Pierre Gadonneix has been Chairman of the World Energy Council since 2007.

Prior to his appointment as WEC Chair, he was Vice-Chair for Europe. He is also Honorary Chairman of Electricité de France (EDF), where he served from 2004 to 2009 as Chairman and CEO.

Pierre Gadonneix has a long standing commitment to the World Energy Council and the energy sector. Prior to joining EDF, he was Chairman and CEO of Gaz de France from 1996, having served as CEO from 1987. Since 2010, he has been Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Latécoère, French equipment manufacturer for the aircraft industry and President of the Harvard Business School Club de France since May 2011.

Pierre Gadonneix is a graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique, and Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Pétrole et des Moteurs and holds a Doctorate from Harvard Business School (1975). He is a Commander of the Légion d’honneur and a Commander of the Ordre national du Mérite.

In 2012, Pierre Gadonneix received the Platt’s Lifetime Achievement Enegy Award  in recognition of his career in the energy sector.

Marie-José Nadeau is the Chair-elect of the World Energy Council and the outgoing Chair of the Communications & Outreach standing committee. She is also Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Secretary General of Hydro-Québec.

“WEC represents the principal impartial forum on critical issues affecting the global energy agenda. As incoming chair, my goal is to position WEC as the leading international authority on energy issues”.

Marie-José Nadeau will take on the responsibilities as Chair of WEC at the World Energy Congress 2013 in Daegu, Korea. Ms. Nadeau is currently the Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Secretary General of Hydro-Québec. Before joining Hydro-Québec, she held various strategic positions in the government of Québec. Ms. Nadeau sits on the Board of the Energy Council of Canada where she holds the position of Vice Chair. She is a past chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Electricity Association.

Ms Nadeau is Vice President of the Boards of Directors of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and of Concordia University. Ms. Nadeau is a member of the Boards of Directors of Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corporation Limited., Metro Inc., the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts and the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations (CORIM).

Younghoon David Kim, from South Korea, is the Co-Chair-elect of the World Energy Council. He is also Chairman & CEO of the Daesung Group.

WEC should focus on collaboration with other global organizations like the UN as well as the water and financial sectors to promote the case for ‘clean and smart’ energy.  In this way we can satisfy both the need for sustainable energy for all and create a virtuous circle encompassing the food-energy-water nexus.

Younghoon David Kim was previously the World Energy Council Vice Chair for Asia Pacific and South Asia, which has entitled him to become an Honorary Officer of WEC. He is currently the elected Co-Chair for the WEC and he will take on this position at the end of the 2013 Congress to serve a three-year term until 2016, at which time Mr Kim will become Chair. Mr Kim is a member of the Energy Council of Korea and served in the last quarter of 2012 as Acting Chair of the World Energy Congress 2013, Daegu, South Korea.

Mr Kim has been Chairman and CEO of the Daesung Group since 2000. Prior to this, Mr Kim held the offices of Vice President and then President at Daesung. He has worked in the energy sector for over 20 years. Mr Kim has also appeared as a panellist at the World Economic Forum, chaired the Contents Korea Promotion Committee, and currently chairs the Daegu Athletics Association. He also serves as an advisor to the Korea China Foundation.

Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo has been the World Energy Council’s Vice Chair for Africa since November 2007. He also serves as Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on energy.

“My vision for the WEC is for it to be the dynamic change agent needed to provide solutions for enhanced energy security and sustainable energy for all, especially in developing countries. I personally hope to achieve a drastic reduction in energy poverty in Africa in the next few years.”

Before joining the WEC, Professor Sambo was Vice-Chancellor of Kaduna State University and Abubakar Tafawa Belawa University. He has published more than 200 articles in journals, conference proceedings and technical reports.

Professor Sambo is the Nigerian Representative at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). He is also a fellow of many science organizations, including the Nigerian Academy of Science and the Nigerian Academy of Engineering.

Professor Sambo has been awarded the National Productivity Order of Merit (from Nigeria) and the position of Officer of the Order of the Niger.

Shri Arup Roy Choudhury is the Vice Chair for the Asia Pacific and South Asia region of the World Energy Council. He is also the Chairman and Managing Director of NTPC Limited since September 2010, and has a career spanning over 32 years of outstanding contribution in the fields of engineering, management and leadership.

He became the youngest Chief Executive Officer of a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) at the age of 44 years when he joined National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited on in 2001 as Chairman & Managing Director.

Mr. Choudhury is the Chairman of the Standing Conference of Public Enterprises (SCOPE), the apex body of over 240 Central Public Sector Enterprises. He was awarded with the “Best Individual Leader of the Public Enterprise” recognition by the Honorable Prime Minister of India in 2010 and also received the award for “CSR and Responsiveness” from the Honorable President of India on the same year.

Dr Leonhard Birnbaum is the Vice Chair for Europe of the World Energy Council. He is also Chief Commercial Officer of RWE AG, one of Europe’s leading electricity and gas companies.

“Across the globe energy markets are growing closer. Social equity, energy security and environmental impact mitigation require an efficient and modern energy supply. These core values of the World Energy Council can only be realised through market mechanisms and aligned national and international policies.”

Dr Birnbaum has been a Member of the Executive Board of RWE AG since 2008. In his current role as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) he is responsible for commodity management, mergers and acquisitions, research and development, renewable energies supply and trading and oil and gas.

Before joining RWE Dr Birnbaum was  Senior partner for McKinsey & Company and member of the management team for the European energy sector.

José Antonio Vargas Lleras is the Vice Chair Chairman of the World Energy Council for the Latin American & Caribbean region. He is also Chairman of the Colombian Committee of WEC.

Dr Vargas has been Chairman of the Energy Commission for Regional Integration (CIER) and has held several managerial positions in many companies in the electric sector. Before joining CODENSA in 2006 he held the post of CEO of the Bogota Power Company.

Professionally trained as a lawyer, and also a university professor, Mr Vargas Lleras has served as an Ambassador to the European Union and the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the World Customs Organisation.

Dr Taha Mohammed Zatari is the WEC Vice Chair for the Gulf States and Middle East (Special Responsibility). He is also Senior Consultant in the Designated National Authority, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources.

Dr Zatari is since 1997 the Senior National Climate Change Negotiator to the UNFCCC and National Coordinator and Project Manager for the 1st & 2nd National Communications. Dr Zatari is also a member of the IPCC Bureau and the key contact for IPCC in Saudi Arabia. He participates in the meetings of UNEP, Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) and IMO activities.

Between 1996 and 2002, Dr Zatari was responsible for developing Environmental Standards in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as Director General of Environmental Standards in the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment.

Dr Zatari holds a PhD in Civil/Environmental Engineering from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK (1996) after completing a Bachelor of Engineering Technology at the University of Central Florida, USA in 1984.

Dr Kevin Meyers is the Vice Chair for North America of the World Energy Council. He is an independent energy consultant and corporate Director.

Dr Meyers’ has over 32 years experience in the exploration and production industry. . He currently serves on the Board of four publicly traded companies in the energy sector. He retired from ConocoPhillips in 2010 as Senior Vice President for Exploration and Production in the Americas. During his career, Dr. Meyers served as President of ConocoPhillips Canada, ConocoPhillips Russia and ConocoPhillips Alaska. He began working in the industry in 1980 for ARCO and continued with ARCO in various roles of increasing responsibility until its sale to BP and Phillips in 2000. .

Dr Meyers’ prior Board assignments include LUKOIL and the Nature Conservancy of Alaska.

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Graham Ward is Vice Chair, Finance of the World Energy Council, Chief Commissioner of The Independent Commission for Aid Impact(UK), Vice Chairman of the UK-India Business Council and a member of the Executive Council of the Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies (UK).

“My vision for the World Energy Council is that it should be a thriving membership organisation which is the world’s leading authority on the practical and policy issues involved in achieving a sustainable energy future for all on our planet, and also that it should disseminate its expertise widely and effectively to governments, regulators, consumers and producers alike.”

Graham Ward retired in 2010 from the Global Energy and Utilities Group at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has served as the Chairman to the British Energy Association and is a member of the Executive Council of the Parliamentary Group for Energy Studies.

Mr Ward is a Vice Chairman of the UK India Business Council, and was President of the International Federation of Accountants.

Graham was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in June 2004 for services to exports.

Dr. Cho Hwan-Eik is Chair of the Organising Committee of the 2013 World Energy Congress since January 2013. He is also the president and CEO of Korea Electric Power Corporation.

Before joining the Organising Committee of the World Energy Congress 2013 , Dr. Cho served for a public official in the government of the Republic of Korea. He was Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Presidential Office from January 1993 to February 1995, Public Information Officer of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy from February 1995 to August 1996 and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy from June 1999 to August 2001.

Dr. Cho was also CEO of Korea Export Insurance Corporation from May 2007 to May 2008 and President of Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) from July 2008 to June to 2011. Dr Cho has been awarded the Service Merit Medal in 1984 and the Yellow Stripes Order of Service Merit Medal in 2006 from the Republic of Korea.

Jean-Marie Dauger is Chair of the WEC Communications & Outreach Committee. He is Senior Executive Vice President and a member of the Executive  Board of GDF SUEZ.

“The World Energy Council provides a wide arena for a comprehensive examination of the global energy scene, bringing together representatives of mature and developing economy countries. The WEC has based its reputation on authoritative reports and analyses, on superior understanding of energy projections, and on an unflagging commitment to promoting sustainable energy policies and strategies. In a world where energy issues are paramount and for which access to energy in a sustainable manner is essential, the role played by the WEC is of critical importance.”

Jean-Marie Dauger has served several positions within Gaz de France, including Chief Operating Officer, and since the merger of Gaz de France and Suez, with GDF SUEZ as Senior Executive Vice President. He is a member of the Executive Board in charge of the Global Gas & LNG Business Line, one of the six business lines of the GDF SUEZ Group.

Mr Dauger is a Chevalier of the National Order of Merit and a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. Jean-Marie Dauger is also Member of the WEC’s Programme Committee.

Brian Statham is Chair of the Studies Committee. He is also the Executive Chairman of the South African National Energy Association.

“My vision for the WEC is that it will increasingly become a thought-leader on energy matters, stimulating innovative solutions to the challenges facing the global energy sector. Personally, as Chair of the Studies Committee I aim to make the Strategic Insights more relevant, particularly regarding the needs of developing countries.”

Mr Statham chaired the 2007 WEC Global Study on “Energy Policy Scenarios to 2050″ and has served on a number of governmental task forces and committees dealing with energy matters. Mr Statham has some 36 years of experience in energy and has been involved in construction (coal, hydro and nuclear), operations, research, production planning, investment planning, project development (coal, hydro, LNG, natural gas, nuclear)and strategic planning, predominantly in the area of power generation.

José da Costa Carvalho Neto is Chair of the Programme Committee of the World Energy Council. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Eletrobras.

José da Costa Carvalho Neto is Chair of the World Energy Council’s Programme Committee, which directs WEC’s technical and regional work . In 1987, he was the Deputy Secretary of Mines and Energy of Minas Gerais in Brazil. He was also Chairman of Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (Cemig) between July 1998 and January 1999 where he started in 1966, after holding the position of Chief Distribution Officer between 1991 and 1997 as well as Superintendence, Department and Division Manager.

Mr. Carvalho Neto was also CEO of Arcadis Logos Energia, Member of the Board of Directors of Logos Engenharia and Enerconsult and Director of Orteng Equipamentos e Sistemas. Mr. Carvalho Neto holds a Masters in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of Minas Gerais.