Meet the speakers

As the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Dr Fatih Birol 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 is the recipient of the highest civilian awards from numerous countries around the world, including the French Legion of Honour, the Japanese Emperor’s Order of the Rising Sun, the highest Emirati civil decoration and the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. 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.

In May 2023 Tim completed an assignment as the UK's first Offshore Wind Champion with the publication of his report containing detailed recommendations for Government, Industry and other stakeholders. 

Tim remains an advocate for positive change in the sector, and is Chair of the UK’s Offshore Wind Growth Partnership and a Commissioner on the UK's Clean Power 2030 Advisory Commission.

Tim was awarded an MBE in the 2024 King’s New Year Honours for services to offshore wind energy.

In the charity space, Tim is a Vice President, Council member and Fellow of the Energy Institute.

Tim is a seasoned energy projects professional with more than 25 years experience of advising on the development and financing of some of the largest and most complex projects in the UK, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, East Africa and beyond, including in the oil and gas, LNG, pipeline, refining, power, water and wastewater industries.

Tim also acts as an Angel investor with interests in Energy Transition, Healthcare, E-commerce, Tech and Social Mobility.

Tim previously spent 10 years living and working in Abu Dhabi.

Thierry Lauriol is Chairman and Founder of the Energy Law Group (ELG).

He is a recognised specialist in the fields of mining, energy and natural resources law, and in international, commercial and investment arbitration, and OHADA law.

A partner in Jeantet and manager of the Energy, Mining and Infrastructure Department, he has almost 30 years’ experience in France, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Thierry, who has a Doctorate in Law, teaches at Paris II – Panthéon-Assas University, where he co-leads a university diploma dedicated to economic international law in Africa.

David is Ørsted’s Deputy Head of Partnerships and M&A.

He was notably involved in Ørsted’s recent rights issue and is currently leading the Hornsea 3 divestment as well as Ørsted’s implementation of its early development stage partnership and financing strategy in Korea.

Before joining Ørsted, David worked in the banking sector as a project finance advisor and lender leading Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s EMEA Renewable Energy team and previously at Natixis (Dubai, Paris) covering conventional and renewable energy.  

David has over 15 years of experience in conventional and renewable energy infrastructure.

David is an ESSEC Grande Ecole MiM graduate.

Edda Björk Ragnarsdóttir is Corporate Counsel at Carbfix, the Icelandic climate tech company that developed the world’s first technology to turn CO₂ into stone underground for permanent storage. She leads the company’s legal affairs, overseeing regulatory frameworks, international agreements, and policy engagement that enable the scaling of carbon storage solutions.

Edda is a lawyer with a strong background in international and environmental law. Before joining Carbfix, she served as a diplomat at Iceland’s Permanent Mission in Geneva, focusing on global policy and international trade negoatiations. She holds master’s degrees in law from the University of Iceland and Lund University, and has extensive experience in complex cross border negotiations and ESG governance.

Ruxandra Bologa co-heads the Energy and Natural Resources and Corporate/M&A practices at Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen (NNDKP).

She is a highly versed corporate and energy lawyer with 23 years of experience, having been a Partner of the firm since 2008.

Ruxandra has extensive expertise in the energy sector, having coordinated major oil & gas projects, low carbon energy projects, mining projects and carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.

In the renewables sector she has been acting for developers, sponsors or financing banks, across all sectors – solar, wind, storage, hydrogen, energy efficiency, etc. She advises clients in respect of all matters relating to energy projects, including structuring, acquisition, development (including EPC and related project agreements), regulatory matters, financing & refinancing and M&A.

Ruxandra has unrivalled expertise in the offshore sector, having contributed, inter alia, to the creation and development of the legal framework regarding deep offshore and onshore hydrocarbons projects and of CCS projects.

Giovanna Branca has significant experience in energy law, from fossil and renewable sources, and in environmental law in the context of the remediation of industrial sites, the recovery of abandoned industrial areas and waste management. She advises national and international clients in project development and project financing of power plants, both for construction and operation, traditional and operated by renewable sources (wind and solar power, hydroelectric and biomasses), covering all regulatory and planning law aspects.

Giovanna Branca deals with procurement processes for works, services and supplies, as well as concessions for public works and services and the related litigation.

She has written publications for lexitalia.it and other journals in the administrative and energy law areas, and has spoken at numerous conferences and seminars.

Catarina Brito Ferreira joined the firm in 2003 and became a partner in 2017. She is a member of the corporate and M&A and capital markets practice area, distinguished by her work in the energy and infrastructure sectors.

In the area of corporate and commercial law, she has acted as legal advisor in several mergers, acquisitions and disposals of companies, including among others, the acquisition and disposal of companies with head offices in Portugal and outside Portugal, on behalf of domestic and foreign clients in various sectors, with particular emphasis on energy and infrastructures.

Most of her work has in fact been developed in the energy law area, having provided legal advice not only in the context of M&A transactions, but also in public tender bids and specializing in energy law regulation.

Catarina Brito Ferreira also provides general legal advice to numerous companies (national and foreign) in the areas of commercial and corporate law.

Winner of the Iberian Lawyer “40 under Forty Awards” (Energy) and of the IFLR “Europe Rising Stars Awards” (Energy and Natural Resources), both in 2019.

In 2022, she was also distinguished, by the Iberian Lawyer Energy Awards, as Lawyer of the Year in the Infrastructure practice area.

In 2025, Catarina Brito Ferreira has been recognized as a Green Ambassador 2025 by Legal 500 (Legal Business). This distinction highlights professionals whose leadership and legal work have contributed to decarbonization and the green transition, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability across multiple areas of practice. The recognition as a Green Ambassador also reflects her contribution to the development of specialized legal knowledge in the field, her influence within the industry, and her involvement in internal initiatives that promote a more sustainable legal practice.

Anna is an experienced legal counsel with long running involvement in the renewable energy sector, both in private practice and in-house. She began her career in the renewables industry in 2010, starting in private practice and acting initially for lenders and developers building out and financing multi-technology renewable projects throughout the UK. She gained valuable experience advising clients and carrying out due diligence in respect of development finance and long-term funding.

As part of the Nadara team since 2018, Anna has overseen the company’s transition from UK operator to pan-European renewable energy business, and one of Europe's largest renewable energy independent power producers. The role has evolved over her tenure, with a specific focus on supporting the company’s growth and large financing and restructuring projects. Today, Anna is responsible for group legal and corporate affairs, ensuring strong corporate governance, as well as compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and for Nadara’s sustainability strategy. The legal and sustainability functions partner with other teams and stakeholders to support business success and sustainable growth while protecting long term value and reputation, ensuring appropriate management of legal and sustainability related risk.

Mike is Co-head of the firm’s Infrastructure, Energy and Natural Resources group, where he leads on complex commercial matters across the energy sector. His practice spans a broad range of corporate and corporate finance work, including public and private M&A transactions, joint ventures, equity offerings, business transformation projects, and strategic governance and advisory matters.

Mike provides strategic counsel on high-value, multifaceted transactions, involving multiple stakeholders and jurisdictions, and he delivers commercially-focused legal solutions tailored to the needs of clients.  His experience spans a wide array of energy technologies, with particular expertise in the civil nuclear and offshore wind sectors, advising the government, developers and investors on complex projects.

Mike offers insights into the legal and commercial challenges shaping the energy and infrastructure industry, and his practical understanding of how legal strategy can drive innovation and investment in the energy transition, alongside his experience in managing risk and unlocking value in large-scale projects, makes him a trusted advisor in this rapidly evolving sector.

Mr. Okan Demirkan is a partner at Kolcuoğlu Demirkan Koçaklı where he leads the Firm’s Dispute Resolution, Energy & Infrastructure and Ethics & Compliance practices. In the field of energy, he has advised on major pipeline projects, natural gas sale projects, and a number of electricity generation facility projects, including renewable energy projects. He was extensively involved in all legal issues surrounding the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Crude Oil Pipeline Project (BTC), where he played a key role in regulatory, real estate and litigation issues. In addition to BTC, Okan has advised clients in connection with the Nabucco Gas Pipeline and the Samsun-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline. Okan also took an active role in the Shah Deniz Stage 2 Natural Gas Sales Project, where he led the KDK team advising on the project’s legal structure in Turkey, including the intergovernmental agreements, Turkey’s natural gas market legislation and on related commercial and public international law matters. In addition, he led the KDK team in the firm’s key role in the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP). In this multibillion-dollar project, the KDK team drafted the Host Government Agreement and negotiated it with the Turkish Government, along with the Intergovernmental Agreement. He has specific expertise in the privatization of energy facilities as well as EPC contracts. Okan has significant experience of almost 25 years in international arbitration, including arbitration proceedings concerning major energy and infrastructure projects. He received the Lexology Client Choice Award for Turkey in the field of Energy in 2013, 2014, 2017, and again in 2025. Since 2020, Lexology recognizes him as a “Global Elite Thought Leader” in the field of Energy.

Rasmus has extensive international and Nordic experience from leading large and complex financings. His work reaches across a broad spectrum of finance ‑ with a particular focus on Debt Capital Markets, Direct & Bank Lending and Restructuring. Rasmus represents lenders, borrowers, agents, trustees and other participants in the debt market.

Rasmus is a specially invited lecturer on Asset Finance, Acquisition Finance, Corporate Bonds and Securitisation at the Stockholm University law school.

Rasmus is ranked as a Rising Star Partner by IFLR1000, Up & Coming by Chambers Global and Chambers Europe as well as a Next Generation Partner by Legal500.

Christoffer Fode is partner in our Energy & Infrastructure group, and he has for more than 20 years worked with companies in the energy sector and therefore has an outstanding experience in relation to transactions and development project in the energy and utilities sector, particularly in respect of renewable energy projects.

In recent years, Christoffer has assisted Danish and international clients in respect of offshore tenders, acquisition and development of wind, solar projects and biogas projects, including representing some of the most prominent companies in the Danish solar PV industry, in connection with its development of based solar PV parks, including negotiation of off-take agreement.

In addition to his experience in the field of renewable energy, Christoffer is a corporate law expert and has assisted numerous Danish clients on corporate law matters as well as M&A transactions.

James is a Project Financing specialist focused on the low carbon energy sector across Europe. He is an active financial advisor as well as mobilises Santander’s balance sheet to support energy projects. He has experience across renewables, BESS, CCS, hydrogen, sustainable fuels, EfW and other related sectors. He has led a number of high profile financing processes delivering 10s of billions of debt capital to projects. He is currently leading a number of GW scale financing processes in the offshore wind sector across the UK and Europe.

Driving transformation of the global energy mix. MSc in Economics and Marketing and has worked more than 25 years in the fields of Technology and Innovation driving commercial development and driving the vision on technology transformation. Works with companies, academia and governments to advance adoption of the thorium molten salt reactor and related technologies. Serving on advisory boards and as a mentor at Copenhagen Business School.

George Gkiaouris is EBRD’s Regional Head of Energy, responsible for managing EBRD’s energy investments and policy initiatives for Southeast Europe.

George has more than 26 years banking experience, managing energy investments in emerging markets and transition economies. Since joining EBRD in 2001, George has supervised numerous energy transactions in Central and Southeastern Europe, involving project financings, bonds, syndicated debt and equity. In addition, George works extensively with Governments on designing energy sector policy reforms (e.g. developing regulatory frameworks, renewable auctions, privatizations, etc.) to help countries transition to a low carbon economy.

Prior to working at the EBRD, George worked for Barclays Capital and for the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC), focusing in power sector financings in Europe, Africa, Middle East and Latin America.

George was born in Kozani (Greece) and holds a Masters in Finance from Manchester University and a degree in Economics from Aristotle’s University of Thessaloniki.

Fathima Hussain is Managing Director and Head of the Africa Project Finance team based in London and has over 27 years banking experience in the project & structured finance arena covering Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America. During her career, Fathima has structured and led the execution of a number of award-winning debt arranging and advisory mandates in the energy, natural resources and infrastructure sectors.

Fathima joined SCB in October 2005 and in her current role as Head of the Africa Project Finance team, she is responsible for leading a project finance business spanning energy, natural resources and infrastructure.

Fathima was previously with ANZ Investment Bank in London working on project advisory mandates, limited recourse finance and loan syndications in the Oil & Gas sector including reserves-based lending, LNG, Petrochemical and Fertiliser projects with a specific focus on the Middle East & South Asia. In 2002, Fathima relocated to Singapore where she worked with the Leasing & Structured Asset Finance team primarily focusing on offshore transportation and FPSO projects across Asia.

Fathima holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Economics from Cambridge University and a BSc (Hons) Degree in Financial Services and is a qualified Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers.

Laura Irving is Chief Counsel, Business Operations at Harbour Energy, a global oil and gas company. She leads the legal teams supporting Harbour’s worldwide operations, including its carbon capture and storage projects, having previously served as Legal Manager for its UK operations. Before moving in-house to Harbour seven years ago, she practised in the oil and gas team at international law firm CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang. Laura has over 15 years’ legal experience, with a focus on supporting energy sector projects in both private practice and in-house roles.

Hannes leads J.P. Morgan's Energy Investment Banking team across the EMEA region as part of J.P. Morgan's Global Natural Resources team. He joined J.P. Morgan in 2009 working across the firm’s London and New York offices. Hannes advises clean-tech, renewable energy and traditional energy clients focusing on M&A and capital raisings. He holds a Masters Degree in International Management from Vienna University of Economics and Bocconi University.

Jana is Legal Counsel at DEME Group, a global leader in offshore energy and marine infrastructure. Based in Luxembourg, she provides strategic legal support for DEME’s offshore wind and marine projects. A key part of her role involves working closely with the procurement team, advising on contract negotiations, risk allocation, and compliance in a sector where multi-million-euro supply chain decisions are critical to project success.

Previously, Jana worked at Uría Menéndez in Madrid for seven years, specializing in international arbitration and cross-border disputes. Jana holds a dual degree on business administration and law from University Carlos III of Madrid and a Master of Laws from the same university; she is admitted to the Madrid Bar. She is also a founding member of the Luxembourg Chapter of the Spanish and Ibero-American Arbitration Club.

Education

Studied at and graduated from the Eötvös Loránd University School of Law, Budapest in 1998. Attended a post-graduate course in EU law, international business law and arbitration at the TMC Asser Instituut (The Hague) in 2000.

Professional experience

Lectures in Hungarian contract law and law of succession at Civil Law Department of Eötvös Loránd University School of Law, Budapest as of 2002. Associate with one of the largest law firms in Hungary between 1998-2000. In-house counsel at the Hungarian Oil and Gas Company (MOL) (2000-2002). From 2002 head of the Regulatory Practice Group of the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in Budapest. Member of the Energy Arbitration Court (Budapest) since 2009. A founding partner of Oppenheim and head of its Energy, Regulatory, Utilities and Healthcare Practice as of 2007.

Thomas Luypaert, Principal, is a member of GIP's Mid-Market Infrastructure team in London focused on the energy sector across EMEA.

He previously worked at Goldman Sachs and First Reserve.

Thomas is a graduate from MIT and Ecole Centrale Paris.

Sarah-Jane is a versatile lawyer, experienced in major project delivery across the energy sector.   Her primary focus is on low carbon energy where she has worked with developers, sponsors and banks to deliver windfarms (both onshore and offshore), hydroelectricity, solar, bioenergy, battery and tidal projects. Additionally, she has supported the development of many district heating projects.

Sarah-Jane guides clients through the early stages of projects on structuring, procurement and finance including 'first of a kind' projects. She supports clients on operational projects including sales and refinance.  Sarah-Jane also advises on energy licensing and regulation, with a particular focus on decentralised energy projects, including the developing regulatory regime for heat.

Niamh advises a broad range of clients across the energy and infrastructure sectors and leads the firm’s Energy and Renewables Sector Group. She brings a wealth of experience in infrastructure delivery, with particular expertise in the energy sector.

In the energy sector, Niamh acts for corporates, developers, sponsors, lenders and new market entrants across the full spectrum of energy technologies, including onshore and offshore wind, solar PV, battery energy storage, energy-from-waste, and conventional generation (including CCGT and OCGT projects). Her work spans the entire project lifecycle, advising on project development, M&A and joint ventures, project finance, regulatory matters, and a wide range of commercial contracts (including power purchase agreements, supply and offtake arrangements, and construction and O&M contracts).

Beyond energy, Niamh has extensive experience advising on major infrastructure transactions, including public-private partnerships and complex development projects across sectors such as education, transport, pharmaceuticals, residential, leisure, and telecoms.

The breadth of Niamh’s experience across energy and infrastructure means that she is uniquely well placed to advise on major projects to ensure successful delivery and bankability.

Nikola Minchev is a member of the European Parliament and Vice Chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.

He has a Master's degree in law from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

He was previously a lawyer at Djingov, Guginski, Kyuchukov and Velichkov.

Nikola previously served as a speaker of the 47th National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, and was Deputy Speaker of the 48th National Assembly and the 49th National Assembly.

Epitacio Miranda is a Principal, Energy Infrastructure at Actis, focused on Central and Eastern Europe.

He combines 12 years of experience in energy and infrastructure investing and has helped drive Actis’ entry into the Central and Eastern European market. He has worked on several transactions in the power distribution, generation, telecom tower and energy transition spaces across Europe, Middle East and Africa, covering mainly renewables, utilities and long-term contract infra deals. He is currently a board member at Energy of Cameroon S.A. and board observer at Uludag Energy and Connectis Tower. Prior to Actis, he dedicated to Brazilian investments at Angra Partners, covering mainly power distribution, renewables and port logistics.

Epitacio holds a BSc in Mechatronic Engineering from the University of Sao Paulo and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Petar is a Partner at Karanovic & Partners, heading the regional Energy and Natural Resources Industry Group. With over 15 years of experience, he advises clients in high-profile matters related to the development, operation, acquisition and financing of new energy projects, with a particular focus on renewables. He also handles capacity-building matters that aim to improve the regulatory and institutional frameworks in the WB6.

Petar is recognised as a leading energy, natural resources and projects lawyer among peers, colleagues, and clients. He is ranked as top tier in all relevant legal directories and he is an active member of some of the key professional associations in Serbia and internationally, such as the International Bar Association (IBA), AmCham Serbia Energy Committee (as a Vice Chairman), Serbian Energy Law Association, and Energy Law Group (ELG). Considered as a thought leader in the market, he has served as a member of the Working Group of the Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy for implementation of the first Serbian Renewables Law and regularly takes speaking roles at the most reputable energy conferences in the region.

Tomasz specialises in energy law, with a focus on regulations for the power and gas sectors. Advises and represents entrepreneurs in regulatory disputes, as well as in connection with implementation of projects. Advised Axpo Polska on execution of the pioneer long-term BESS optimization agreement.

Oly is a partner in the firm’s Infrastructure, Energy and Natural Resources group, and has extensive experience advising clients on complex, high-value transactions and projects in the energy sector, both in the UK and internationally. His practice spans M&A, large-scale project development, and a wide range of corporate and commercial matters. Oly has played a leading role in advising on some of the firm’s most significant energy transition mandates involving technologies such as offshore wind, nuclear, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and hydrogen, leveraging his deep experience in the conventional power and oil & gas sectors.

Oly is actively involved in shaping the firm’s strategic direction in the energy and infrastructure space. He is a member of Slaughter and May's global steering committees for energy and infrastructure and for commercial contracts, helping to guide the firm’s approach to evolving market trends and regulatory developments.

Oly is a regular contributor to industry forums and policy discussions. He is actively engaged with several leading organisations in the energy transition space, including Hydrogen UK, and the Westminster Energy Forum. He also co-chairs the Regulatory and Policy Working Group of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, where he contributes to industry-wide dialogue on the legal and policy frameworks needed to support the deployment of CCS.

Dr. Jose Luis Moran Gonzalez, PhD in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, brings over 30 years of experience in various leadership roles within the energy, renewable and industrial sectors. Currently, he serves as Managing Director of Brenmiller Europe, where he specializes in developing Thermal Energy Storage solutions to support industrial decarbonization. Additionally, he is the Director of Integrated Energy Solutions at Viridi and Green Enesys, leading hydrogen and green e-Methanol projects powered by hybrid PV and wind plants operating off-grid. Previously, he held the position of Director of the Solar Business Unit at Siemens Spain and served as President of the Spanish branch of Solel, a company focused on the development, design, and construction of thermoelectric power plants. Since 1997, Dr. Jose Luis Moran Gonzalez is a part-time lecturer in Thermal Engineering and Off-shore Renewable Energy at the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering School of the Polytechnic University of Madrid. In 2017, he participated in the creation and was appointed General Coordinator of the Master’s Degree in Marine Renewable Energy, which focuses mainly in offshore wind energy solutions.

Azadeh has a broad practice spanning financing, restructuring, regulatory and M&A mandates across the energy and infrastructure sectors and is Head of Energy & Infrastructure Financing. She has particular expertise in renewables and emerging technologies, and regularly advises clients on complex, cross-border transactions involving innovative financing structures and large-scale energy transition projects. Her work reflects a deep understanding of the commercial, regulatory and technical dynamics shaping the global energy landscape.

Azadeh’s experience includes advising on the development and financing of offshore wind, green hydrogen, energy storage, and decentralised decarbonisation infrastructure. She is also highly experienced in the restructuring of renewable energy portfolios and the implementation of bespoke financing arrangements tailored to the needs of energy-focused funds and investors.

She plays an active role in shaping the firm’s energy and infrastructure strategy as a member of its global steering committee and contributes to industry-wide dialogue as co-chair of an international working group focused on interface risk in floating offshore wind. Her work spans a wide range of technologies and jurisdictions, positioning her at the forefront of legal and commercial developments in energy investment. Azadeh is widely recognised for her technical expertise and commercial insight, and is regularly sought after by clients navigating the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition.

Christine is an expert in public law and regulatory work. She is ranked first in Scotland – and a starred individual – by Chambers UK in the field of Administrative and Public Law (and is also ranked in Parliamentary and Public Affairs). She was appointed Queen's Counsel (now King's Counsel) in 2020 and she appears regularly in the Court of Session in judicial reviews, statutory appeals and commercial disputes. She has also appeared on several occasions in the UK Supreme Court. She has advised a range of oil and gas clients on regulatory issues including the powers and duties of the North Sea Transition Authority and in November 2024 she represented Shell in a four day hearing in the Court of Session in the judicial review of consents for the Jackdaw Project in the North Sea that arose out of the Supreme Court's decision in Finch.

Kunal is responsible for offshore projects across Europe, manages the overall floating portfolio, and oversees Southern Europe across all technologies.

Prior to joining CIP, Mr. Patel held various roles at Ørsted, including responsibility for Ørsted’s Global M&A and Structured Finance activities and served as Head of Portfolio Development and Strategy responsible for investment strategy and capital allocation. During his time at Ørsted, he was notably involved in the divestments and financings of Hornsea 1 & Changhua 1.

Before joining Ørsted, Mr. Patel worked at Barclays. He holds a BSc from the London School of Economics and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from the CFA Institute. Mr. Patel has over 15 years of experience in business development, M&A, financing and project development within energy infrastructure."

Juan Sánchez-Peñuela is a senior expert in energy regulation, with extensive experience in both the European Union and Spain. He spent eight years in the public sector working on high-level energy policy and regulation.

From 2020 to 2024, he served as Energy Counsellor at the Spanish Permanent Representation to the EU, where he played a key role during the 2022 energy crisis and the Spanish Presidency of the Council in 2023. During the Presidency, he chaired the Energy Working Party and led technical trilogues with the European Parliament on major energy files, including the Hydrogen and Gas Package.

He also represented Spain at the Governing Board of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris from 2019 to 2024.

Earlier, in Madrid, he held several roles at the State Secretariat for Energy between 2016 and 2020, ending as Deputy Director for Hydrocarbons and New Fuels.

Since September 2024, he has been Director for Decarbonisation Regulatory Affairs at Tecnicas Reunidas, a global leader in engineering and construction in the energy sector. In this role, he covers policymaking in a broad spectrum of decarbonisation solutions, including hydrogen and its derivatives, energy storage, carbon capture, and methane emissions management.

He is a Spanish Civil Servant - Industrial State Engineer - with a background in industrial engineering and an additional degree in geography and history. Since 2020, he has also been teaching energy regulation in executive programs at the Spanish public business school EOI and the Spanish association of energy companies Enerclub.

Yaroslav is a Partner at Asters, where he co-chairs Energy and Natural Resources team and heading London office. Since 2022 he is on a part-time secondment to Brodies. He has over 15 years’ experience and is a highly regarded lawyer in Energy and Infrastructure. Yaroslav focuses on energy law projects (oil & gas, electricity, renewable energy, and energy efficiency) as well as international arbitration, in particular energy disputes. His reputation in the market includes being, ranked as a Leading Lawyer for Energy in Legal 500, EMEA, 2025; a recognised lawyer for Oil & Gas, Power, Electricity and Renewables in Lexology Index: Energy 2024; a recognised expert for Arbitration, Lexology Index: Arbitration 2024, listed among the leading lawyers for Energy and Natural Resources, Ukrainian Law Firms 2024: A Handbook for Foreign Clients; and a highly regarded lawyer for Energy, Oil & Gas, Mining, IFLR1000 2024.

Dan is a Director in Frontier’s energy practice with over 30 years’ experience in strategy, commercial and regulatory advice. Dan has advised extensively on issues related to energy storage and flexibility. He is working with a number of applicants for the UK’s Long Duration Energy Storage scheme, has advised on the use of battery storage to support network resilience in Ireland, has advised buyers on a number of major storage transactions, and has advised ENTSO-E on flexibility on European networks and the role of DSOs and new business models. Dan has also advised multiple interconnector projects between the UK and continental Europe. Dan sits on the DSO Advisory Board for SSEN in the UK.

Sebastian Schneider advises on M&A transactions and large-scale infrastructure projects.

Sebastian's practice is focused on the infrastructure sector, including energy, telecommunication / digitalisation, traffic and logistics as well as natural resources. He has profound experience in complex transaction processes and joint venture constellations in Germany and internationally and has advised on landmark energy and telecommunications projects.

Sebastian's clients include strategic investors and industrial businesses as well as private equity investors and other financial sponsors, for whom he often acts in auction processes.

Michael Schouten is a partner in the corporate team at De Brauw and advises on mergers & acquisitions and large-scale energy and infrastructure projects.

Michael recently acted as lead counsel to TenneT in raising equity for the expansion of its German high voltage grid from APG, GIC and NBIM. He has advised on battery storage, solar and wind investments, for strategics as well as financial sponsors. He advises the Dutch state on the planned construction of nuclear power plants and is involved in a range of projects driving the energy transition in the Netherlands.

Tim Sheahan is a Senior Director at Alcazar Energy, a leading independent renewable energy developer in emerging markets. With over 15 years of experience in project finance, asset management, and corporate governance, Tim has been instrumental in developing and managing utility-scale wind and solar projects across multiple geographies.

At Alcazar Energy, Tim oversees project finance, PPA procurement, investment strategy and portfolio performance. Prior to joining Alcazar Energy, Tim worked in the renewable sector as Asset Management Head of Finance at Element Power. A qualified accountant and fellow of the ACCA, Tim holds a B.Sc. in Finance and Accounting from the Cork Institute of Technology in Ireland.

Euan became Chief Executive Officer of BlueNord in 2022, having joined the Company as Chief Financial Officer in 2019. He has a background of providing strategic advice to a wide range of oil and gas companies on acquisition, divestment and merger activity as well as raising debt and equity capital. Prior to joining BlueNord, Euan was a senior member of the oil & gas advisory team at BMO Capital Markets having also focused on the Energy space while working with Credit Suisse, RBC Capital Markets and Rothschild in London. He has a MSc in Business and Accountancy from the University of Edinburgh.

Martin Tavaut is an experienced lawyer who advises French and international clients on their projects in the energy and mining sectors in France, Africa and Latin America. He assists clients through the whole project lifecycle, including project development, licencing, regulatory and environmental matters, M&A and JVs, and commercial contracts (EPC, O&M, PPA, grid connection contracts).

He also has extensive experience in international arbitration (ICSID, ICC, UNCITRAL, etc), notably in energy and mining disputes, and is regularly involved in institutional and legislative reform programs. Martin lectures at the Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas on international economic law, and he is also a facilitator of the Climate Desk, which he deploys at Jeantet.

Kari Tikkanen is Head of Revenue at Aukera Energy, an European renewables and energy transition independent power producer with over over 200 MWs in construction and more than 10 GW of project pipeline of solar PV, BESS and onshore wind. He is responsible for the revenue strategy focusing on origination, structuring and negotiating revenue strategies for the assets, for example a recently announced co-located solar PV and BESS agreement in GB. He is a commercially driven engineer and has been structuring renewable deals for over 3 GW of projects across Europe with previous employers including CVC DIF and OX2 as well as starting his career in real estate projects.

Svanhild Vesterheim, partner in Wiersholm, assists Norwegian and international clients throughout the renewable energy and related infrastructure value chain. She has considerable experience with complex development projects and transactions related to onshore wind and small-scale hydropower, as well as projects and investments related to new energy solutions such as offshore wind and clean hydrogen. Svanhild also has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating complex power purchase agreements and related hedging arrangements. Svanhild has assisted several players in the Norwegian market navigating the regulatory framework for offshore wind, drafting and negotiating joint venture agreements and associated service agreements, as well as assistance in connection with offshore wind tender processes.

Clément is a founder of Green Giraffe and is now a Managing Director, global head of Green Giraffe Advisory, together with Udo Schneider. He is based in London, where he founded the London office in 2011.

He has led multiple transactions in offshore and onshore wind, both on the equity and debt sides. He coordinates Green Giraffe’s efforts in floating offshore wind.

He also developed Green Giraffe’s offtake advisory expertise – among others he supervised the transaction Google when they sourced all of their European renewable energy electricity in 2019

Before founding Green Giraffe, he worked at Dexia in Paris in 2008-10 within the project finance team. Prior to that, he spent a year in Beijing at AFD in 2006-07

He graduated from Ecole des Ponts ParisTech and holds an MSc in project finance from Université Paris X