agreement: Challenges, Progress, and the Road Ahead for the Western Balkans,” we explored the region’s sustainability journey and the steps needed to accelerate progress. The discussion highlighted the critical role of private investment, the importance of effective policy and regulatory frameworks, and the need for deeper alignment with EU standards and objectives. We also reflected on the valuable lessons the Western Balkans can draw from Greece’s experience in advancing sustainability, attracting investment, and strengthening regional integration. A clear takeaway was that achieving long-term climate and development goals will require close collaboration between governments, businesses, and investors.
Saudi Arabia Green Energy Week 2025
At Saudi Arabia Green Energy Week 2025, discussions focused on hydrogen’s critical role in the net-zero transition and the challenges limiting its growth. While hydrogen has strong long-term potential, regulatory and economic barriers continue to constrain investment and deployment. A key theme was the need for bold, coordinated action to unlock its promise. The conversations also highlighted MENA’s growing potential as a global hydrogen hub, emphasizing that realizing this opportunity will require tailored, region-specific solutions that leverage the region’s resources and strategic advantages.
Middle East Energy
At Middle East Energy Dubai, discussions focused on the enablers and barriers to financing the energy transition, exploring the role of policymakers, innovative financing mechanisms, digital platforms, and financial institutions in unlocking investment and scaling sustainable projects. A second panel examined the evolving Cleantech investment landscape in MENA, highlighting the impact of policy frameworks, economic and geopolitical shifts, energy security priorities, and the opportunities and challenges facing investors across the region.
Western Balkans Energy Week
The Western Balkans face the dual challenge of enhancing energy security while driving economic development. Heavy reliance on fossil fuels, ageing infrastructure, and limited energy efficiency continue to constrain growth, while investment in the energy sector remains below global trends despite the region’s significant renewable energy potential.
Progress has been hindered by governance and institutional challenges, bureaucratic delays, and a weak investment climate. At the same time, measures such as the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism may further affect the region’s competitiveness as it advances towards EU accession.
Unlocking the region’s potential will require greater private investment, supported by its strategic location, proximity to EU markets, abundant renewable resources, and competitive labour costs. To achieve this, governments must pursue a double mission: accelerate the development of renewable energy through clear strategies and policies, while strengthening institutions, improving transparency, and creating a more attractive and predictable business environment for investors.
Global Energy Transition Congress and Exhibition, 2024
At the Global Energy Transition Congress and Exhibition in Milan, discussions focused on the opportunities and challenges of the energy transition and the critical role of governments, policymakers, industry, and communities in achieving ambitious climate goals. A key message was that delivering net-zero ambitions is a long-term effort requiring sustained global collaboration, coordination, and dialogue. The event also provided an opportunity to present pioneering research on the links between energy policies—particularly subsidies—and female labour force participation in Mediterranean countries, highlighting the intersection of energy transition and inclusive economic development.
Third International Conference on Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change
What is today’s energy transition about? Why despite the strong momentum seen, many energy transition projects fail to reach final investment decision? Which have been the factors affecting the rapid large-scale deployment of these projects? And how the power of policy, finance, technology & collaboration can unlock investment? These were some of my points addressed during the III International Conference on Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change.
Breaking Barriers: Women’s Leadership and Minority Integration – UBT – University for Business and Technology
This event explored a journey from Albanian immigrant to international energy economist, highlighting the experiences and challenges that shaped personal and professional growth.
The discussion also examined the realities of working in the male-dominated energy sector, the industry’s key challenges, and the importance of gender diversity and inclusive leadership in driving innovation and supporting a more sustainable future.
Trade Talks: Hydrogen Horizons – US Embassy in Riyadh
This event brought together government and industry leaders to discuss the technologies, policies, and investment frameworks needed to accelerate hydrogen deployment. Hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh as part of the U.S.-Saudi Trade Talks: Hydrogen Horizons series, the discussion explored opportunities for collaboration in advancing the hydrogen economy and supporting the energy transition.
The session featured opening remarks from Saudi Arabia’s Assistant Minister of Energy, Ahmed Al Zahrani, and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, highlighting the importance of strengthening partnerships between Saudi and American stakeholders to support the Saudi Green Initiative and the Kingdom’s clean energy ambitions. The event was hosted by KAPSARC at its Riyadh campus.
Economist’s 7th Sustainability Summit
This session at The Economist’s 7th Sustainability Summit explored a key question facing the energy transition: is accelerating green investment a matter of “show me the money” or “show me the policy”? The discussion focused on the urgent need to transform an energy system that remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels and the scale of investment required to achieve global climate goals.
The session highlighted that while significant capital has flowed into renewable energy projects, investments in emerging technologies such as hydrogen, ammonia, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) continue to lag despite growing interest and policy support. A central theme was the importance of policy certainty, stable regulations, credible demand signals, and well-designed incentives in attracting investment to capital-intensive technologies with untested business models at scale. The discussion underscored how the right combination of policy frameworks and financing mechanisms can help de-risk investments, unlock private capital, and support the development of commercially sustainable low-carbon industries.
The role of marine logistics in supporting the oil and gas industry – 11th Energy Markets Forum
This session at the 11th Energy Markets Forum in Fujairah explored the critical role of marine logistics in supporting the oil and gas industry and the evolving challenges facing the sector. The discussion highlighted the importance of reliable and efficient logistics in maintaining secure energy supply chains, while examining how climate change, sustainability requirements, and technological advancements are reshaping industry operations.
Key themes included the impact of increasingly stringent environmental regulations, the need to improve operational efficiency and adopt cleaner fuels and technologies, and the growing challenges posed by more volatile weather conditions. The session also explored the role of digitalisation and advanced data analytics in optimising logistics operations, reducing costs, and enhancing resilience, while emphasising the importance of strengthening cybersecurity as the sector becomes increasingly reliant on digital technologies.
Foreign Investors Association of Albania – FIAA
This event explored Albania’s significant renewable energy potential and the opportunities it presents for economic growth, energy security, and industrial development. The discussion highlighted the country’s strong solar and wind resources, its ability to attract investment in clean energy, and the role renewables can play in reducing fuel import dependence and supporting decarbonisation.
The session also examined emerging opportunities in areas such as transport electrification and green hydrogen, as well as the challenges that have slowed progress to date. Particular focus was placed on how Albania can better leverage its natural advantages and strategic location to position itself as a renewable energy leader in Southeast Europe.
The role of oil and natural gas in the energy transition – Athens Energy Summit 2023
This session at the Athens Energy Summit 2023 explored the evolving role of oil and gas in the energy transition and the importance of maintaining a balanced perspective on the future energy mix. The discussion examined how the energy transition narrative often focuses on sectors where hydrocarbon demand is expected to decline, such as power generation and road transport, while overlooking the broader range of applications where oil and gas are expected to remain essential.
Key themes included the continued importance of hydrocarbons in hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy industry and aviation, as well as their role as feedstocks for petrochemicals and other industrial processes. The session also highlighted the contribution of fossil fuels to several low-carbon solutions, including blue hydrogen, blue ammonia, and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), underscoring the need for a pragmatic and inclusive approach to achieving net-zero ambitions.
Saudi Arabia Green Energy Week 2024
This session at Saudi Arabia Green Energy Week 2024 explored the potential of hydrogen in the MENA region, the challenges to scaling the industry, and the role of hydrogen hubs in supporting market development. The discussion highlighted how the region is emerging as a key player in the global energy transition, leveraging its abundant solar and wind resources, growing policy support, and ambitious decarbonisation and economic diversification agendas.
Key themes included the strong hydrogen ambitions of countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Egypt, and Morocco, as well as the investment challenges facing the sector despite increasing interest from governments and industry. The session examined how hydrogen hubs can help reduce project risks, lower costs, and strengthen coordination across the value chain by bringing together producers, infrastructure providers, and off-takers. The discussion also addressed the practical challenges of developing successful hydrogen hubs, including stakeholder alignment, business case viability, confidentiality considerations, and the need to balance local market needs with available resources and infrastructure.
From Career Journeys to Future Skills: Perspectives on the Energy Industry – Energy Institute Young Professionals Network London Branch
This event brought together energy professionals to discuss career development, skills for the future, and opportunities within the energy sector. The discussion explored pathways into the industry, personal career journeys, and the importance of supporting emerging talent through initiatives aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion.
A key focus of the session was the evolving skills required in today’s fast-changing energy landscape, as well as challenging common misconceptions about the industry. Panellists highlighted the wide range of career opportunities available in energy and emphasised that career paths are not defined solely by university degrees, but by continuous learning, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace new opportunities.