Runātāji

Mr. Delgado is currently serving as Chief Technology Officer of Iberdrola Group. He also oversees the PERSEO venture capital program, the activities of Iberdrola Innovation Middle East and maintains strategic collaborations with prestigious universities. He is currently chairing CEX Capital and Member of the Board of Directors of the Iberdrola BP Pulse Joint-Venture and Carbon2Nature. He is a member of several international boards and committees, including the World Energy Council, the Future Energy Systems Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Senior Executive member on Future Power Systems at WEF.

Alda Ozola has served as Chair of the Board of the Public Utilities Commission of Latvia since July 2021. As the chair of a multi-sector regulator, she focuses on dynamic, forward-looking regulation that supports the energy transition towards climate neutrality. Prior to joining the regulator, she served as Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (2013–2021), overseeing climate policy, sustainability, environmental protection, and biodiversity. Her career also includes leading several environmental NGOs in Latvia, international work, and serving on the board of the state-owned Latvian Environmental Investment Fund. Since November 2022, Alda Ozola has been a Vice President of the Council of European Energy Regulators and, since April 2023, a member of the Presidium of the Energy Regulators Regional Association. In 2026, she will join the Bureau of the Network of Economic Regulators at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, further strengthening her role in Europe’s regulatory and energy policy landscape.

He is a former Member of the Estonian Parliament (Estonian Reform Party) and a former Minister of Entrepreneurship and IT. As the Minister of Entrepreneurship and IT, he oversaw the development of the e-Estonia ecosystem, raised investments in cyber security and launched the 5G rollout. He promoted the Estonian startup ecosystem and collaboration in innovation between businesses and universities. Andres is also a member of the Supervisory Board of Eesti Pank (the Central Bank of Estonia), Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Tartu University Foundation, and a member of the Advisory Board of AI&Robotics Estonia. Prior to entering the politics, Mr Sutt has served as a member of the Board at Enefit, as the Head of Banking at the European Stability Mechanism in Luxembourg, and as a Senior Advisor to the Nordic-Baltic Executive Director of the IMF Board, in Washington DC. He has also served as a Deputy Governor, responsible for financial stability at Eesti Pank. Mr Sutt has 25 years of experience in restructuring and crisis management of the banking sector. Mr Sutt holds a master’s degree in economics and finance (cum laude) from Tartu University in Estonia, and has studied management at INSEAD, France.

Andrus Durejko is the CEO of Enefit from April 2023. Enefit operates in the Baltic and Nordic electricity and gas markets, as well as the global liquid fuels market. Enefit offers energy solutions ranging from electricity, heat and fuel production to sales, customer service, and consulting. Prior to Enefit Andrus Durejko was working as Chair of the Management Board at Ericsson Eesti and Ericsson Latvia. In addition, he has worked as an Ericsson Eesti AS Board Member in the field of technology, program director in Nordic and Baltic countries and chief technology officer. He was also Regional Director of Ericsson Ukraine in the field of mobile core networks. Andrus Durejko is an Advisory Board Member at the AI and Robotics (AIRE) Center. He has graduated from Estonian University of Life Sciences in Electrical Power Engineering (M.S) and completed MBA courses in Estonian Business School.

Burkhard von Kienitz is an experienced energy expert. He manages COO processes at the Headquarter of E.ON SE and works directly for the CEO, Dr. Leo Birnbaum. He gives lectures at the Technical University of Munich, holds mandates in national and international organizations and is supervisory Board Member of several international Companies. Burkhard has worked in various countries and functions in the energy sector over the past decades. He is Board Member of United Europe and an Officer at the World Energy Council (WEC). At WEC he is Chair for regional initiatives and member in the studies and the finance committee.

Catherine (Katie) Jereza was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Electricity (OE) on October 14, 2025. She leads the Department's research, development and demonstration programs to strengthen and modernize our nation’s power grid. She returns to OE in 2025 after serving as OE’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transmission Permitting and Technical Assistance from 2017-2019. During that time, she led Department efforts to promote the reliability, security and affordability of electricity infrastructure. In between her positions at OE, she served as a Corporate Vice President for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), providing strategic leadership for government and external engagement. Ms. Jereza has more than 30 years of experience in the energy, water, and manufacturing industries, where she led multiple startup, turnaround and major problem-solving initiatives. Specifically, she was the Director for Infrastructure Resilience at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), Program Director at Energetics Incorporated, and Environmental Specialist at the Maryland Department of the Environment’s Water Supply Program. She also worked as a sales engineer for GE Water and Process Technologies and the Lincoln Electric Company. Ms. Jereza grew up in West Virginia and currently lives in Maryland with her husband. She holds an MBA from the Loyola University Maryland and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Eamonn Lannoye is Director of Research & Development at EPRI Europe. Based in Dublin, he leads initiatives in Transmission Operations & Planning focused on grid flexibility, reliability, and system planning. His recent work focuses on data center grid integration, artificial intelligence and industry dialogues on lessons from the Iberian system event, turning research into actionable guidance for operators and policymakers. He has a PhD from University College Dublin and an MBA from Imperial College London.

Gundars Bērziņš is rector and professor of the University of Latvia, he has a PhD in Management Sciences (Dr. sc. admin.). He is also a leading researcher at the University of Latvia and a full member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, as well as Chairman of the Productivity Board of Latvia. Bērziņš started his work at LU in 2000 as a lecturer at the Faculty of Business, Management and Economics (FBME), and in 2003 he also became the executive director of the faculty. Later, from 2008 to 2010, he worked as the director of the Finance and Accounting Department of the LU. In 2010, he became the chancellor of the University of Latvia, but in 2014 he started a successive path to the academic position of professor, which he obtained in 2018. Bērziņš was the dean of LU FBME from 2016 until March 2024. From 2019 to 2021, he was also the chairman of the council of AS "Olainfarm". Gundars Bērziņš has also been a adviser to the President of Latvia and an expert of the Parlament (Saeima).

Hala N. Ballouz is the Founder, Board Chair, and Chief Vision officer of Electric Power Engineers (EPE). As its former CEO, Hala built EPE to a globally recognized power systems advisory firm solving the world’s most complex energy transition problems. A trailblazer in the electric utility sector and a licensed Professional Engineer herself, Hala is recognized for her leadership and innovation that continue to shape the future of energy. Hala isa trusted advisor to utilities, developers,technology companies, regulatorsand the like– aleading voice in the energy industryand achampion for holistic integrated systems planning and architecting the future flexible grid. Hala also focuses on the importance ofequitable, forward-thinking energy policies to ensure we build an affordable, reliable, resilient and flexible energy future. She has received numerous awards, including Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 (Gulf South Region), Texas A&M’s 2025 Eminent ECE Graduate Award and the 2020 Woman in Power Award. She also served as the first female president of one of Texas’ oldest energy associations, building its first conference platform in 2014, focusing on grid modernization.

Jörg-Andreas Krüger, president of NABU (The Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union) – Germany’s oldest and largest environmental association. With more than 960,000 members and 70,000 active volunteers, NABU works tirelessly to protect species, habitats and climate, at home and worldwide. NABU is the German partner of BirdLife International. Jörg-Andreas Krüger is an experienced leader in nature conservation and environmental policy with over 25 years of expertise in biodiversity, ecological footprint management, and sustainable development. He had different strategic leadership roles at major environmental organizations, including NABU and WWF Germany. Furthermore, he has a strong background in landscape architecture and long-standing commitment to conservation since early youth.

Kārlis is a senior researcher at the Institute of Industrial Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Energy at Riga Technical University. His research is focused on power system modelling and optimization, flexibility for renewable energy integration (e.g. through demand response, energy storage) as well as development of new types of ancillary services markets. He has participated and also currently contributes to a number of research and innovation projects funded by the European Commission, Latvian Council of Science and national energy industry stakeholders.Additionally, Kārlis is a member of the management team of the Future Energy Leaders Latvia program.

Mr. Kaspars Melnis is the minister for Climate and Energy of the Republic of Latvia. Mr. Kaspars Melnis is a politician with extensive experience in local politics - he was a member of the Rezekne Municipality Council and member of the 14th Saeima, representing the political party “Union of Greens and Farmers”. The Minister was a board member of the Latvian Farmers' Union and the Cooperation Council of Farmers' Organizations, as well as chairman of the board of the Association of Livestock Farms, etc. Currently, as the Minister of Climate and Energy of the Republic of Latvia, he has clearly set a main goal - stabilisation for energy prices, as well as energy independence and security.

Kim Strengman is a highly experienced professional in the renewable energy sector, with over a decade of global project experience. Driven by a strong commitment to creating a better world and combating climate change, Kim has dedicated their career to improving and increasing renewable energy production assets. Currently, Kim serves as the Head of Renewable Energy Development at Ingka Investments. In this role, they lead initiatives to develop and invest in new renewable energy projects, significantly contributing to the expansion of renewable energy sources and the reduction of global CO2 emissions.

Līga Kurevska has over ten years of experience in the energy sector and currently serves as the State Secretary at the Ministry of Climate and Energy. She holds a PhD from Riga Technical University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Riga Business School. Throughout her career, Kurevska has worked as the Director of the Energy Department at the Public Utilities Commission and has held other senior leadership roles. She is recognized for her data-driven approach, commitment to process efficiency, and ability to foster high-performing teams. A senior executive with deep sectoral expertise, Kurevska combines strategic insight with hands-on project management experience to drive impactful, system-level improvements in the energy field.

Mārtiņš Čakste has been the Chairman of the Management Board of Latvenergo AS, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Member of the Board of Directors at Eurelectric, Vice President of the Latvian National Committee of the World Energy Council since 2021. M. Čakste holds a PhD in Business Administration from Riga Technical University (RTU) (2007) and a Master’s degree in Engineering Economics from Rīga Technical university (RTU,1999). Latvenergo Group is currently working hard to achieve very high and ambitious targets in green energy production, delivering results that are strategically important both for the development of the Latvian state and for energy security.

Dr. Michael W. Howard is committed to advancing a sustainable and equitable energy future. With more than 40 years of global leadership in the electric utility industry, he combines deep technical expertise with business insight, emphasizing collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He served for a decade as CEO of EPRI, a $500 million global research organization driving innovations in nuclear power, renewable energy, energy storage, and electric vehicles to ensure reliable and affordable electricity. Earlier in his career, he worked at Westinghouse, co-founded a technology start-up, and led a power electronics company later acquired by EPRI. Dr. Howard holds degrees in electrical engineering and business from the University of Tennessee and the University of Pittsburgh and earned a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Tennessee,where his research focused on artificial intelligence. He has also taught graduate courses and worked with private capital firms supporting mid-stage technology companies. Today, Dr. Howard is chair emeritus of the World Energy Council and serves on three energy-technology boards and advisory councils, including Carnegie Mellon’s Scott Institute. A regular contributor to U.S. National Academies studies on electricity, he was honored with the Distinguished Energy Award and remains active in global energy leadership through the IEEE and the American Nuclear Society.

With over 25 years of experience in EU affairs, Mihails Kozlovs career spans national and international administration, diplomacy, international financial and audit organisations. He worked in the intersection of economic, financial and fiscal policies and contributed to Latvia’s EU and euro area accession and its successful presidency of the Council of the EU. As a Member of the European Court of Auditors since 2016, he has led audits on key EU policy areas and served as Dean of Chamber IV (2021–2025), overseeing audit work on artificial intelligence, foreign investment screening, electricity market integration, state aid control, EU space assets, and ethical frameworks. Currently, he leads audits on the Recovery and Resilience Facility & REPowerEU, restrictive trade measures, and ECB supervisory tools, with upcoming audits on the European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Technology. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Audit of Public Organisations and Policies (Université de Lorraine), an Executive MBA with distinction (Cass/Bayes Business School), and degrees in social sciences from the University of Latvia and Riga Technical University.

With long experience from the Danish Diplomatic Corps and public service in Denmark and Europe, combined with a solid background from the private sector and the EU Commission, Nina Hvid Enevoldsen is today heading the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia. Coming from the Danish Embassy in Warsaw as Director of Trade, Ms Enevoldsen joined the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia in September 2025. She holds a degree of Master of Law specialised in commercial, corporate and intellectual property right law combined with additional education in both leadership and psychology.

Since 2005, Olga Bogdanova has been working for the governmental sector. Her current position at the Ministry of Climate and Energy of Latvia is Deputy State Secretary for International Affairs and Climate Policy. Olga Bogdanova is the president of World Energy Council Member Committee Latvia. She is a Chair of the Supervisory board of the Power Transmission System operator of Latvia AS “Augstsprieguma tīkls” holding the controlling stock of the Latvian gas transmission and storage system operator. She is a member of the Studies Committee at the World energy Council, an alumni of the World energy Council Future Energy Leadership Program (2018-2022), and an active expert at the World Energy Council. Olga Bogdanova has Doctor Degree in Economics. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Latvia, Faculty of Business Management and Economics and an expert of the Latvian Scientific Council in economics. Dr.oec. Bogdanova is co-author of 4 scientific monographs and author of more than 40 scientific publications focused on the challenges in the energy field, regional cooperation issues and economic development.

Reinhold Schneider is the CEO of SCHWENK Northern Europe and Chairperson of the Management Board of SCHWENK Latvija, based in Riga. He joined the SCHWENK Latvija and Northern Europe team at the company’s launch in the region in June 2019. He has more than 30 years of professional experience in the European building materials production sector and holds an Engineering degree in Physics from Munich University. He is fluent in German and English. In addition to his corporate roles, he currently serves as President of the German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce (AHK) and as Chairperson of the Foreign Investors’ Council in Latvia (FICIL).

Renate is a seasoned technology leader with over 25 years of experience in the IT industry and management consulting. Currently, she serves as the National Technology Officer for the Central Europe and Central Asia region, where she supports customers in their AI transformation journey. Before joining Microsoft in 2016, Renate was an Executive Director at EY Management Advisory. Since 2021, she has been an independent supervisory board member of Swedbank Latvia. Renate is also an active mentor for women in tech and holds a Doctorate in Engineering from the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology at the Riga Technical University, as well as a master’s degree in management from the University of Latvia. Additionally, she has a background as a leading researcher at the Riga Technical University Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology. Over the years, she has served as a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia and the Latvian Information and Communications Technology Association.

Stefan Kapferer has been Chairman of the Management Board of 50Hertz since December 2019 and member of the steering committee of the German-Belgian Elia Group (Elia Group Management Board). As part of the Elia Group, 50Hertz operates the transmission grid in northern and eastern Germany and is responsible for the safe electricity supply for around 18 million people. The share of fluctuating renewable energies in the 50Hertz grid area is more than 70 percent, which is a worldwide peak value. Stefan Kapferer looks back on a long career in politics and business. For several years he was State Secretary in various departments at state and federal level. In 2011, he was appointed State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and was thus also responsible for the energy sector. He represented the ministry in the EU Council of Energy Ministers and was Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the German Energy Agency (dena). From 2014 to 2016 Kapferer was Deputy Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Since 2024 he is Chair of REEF - Roundtable for Europe’s Energy Future and since 2025 President of World Energy Council - Germany e.V.. From 2016 to 2019 Stefan Kapferer was Chairman of the Executive Board of the Federal Association of the German Energy and Water Industries (BDEW). During this time, as a member of the "Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment", he helped to prepare a phase-out of coal-fired power generation in Germany, which was supported by a broad social consensus.

Dr. Y.A. Alturki Dr. Y. A. Alturki is Chief Advisor to the Assistant Minister of Electricity Affairs at the Ministry of Energy, Saudi Arabia, with extensive experience in power systems, renewable energy integration, international electrical interconnections, and the development of electricity policies and deregulation. He serves as Secretary of the Saudi Arabia Member Committee of the World Energy Council and participates in several national and international committees. Dr. Alturki previously held senior government and academic leadership roles, including Assistant Deputy Minister, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at the College of Engineering at King Saud University, Vice Rector for Admission and Registration, and Dean of the College of Applied Sciences at AlMaarefa University. He holds a B.Sc. from King Saud University, an M.Sc. from Oregon State University (USA), and a Ph.D. from the University of Strathclyde (UK), with research expertise in electricity markets, power system analysis and power sector policies and reform.

Žygimantas Vaičiūnas has more than 20 years’ experience in the national and EU energy sector. He was the Minister for Energy of the Republic of Lithuania from 2016 to 2020 and Energy Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Lithuania to the European Union from 2014 to 2016. Žygimantas Vaičiūnas has worked in both the public and private sectors and has led a number of strategic energy projects, actively promoting green energy development and innovation. He has also served as Policy Director at at European Solar Manufacturing Council, as a member of the Board of the Global BOD Group and as Vice President of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists. He has worked for the Ministry of Energy for more than 12 years in various positions. Mr. Vaičiūnas graduated from the Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University in 2006 with a Master’s degree in International Relations and Political Science. He started his professional career as an analyst and worked as a lecturer at the Vilnius University.