High-Level Keynote Speeches

As the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Dr Fatih Birol (@fbirol) has moved the Agency to the forefront of global efforts to ensure secure, affordable and sustainable energy systems. After taking office, Dr Birol led the IEA in its first comprehensive modernisation programme since its creation in 1974. These efforts focused on broadening the IEA’s energy security focus beyond oil to also cover electricity, natural gas, renewables and critical minerals; making the IEA the global hub for energy efficiency and advanced energy technologies; and “opening the doors” of the IEA to major emerging economies. With new governments joining the IEA Family under his tenure, its share of global energy demand has risen from 40% to almost 80%.

Dr Birol took up his position after rising through the ranks of the IEA over two decades. He has been named in the TIME100, TIME's annual list of the world's most influential people. He has also been named by Forbes as one of the most influential people in the world of energy and by the Financial Times as the Energy Personality of the Year. Dr Birol has received the highest civilian awards from numerous countries around the world for his work on energy economics and related issues. He chairs the World Economic Forum’s (Davos) Energy Advisory Board.

Before the IEA, Dr Birol worked at the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). He earned a BSc degree in power engineering from the Technical University of Istanbul and received an MSc and PhD in energy economics from the Technical University of Vienna. He is an honorary life member of Galatasaray Football Club.