World Energy Council Chile & Deloitte: Launches Second Version of the CFO Program

Deloitte and World Energy Council Chile Launched the Second Version of the CFO Program for the Energy Sector

Deloitte in partnership with World Energy Council Chile

Twenty representatives of partner entities of the Chilean chapter of the World Energy Council joined this new edition of the consultancy's program, designed to strengthen the strategic leadership of CFOs in the face of the changes that the industry is going through.

Deloitte, together with the World Energy Council (WEC) Chile gave the go-ahead to the second version of the CFO Program, a methodology designed by the professional services firm to give financial leaders tools that allow them to face the challenges of the energy sector from a more strategic perspective.

This edition brings together 20 representatives of WEC Chile member companies, surpassing the 15 that participated in the first version, held in 2024. The growth in the call confirms the interest that this training space has generated among those who lead finance in the country's energy industry.

The program is part of a global initiative that Deloitte carries out, adapted in this case to the particularities of the national energy sector through the alliance with WEC Chile. The idea is for finance leaders to take on a much more strategic role within their organizations, with a broader vision to make decisions, manage risks, and generate value.

From the Kick-Off of this second edition, participants will meet in a series of sessions over five months, in which they will work on different challenges linked to the transformation of the sector, combining content on strategic leadership, emerging technologies, and the evolution of the role of the CFO. The methodology mixes group learning instances with individual spaces of accompaniment, where each participant develops a personalized plan.

Christian Durán, CEO of Deloitte Chile opened the meeting by pointing out that "in this space that we have generated together with WEC Chile we do not only want to provide tools, knowledge, or perspective; We want this to be a place for finance leaders to network about the challenges they have today. This is a position that is constantly challenged and is part of the key decisions of organisations, therefore, a global program is necessary, like the one we carry out at Deloitte, and wanted to bring Chile in 2024."

Next, Pablo Vásquez, Deloitte's Energy & Resources Partner and Director of WEC Chile, detailed the program that will be implemented in the coming months: "First we will have a workshop where we will talk about the strategic role that the CFO has in the midst of this in which uncertainty has remained on the agenda; later, we will address site finance and the use of Artificial Intelligence, which is today a key issue in the work of companies' financial leaders; in the third session it will be about communication, impact and influence, since a CFO must always work on their relationship; and the program will close with an episode on leadership, given that this role today no longer only requires reportability or numerical practice but also demands the ability to lead strategic decisions in companies."

In this first meeting, Claudio Seebach, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Sciences of the Adolfo Ibáñez University and Chair for Latin America and the Caribbean of the World Energy Council, presented a look at the global energy panorama and the profound transformations that the sector will face in the coming years.

His presentation highlighted that, despite the progress of the energy transition, fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy matrix, while new sources of demand begin to strain the system. Among them, the growth of data centers and the expansion of artificial intelligence pose a growing challenge, both due to their high energy requirements and the need for secure and reliable systems. In this scenario, Chile will have to compete to attract these new investments, taking advantage of its advantages in renewable energies, but also strengthening its infrastructure.

WEC Chile frames the CFO Program within the work that the organization carries out together with its partner entities to open spaces for learning, collaboration and dialogue on the country's energy challenges.

María Trinidad Castro, executive director of WEC Chile, explained that the transformation of the industry also requires new capabilities in those who lead it. "In this new version of the program, it seeks that participants incorporate concrete tools to navigate this scenario, the new reality, from the impact of artificial intelligence to the strengthening of soft skills to lead teams and manage change. In addition, it brings together representatives of different partner entities, which enriches learning by adding diversity of experiences and perspectives on the industry," he said.

With this new edition, WEC Chile and Deloitte reaffirm their commitment to developing capabilities and leadership in the energy industry, generating spaces where executives can anticipate changes and contribute, from their own organizations, to an energy transition that puts the human being at the center.

Those who will be part of the 2026 CFO Program are:

• Ricardo Roizen Gottlieb —AES Andes
• Luis Michel Quiroz —Bbosch
• Fabián Pérez —CNE
• Paula Olivares —Clarity Energy
• Felipe Andrés Donoso —Copec
• José Miguel Higueras Fajuri —Enap
• Sergio Sebastián Puchi Gatica —EnfraGen Chile
• Rodrigo Baeza —Gasco
• Natalia Inostroza —Metropolitan Generator
• Mauricio Fernando Núñez Villalobos —Grupo Saesa
• Santiago Sabal Salek —Hitachi Energy
• Pedro del Río —ISA Energía Chile
• Rubén Guzmán —Ministry of Energy
• Bernardo González —O4U
• Sergio Reyes —Pacific Hydro
• Robinson Herrera —Redinter
• Sebastián Díaz Gallardo —Siemens Energy
• Felipe Saffie —Solarity Energía
• Álvaro Castillo —Tinguiririca Energía
• Francisco Castro —Transelec