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Array of Renowned Speakers to Address Members of Masdar Institute’s YFEL Program at WFES 2014

September 21, 2018

Abu Dhabi-UAE: 16 January, 2014 – Masdar Institute of Science of Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy and sustainable technology, today announced an array of globally renowned government and non-government officials, as well as top industry professionals will address members of the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) program, a Masdar Institute outreach initiative, during the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2014.

The YFEL program has unveiled a packed schedule of events for the seventh edition of WFES that will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The world’s foremost event dedicated to renewable energies, energy efficiency and clean technologies will be held from 20-22 January at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Dedicated to encouraging and inspiring young professionals and future leaders, YFEL will host several events at its pavilion where prominent speakers from government and industry will share their experience and knowledge. Throughout the Summit, the YFEL pavilion will feature presentations on clean energy, host debates and showcase sustainability projects. In addition, various industry leaders and experts from non-government organizations (NGOs) will address and interact with the YFEL members.

The YFEL program is being sponsored by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) for the fourth consecutive year. His Excellency Sultan bin Rashed Dhaheri, Member of the Federal National Council and the Chairman of the Committee on Finance and Economic Council, reiterated his support to the YFEL program for two consecutive years with a contribution of US$1 million each year. In 2011, Mohammed Bin Kardous Al Ameri, Emirati philanthropist was the first enthusiastic private sponsor of this outreach initiative with a contribution of AED1 million. Other sponsors have also contributed to the YFEL program over the years.

Dr Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director, Public Affairs, Masdar Institute, said: “The World Future Energy Summit offers YFEL members the right platform to network with global energy industry professionals and government leaders. YFEL’s agenda during WFES 2014 will be rich in content with diverse activities including keynote speeches and discussions on clean energy and sustainability by industry experts. The continuous support of the UAE leadership has ensured that programs such as YFEL remain beneficial to the evolution of youth and young professionals.”

Dr. Erik Brynjolfsson, Professor – Sloan School of Management, MIT, and Michael Liebreich, CEO of Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) will be the keynote speakers on the first and second days at the YFEL pavilion.

On the first day, Dr. Steve Griffiths, Executive Director, Institute Initiatives and Professor of Practice at Masdar Institute, will moderate a debate on the timeframe for placing legally binding limits on some countries to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The first day’s agenda for YFEL members will include attending a WFES plenary session about clean energy business that will be moderated by Dr. David Sandalow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University, USA. The speakers will include Christof Ruehl, Group Chief Economist, BP Global, Maria van de Hoeven, Executive Director, IEA, Jean-Pascal Tricoire, CEO of Schneider Electric, France, and Marie-Jose Nadeau, President of World Energy Council.

For the YFEL members, the second day’s activities will include attending a WFES plenary session titled ‘The Global Energy Context’ that will be moderated by Paolo Frankl, Head of Unit, Renewable Energy Division, International Energy Agency, France. Experts who will share their experience at the session will include Deb Frodl, Global Executive Director, Ecomaginaton, GE, USA, Hiroshi Kuniyoshi, Executive Director, New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan, Santiago Seage, Chairman & CEO, Abengoa Solar, Spain, and Arthuros Zervos, Chairman & CEO, Public Power Corporation S.A., Greece, and Chairman REN21.

Other events of the day will include a debate on whether countries with huge populations should implement measures against issues that impact worldwide sustainability. It will be moderated by Dr. Ken Volk, Head of Outreach, Masdar Institute.

The day’s activities for the YFEL members will include attending two parallel sessions organized as part of WFES 2014. The session on ‘Energy and Society – Transforming Cities’ will be moderated by Rend Stephan, Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group, Middle East, UAE. Speakers will include Anthony Mallows, Director, Masdar City, UAE, Maryke van Staden, Senior Manager, Low Carbon City Agenda ICLEI, Germany, and Jos Verbeek, Lead Economist, Development Prospects Group, World Bank.

YFEL members will also attend the WFES session about solar projects in the MENA region will be moderated by Tarek El Sayed, Vice-President, Booz & Company, Lebanon. Speakers will include Yousif Al Ali, Director, SHAMS, UAE, Christopher Burghardt, Vice-President, Business Development, Europe, Middle East and Africa, First Solar GmbH, Germany, Indraj Mangat, Partner Financial Institutions Group, Eversheds, UK, Daniel Zywietz, Managing Director, Ambata Capital Middle East, UAE, and Rajit Nanda, Chief Investment Officer, ACWA Power, Saudi Arabia. The YFEL graduation ceremony is scheduled for the second day of the event.

The concluding day’s WFES plenary session for YFEL members will focus on inspiring the future generation. To be moderated by James Cameron, Founder & Executive Chairman, Climate Change Capital, UK, the speakers will include Dr Nawal Al-Hosany, Director of Zayed Future Energy Prize and Director Sustainability, Masdar, UAE, Kate Hampton, Executive Director for Climate Change, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, UK, Peter Goldmark, Former President of the Rockefeller Foundation and CEO of the International Herald Tribune, USA, Martin Hiller, Director-General, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, and Steve Sawyer, Secretary-General, Global Wind Energy Council.

Part of the Masdar Institute’s Outreach program, YFEL offers young professionals and students from the UAE and abroad an opportunity to become more engaged in finding solutions to the world’s biggest challenges – achieving energy efficiency and tackling climate change. It also aims to bring young professionals closer to government representatives, business leaders and other organizations active in the area of alternative energy and sustainability.