Programme

Born in Switzerland in 1969, Christoph Frei became WEC’s youngest Secretary General in April 2009. Over the past three years he has lead the further development of the world-renowned London-based organisation through a number of initiatives, including the initiation of WEC’s on-going Global Energy Scenarios and Energy & Climate Policy Assessment flagship projects or, the facilitation of high-level World Energy Leaders’ Summits to enhance the relevance and impact of the 90 years old organisation. Prior to joining WEC, Christoph was a member of the Executive Council of the World Economic Forum (WEF) and its Senior Director in charge of Energy (2001-2009). He is also an Adjunct Professor at EPFL (since 2006) and a member of WEF’s Global Agenda Council on Energy Security (since 2009). Previously he held various positions as Research Fellow and Lecturer at Swiss Federal Technical Institutes in Zurich (ETHZ), Lausanne (EPFL) and Würenlingen (PSI). Christoph received his PhD es sc. from EPFL (1997-2000). He holds a diploma in electrical engineering (ETHZ, 1989-1995) and masters in energy economics & management (EPFL, 1995-1997), econometrics (University of Geneva, 1997-2000), and applied ethics (Ethics Centre, University of Zurich, 2001-2002). During the past 10 years Christoph has initiated projects including EPFL’s Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, the South Africa based Energy Access Partnership, or the World Economic Forum’s Partnering Against Corruption Initiative, which in 2008 lead Ethisphere to rank him among the 100 most influential people in business ethics. Christoph’s mother tongue is (Swiss-) German, he speaks fluently French, English, some Italian and Spanish. He is married, father of three kids and when time permits plays the piano and enjoys ski-touring.

Sergey Kirienko was born July 26, 1962, in Sukhumi. On finishing school, he entered the shipbuilding department of Gorky Institute of Water Transport Engineers from which he graduated in 1984. 1991-1993, studied at the governmental Academy of National Economy, specialising in Finance and Banking. April 1998, became Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and held this office till August 1998 when Boris Yeltsin dismissed the Government. May 2000, President Vladimir Putin appointed Sergey Kirienko as Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in Volga Federal District. November 2005, Russian Government appointed him as Head of the Federal Atomic Energy Agency. December 2007, following President Putin’s order, he took the position of Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation “Rosatom” and is still holding this office. Sergey Kirienko has been awarded the Order of Honour.

Mr. William D. Magwood is the Director-General of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) since 1 September 2014. He has extensive experience in both the regulatory and developmental aspects of nuclear energy, including at the international level. From 2010 to 2014, he served as one of the five Commissioners appointed by the US President and confirmed by the US Senate to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Prior to his appointment at the NRC, from 2005 to 2010 he provided independent strategic and policy advice to US and international clients on energy, environmental and technology policy issues. During this time, he also sat on various advisory groups and provided technical and policy advice to members of the US Congress on nuclear research, education and climate change policy. From 1998 to 2005, Mr. Magwood was Director of Nuclear Energy at the US Department of Energy (DOE). During his tenure, he launched several important initiatives including the US Nuclear Power 2010 programme and the Generation IV International Forum (GIF). He was also actively involved in the work of the NEA, serving as a Steering Committee bureau member from 1999 to 2003, and as Chair in 2004 and early 2005. Prior to his experience at the DOE, Mr. Magwood managed electric utility research and nuclear policy programmes at the Edison Electric Institute in Washington, DC, and was earlier a scientist at Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Mikhail Chudakov joined the IAEA as Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy on 1 February 2015.Until his appointment at the Agency, he has been serving as the Director of the Moscow Centre of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) since February 2007. Between 1983 and 1993, he worked in a variety of roles including Reactor Operator, Senior Reactor Operator, Senior Reactor Engineer, Control Room Supervisor, Plant Stage Shift Supervisor and Station Shift Supervisor at VVRR-1000 at Kalinin Nuclear Power Plant in Rosenergatom, Russia. From 1993 to 1995, he served as WANO Moscow Centre adviser and WANO adviser in London.From 1995 to 1999 he held a number of senior positions in Russia’s Rosenergoatom nuclear utility. In April 1999, he was appointed Deputy Director General of Rosenergoatom and Director of Bilibino NPP.Mr Chudakov holds a Ph.D. degree in nuclear engineering.

Special Envoy of the Kingdom of Morocco for mobilization for COP22. Vice-President of the Bureau of COP21. High level champion of the COP. Dr. Hakima El Haite is the current Minister Delegate in Charge of Environment in the Ministry of Energy, Mining, Water and Environment of Morocco. She is a member of the executive board of the Popular Movement (MP) and Chairwoman of the International Relations Committee (MP). Holder of a PHD in Environmental Engineering from the School of Mines of Saint Etienne (France) and a Degree in political communication, University of Washington (Washington, DC), she was attached to the direction of the Fez Urban Agency from 1992 to 1993. In 1994, she founded Eau Globe, a company specialized in engineering and environmental works. Mrs. El Haite is Vice – President of U.S–NAPEO (North Africa Partnership for Economic Opportunity), Chairwoman of ConnectinGroup Int and Deputy Chairwoman of the International Network of Liberal Women since 2012. As Chairwoman of International Relations Committee of the Popular Movement since December 2012, Mrs. El Haite participated in the creation of several partnerships: with the Party for Freedom and Democracy (Holland), with the Democratic Convergence party (Catalonia), with the International Democrat (UK), with the International Democrat (Gibraltar), with the Parliamentary network on the Prevention and conflict Management. She is also a board member of the Morocco National Dialogue for Civil Society. Trilingual (Arabic, French, English), Mrs. El Haite participated as an observer to the Presidential elections of the United States of America (2008) and parliamentary elections in Jordan (2010). She is in charge of the organization of the COP22, which will take place in November 2016 in Marrakesh, Morocco. She has been designated as “climate champion” of Morocco by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Salaheddine Mezouar.