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A carbon neutral event

Energy Industry Conference

February 7 – 9, 2023

Dubai, UAE

08/03/2023

Marsh hosted its eighth Energy Industry Conference in Dubai on February 7-9, 2023. With a reputation as one of the region’s leading forums for risk issues, the event was an opportunity to engage in forward-thinking discussion and  consider innovative ideas on topics such as the energy transition, supply chain disruption, energy security, and the climate emergency.

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Explore the conference program

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Session Title

Speaker

The Era of Possibility

John Doyle, President & CEO, Marsh McLennan

Hydrogen’s Role in Global Energy Security

Marco Alverá, CEO, TES-H2

Enabling the Energy Transition of Oman

Sabrina Al Bakri, Chief Executive, Finance, OQ

Nurturing a Transition Skillset

Nabil Almessabi, CHRO, TAQA

An EU view: Importance of Policy in Enabling Green Transition

H.E. Andrea Matteo Fontana, The EU Ambassador to the UAE, European Union

Petrochemicals: A New Wave of Growth

Mutlaq Al-Morished, CEO, TASNEE

The Fundamental Shift from Linear to Circular

Tom Asselman, VP Strategic Planning & Projects, OMV

Forging a New Path for Pakistan

Ghias Khan, CEO, Engro Group

Ensuring Justice in Transition

Chair: Amy Barnes, Head of Climate and Sustainability Strategy, Marsh

Panellists:

  • Gwenola Jan, VP Corporate Risk Management & Insurance, TotalEnergies
  • Carlos Aboitiz, Chief Corporate Services Officer, Aboitiz Power
  • Lesley Harding, Global Head of Energy, Liberty Specialty Markets
  • Dawn Miller, Commercial Director, Lloyd’s

Powering Futures

Paddy Padmanathan, CEO, ACWA Power

The Role of Gas in the Energy Transition

Dr. Patrick Allman-Ward, CEO, Dana Gas

Australia’s National Electricity Market

Prof. Paul Simshauser, CEO, Powerlink Queensland

Pioneering a Responsible Transition

Eric Francia, President and CEO, ACEN

Contributions to Energy Transition

Chair: Andrew George, Global Head of Energy & Power, Marsh

Panellists:

  • Bertil Olsson, President & CEO, Everen
  • Sam Harrison, Group Chief Underwriting Officer, QBE
  • Mike Gosselin, Global Leader of Energy and Transition Risk, Liberty Specialty Markets
  • Christopher Wildee, Executive Vice President of Corporate, Sukoon Insurance
  • Chaire McDonald, Executive Board Member and Chief Underwriting Officer, HDI

Rebalancing the Energy Security/Sustainability Equation

Francois Austin, Head of Energy Practice, Oliver Wyman

Mobilising investment for clean energy

Africa’s energy industry is approaching a new age, as pressures on the region’s oil and gas producing nations are intensifying while the remainder of the world endeavours to accelerate transition. This can create great opportunities for the continent to reassess its energy approach to more sustainable long-term alternatives.

Facilitators:

  • Samar Awadh, Client Executive, Energy & Power, Marsh
  • Espen Melhum, Head of Energy, Materials & Infrastructure Programme, World Economic Forum
  • Robert Ansari, Head of Investments and Retirement IMETA, Mercer
  • Edoardo Fassati, Co-head of Middle East Practice, Rothschild
  • Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Director for Financial Services, Africa Finance Corporation

Geopolitics: Walking the tightrope

With an uncertain future, geopolitical risks pose an increasing threat to the global economy. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, US-China tensions, European energy security as well as the future of Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programs are all areas that may impact global business.

Facilitators:

  • Panteha Peters, Head of Crisis Management, Middle East & Africa, Marsh
  • Sorana Parvulescu, Head of Geopolitical Risk Analysis for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Control Risks
  • Mohammed Al-Rahji, CRO, Ma’aden
  • Caleb Raywood, General Counsel & Company Secretary, PXGEO
  • Adel Ghaleb, Finance Manager, Yemen LNG

Digitalisation for optimisation

Energy companies are using digitalisation in conjunction with improved processes and skills, to optimise operations and increase productivity from existing assets.

Facilitators:

  • David Causi, Consulting & Analytics Engineering Leader, Middle East & Africa, Marsh
  • Panos Dimitriadis, Technical Manager, Motor Oil Hellas
  • Majed A. Shangiti, Chief Information Officer, Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemicals (SATORP)
  • Murtaza Gandhi, Manager of Qualitative Risk and Sustainability, BakerRisk

Climate response: Now or never

Our world’s climate is changing, and with it comes changing weather patterns. Hurricane season, Californian wildfires, Pakistan floods and Iran-Iraq earthquakes have acted as stark reminders of the ability of nature to stop human progress in its tracks. Explore how these exposures are evolving and how we can work to quantify, proactively inform and minimise impact of these changes.

Facilitators:

  • Dr. David Kelly, Senior Consultant, Marsh Advisory
  • Dr. Umar Abbasi, Manager, Insurance Risk Management Department, ADNOC
  • May Hleileh, Head of Energy, Zurich
  • Amy Barnes, Head of Climate and Sustainability Strategy, Marsh

Cyber security: The existential threat

Recent cyber-attacks underscore the new reality in cyber risk management – our processes must continually evolve to keep pace with the hackers and hacktivists of today. Explore the three stages of cyber defence.

Facilitators:

  • Sarah Stephens, International Head of Cyber, Marsh
  • Roland Daccache, Manager of Sales Engineering for MEA, CrowdStrike
  • Marc Slatter, Director, Global Credit & Insurance, SABIC
  • Sydonie Williams, Focus Group Leader – Cyber & Tech, Beazley
  • Sunil Machado, Head of Insurance & Regional Risk Officer, ENGIE

A nuclear renaissance?

The nuclear industry is evolving. Private or quasi-private investment will replace the state financing of the past, convention changes will challenge the existing insurance schemes, decommissioning plans will need to be created before the asset is constructed, and nuclear insurance capacity will be challenged as never before.

Facilitators:

  • Kate Fowler, Nuclear Energy Center of Excellence Leader, Marsh
  • Mark Tetley, Senior Consultant, Northcourt
  • Mike Kolodner, US Power & Renewable Energy Specialty Practice Leader, Marsh

Global Risk Report: Worlds Apart

Presentation of key research findings, including risks related to geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, inflation, debt, labour market gaps, protectionism and educational disparities.

Facilitators:

  • Talal Darras, Strategic Risk Consulting, Marsh Advisory
  • Espen Melhum, Head of Energy, Materials & Infrastructure Programme, World Economic Forum
  • Mr. Akhil Mehrotra, MD & CEO, Pipeline Infrastructure Limited (PIL)
  • Samer Asfour, CEO, Jordan Bromine
  • Manal Al Azri, Head of Enterprise Risk Management, OQ

What does leadership driven process safety look like?

Culture exists on many levels but our leaders are in a powerful position as they influence others on a daily basis through their conversations, decisions, behaviours and actions. Explore the key cultural characteristics exhibited by process safety leaders, and how these factors are managed and measured.

Facilitator:

  • Jasper Clark, Engineering Hub Leader, Marsh
  • Dr. Umar Abbasi, Manager, Insurance Risk Management Department, ADNOC
  • Ramón Presa Cabeza, S&E Assurance Manager, Industrial Assets, Repsol
  • Jonathan Gavin, Risk Engineer, Liberty Specialty Markets

A hydrogen future: Hype or reality?

Hydrogen has widespread recognition as an important part of decarbonisation and the net zero solution. Explore the hydrogen project lifecycle, outlining potential steps to alleviate risk and accelerate market development.

Facilitators:

  • Mark Heneghan, Global Hydrogen Practice Leader, Marsh
  • Asad Lodhi, Corporate Risk & Insurance, Air Products
  • Andrew Doyle, Executive Director, Power and Renewables Project Finance, MUFG Bank
  • Alistair Wishart, Counsel, Vinson & Elkins
  • Achim Dosch, Underwriting Manager, Energy Construction, MunichRe

Talent: Forging a futureproof workforce

Explore the key strategies in positively managing people risk, addressing areas of acquisition, retention, talent development, diversity and inclusion.

Facilitators:

  • Milan Taylor, Partner & Global Energy Leader, Mercer
  • James Jeffreys, VP Group Human Capital Strategy, ADNOC
  • Najla Najm, Career Leader, Mercer Middle East

Renewables: Keeping pace with scale-up

Renewable generation is pulling ahead in the power sector, with wind and solar photovoltaic technologies leading this charge. How is the risk of scale-up being managed through the project lifecycle?

Facilitators:

  • Darren Popham, Head of Sales – Power & Renewables, Marsh
  • Paul Simshauser, CEO, Powerlink Queensland
  • Paul Floyd, O&M Manager, Sumitomo
  • Dr. Funké Adeosun, Global Head of Renewable Energy Consulting, Marsh

Upstream: Capturing the upside

Energy and power companies and contractors have navigated the significant swing in margins seen across this sector over the past decade – so what is the future for exploration and production companies? Explore the current market situation, pricing volatility and supply chain resilience, through to digitalisation and sustainability.

Facilitators:

  • Grete Henes, MD, Energy & Power, Marsh
  • Birgitte Grundfør, Risk Manager Insurance, Aker BP
  • Doug McEwan, Marketing Manager, Borr Drilling
  • Christian Heck, VP Group Insurance, Wintershall DEA
  • Ben House, Head of Upstream Energy, Markel
  • Erland Bassøe, Chairman, Esgian

Supply chain: The evolution of integration

Energy transition will only bring further integration to supply chains and increased commercial complexity. Understand how to approach these novel risks in respect of Business Interruption (BI) insurance.

The innovative use of captives for complex risks

Global insight on captive utilisation in the energy industry, including innovative usage in the management of complex and evolving risks. Regulation and market dynamics are driving a global trend in energy captive expansion of non-traditional areas such as cyber, supply chain and employee benefits. 

A holistic view on cyber risk management

Explore a quantitative approach to determine exposures specific to a company’s assets, with consideration for their operational flexibility and the IT/OT infrastructure in place.

Risk benchmarking: Eliminating unconscious bias

Unconscious bias can influence our view on risk. Explore analytical techniques, methods and interventions that are designed to improve people’s judgement and support them to make better informed risk decisions.

ESG Explored

How to deploy short- and long-term strategies to quantify, manage, and mitigate ESG risk, and manage stakeholders to protect your brand, and deliver commercial and competitive advantages. 

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