Strategic Conference

Conference doors open | Networking

Welcome by Emcee
Hala Bou Alwan, Master of Ceremonies, Founder and CEO, Hala Bou Alwan (HBA) Consultancy

National anthem and conference opening

Welcome remarks by Informa
Azzan Mohamed, Exhibition Director, Energy – Middle East and Africa, Informa Markets 

Opening Keynote: Challenges and opportunities for the Energy Transition in the Middle East and North Africa
Given its natural resources, expertise on energy markets and investment capacity, the Middle East and North Africa has the conditions to lead on the energy transition. While some challenges are preventing this from happening, the opportunities remain enormous.
Nicolas Daher, Lead Energy Analyst, The Economist Intelligence Unit - London

Panel: What electricity demand looks like in the future and what energy companies are doing to meet it and why?

Sub-topics:

• The impact of EVs on electricity demand
• Generation portfolio optimization
• Management models
• Internationalisation
• Infrastructure developments

Moderator: Nicolas Daher, Lead Energy Analyst, The Economist Intelligence Unit - London

Panellists:

• Abhay Bhargava, Vice President– Energy & Environment, Industrial Practice, Frost & Sullivan MEASA
  
• Prof Ammar Moussi, Honorary Member, Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean - PAM
  
• Brian Ryan, VP of Innovation, National Grid, USA
  
• Eng Mohammed Al Ta'ani, Secretary General, Arab Renewable Energy Commission

Panel: Perspectives from Nigeria on the Energy Transition
The next couple of decades presents a unique opportunity to merge economic development and climate action priorities in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, one of the world’s first true just transitions. Explore challenges and opportunities for Natural Gas in the Energy Transition

Moderator: Hala Bou Alwan, Master of Ceremonies, Founder and CEO, Hala Bou Alwan (HBA) Consultancy
Speakers: 

• Engr Abubakar Ali-Dapshima, Director, Renewable & Rural Power Access Department, Federal Ministry of Power - Nigeria
• Olakunle Williams, Chief Executive Officer, Tetracore Group
  
• Sule Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Executive Board, West African Power Pool, Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria
• Sowunmi Olabode, Senior Legislative Aid to the Senate President, National Assembly of Nigeria

Fire-side chat: Perspectives from Egypt on the Energy Transition
Egypt has laid out its vision for successful and consensual negotiated outcomes at COP27. Explore projects in Egypt to accelerate the transition to clean energy, to drive energy decarbonisation and ensure efficient use of energy.

Moderator: Amena Bakr, Dubai Deputy Bureau Chief and Chief OPEC Correspondent, Energy Intelligence
Speaker: Madiha M. Abdel Azim, Head of Technical Affairs Sector, New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), Egypt

How can large companies accelerate their innovation activities while maximising financial and environmental impact?

How energy companies can accelerate their transition to clean energy by combining Venture capital investing and a holistic Innovation ecosystem

Brian Ryan, VP of Innovation, National Grid, USA

Panel: Bankability of renewable energy projects

Review the latest best practices in controlling project risks, securing revenues and putting in place adequate lender protections to ensure that lenders can be comfortable providing debt finance on a non-recourse or limited recourse basis.

Moderator: Moamina Faour, Head of Department/ Presenter, Business 24 TV

Panellists:

• Dolapo Kukoyi, Managing Partner, Detail Commercial Solicitors, Nigeria
• Maher Al Kaabi, Advisor to Group Chairman, Al Serkal Group of Companies, UAE
• Dr Mohsen Abou Bakr, General Manager - SMEs Corporate Banking Division, National Bank of Egypt NBE
• Nalin Nayyar, Chief Financial Officer, Yellow Door Energy – UAE

Backing visionary entrepreneurs from ideas to global energy markets
The European Innovation Council (EIC) is Europe’s flagship innovation programme to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough technologies and game changing innovations, including in the energy sector. Established in 2021 under the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, the EIC has a budget of €10.1 billion to support visionary researchers and innovators throughout the lifecycle from early stage research, to proof of concept, technology transfer, and the financing and scale up of start-ups and SMEs.

Martin Lange, Deputy Head of Unit of the European Innovation Council and SMEs Agency, European Commission

Closing Remarks by Emcee
Hala Bou Alwan, Master of Ceremonies, Founder and CEO, Hala Bou Alwan (HBA) Consultancy

End of day one

Opening networking session

Welcome remarks by Emcee
Hala Bou Alwan, Master of Ceremonies, Founder and CEO, Hala Bou Alwan (HBA) Consultancy

Opening keynote: Perspectives on battery energy storage in the Distributed Energy Network
Fouad Dagher, Director, NY Energy Storage Development, National Grid, USA

Case study - Advancing Deep Retrofits in the UAE
Dr Abdullatif Albitawi, Director, Emirates Green Building Council

The knowledge economy, future workforce and capacity building

Learn how to compete in a knowledge economy. The shift to a knowledge economy also has implications beyond the globalisation of innovative, high-skilled work. Greater specialisation in high-skilled jobs could magnify the role of employers in training and development of the workforce and their stake in national education and training systems and their infrastructures. A better understanding of the factors that contribute to productivity among knowledge workers could also influence management and human resource practices.

Prof Philip Hamil, Associate Provost for Research and Academic Development; Office of the Provost, Abu Dhabi University

Panel: Digitalised grids  
Sub-topics:

• Digitalisation and decarbonisation strategies towards net zero target
• Smart Demand and load management
• Blockchain applications for Utilities
• Emerging technologies for power grids

Moderator: Saqib Saeed, Chief Research Officer, Power Technology Research

Speakers:

• David Desfosses, T&D Networks, Smart Grid Solutions Lead, Tractebel Engineering - Germany
• Ravi Seethapathy, Independent Board Member, Power Transmission and Distribution Division, Larsen & Toubro, India
• Arturo Fraile, Board Member, alfanar - ZIV, UK
  
• Dr Subrata Bhowmik, Principal Engineer- Digitalisation & Innovation, McDermott International, Ltd

Networking break 

Drone-powered and AI-enabled OHTL inspections

Nikin Mohan James, Chief Operating Officer, FEDS

Panel: Alternative business models in the power sector
To balance the need to deliver sustainability while also meeting investor demands for growth, explore how companies are integrating their corporate and ESG -Environmental, Social and Governance strategies.
Sub-topics: 

• Partnerships and collaboration
• Shared revenues models
• Power purchase agreement with optionality of transferring the asset to the developer or the customer at the end of contract life
• Incentives in lieu of return on investment or equity 
  
  Moderator: Valantis Mikrommatis, Vice President - Key Account Development, Yellow Door Energy, UAE
  Panellists:
  
• Fouad Dagher, Director, NY Energy Storage Development, National Grid, USA
• Ravi Seethapathy, Independent Board Member, Power Transmission and Distribution Division, Larsen & Toubro, India
• Ibrahim Yusuf, Advisor to the Minister of Energy and Minerals of the Republic of Somaliland
• Reji Pillai, Chairman, Global Smart Energy Federation

Fire-side chat: Progress in rural electrification

Explore a success story on electrification and mobility and practical applications that are meant to contribute to bridging the electrification gaps in rural areas particularly in the MEA's power sector, leading rigorously towards sustainable development.

Moderator: Dina Barqawi, TV Presenter, Dubai TV

• David LeCoque, CEO, Alliance for Rural Electrification
• Dr Nazar Hassan, Senior Programme Specialist, Regional Bureau for Sciences for the Arab States, UNESCO - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Closing remarks by Emcee
Hala Bou Alwan, Master of Ceremonies, Founder and CEO, Hala Bou Alwan (HBA) Consultancy

End of conference