Asian leaders to address 2013 World Energy Congress

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Government and industry figures among 150 confirmed speakers

LONDON / SEOUL, 28 May 2013 – Senior government and industry figures from Asia’s leading economies are among the 150 speakers confirmed today by organisers of the 22nd World Energy Congress, which takes place in Daegu, South Korea, from 13 to 17 October 2013.

This is only the second time in its 90-year history that the world’s most prestigious energy event has been held in East Asia, and comes as Asia takes an increasingly influential global role as an energy producer and consumer. Delegates will hear at first-hand how the continent is tackling the challenge of securing a sustainable energy future, with speakers from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand due to address the Congress.

China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) recently confirmed that it will be sending a ministerial-level delegation to the event and has advised Chinese energy companies of its plan to attend.

Among the speakers from Asian countries and organisations confirmed for the 22nd World Energy Congress are:

U Than Htay, Union Minister for Energy, Myanmar
Jero Wacik, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Indonesia
Sang-jick Yoon, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Korea (Rep. of)
Peter Coleman, CEO & Managing Director, Woodside Energy, Australia
Liu Zhenya, President & CEO, SGCC, China
William Durbin, President of Global Markets Research, Wood Mackenzie, China
Lin Boqiang, Director, China Center for Energy Economics Research (CCEER), China
Arup Roy Choudhury, Chairman & Managing Director, NTPC; Vice Chair, Asia Pacific and South Asia, WEC, India
Sanjit Bunker Roy, Founder, Barefoot College, India
Tulsi Tanti, Chairman, Suzlon, India
B. P. Rao, Chairman & Managing Director, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), India
Naomi Hirose, President, TEPCO, Japan
Kenji Yamaji, Director-General, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), Japan
Shigeru Muraki, Executive Vice President, Tokyo Gas, Japan
Makoto Yagi, President, Kansai Electric Power Co; Chairman, FEPC, Japan
Osamu Watanabe, President & CEO, Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. (JAPEX), Japan
In-Gyu Choi, Vice President, KEPCO, Korea (Rep. of)
Hoesung Lee, Vice Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Korea (Rep. of)
Syed Isa Syed Alwi, Founder & CEO, AlgaeTech, Malaysia
Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the UN & Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Thailand

Dr Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, commented: “We will be tackling some of the most pressing energy-related issues facing Asia and the wider world at our Congress, from the post-Fukushima nuclear challenge to the Asian LNG markets dynamics, to the prospects for renewable energy in this continent. We are therefore delighted and proud to be welcoming leaders from Asian governments and industry, who I know will make significant contributions to our discussions.”

Cho Hwan-eik, Chair of the Organising Committee of the 2013 World Energy Congress, and President, KEPCO, added: “This year’s Congress theme could not be timelier as Asia faces the great challenge of adopting sustainable energy policies that are compatible with its continued economic expansion. It is essential therefore that those with an interest in Asia, from government ministers to industry leaders, gather at this Congress to seek truly sustainable solutions for the future.”

The World Energy Congress expects to welcome 200 speakers from both developed and developing nations as they address the critical Congress theme of “Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today”.