Seán Kelly
MEP for Ireland South, European Parliament
Seán Kelly has been an MEP since 2009. He is the leader of Fine Gael in the European Parliament and a member of the EPP Group.
Kelly sits on the European Parliament's Committees on Industry, Research & Energy, International Trade and Constitutional Affairs.
Within ITRE, Kelly’s focus is on energy. He led negotiations on the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive for the EPP, and is currently rapporteur of an Implementation Report on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
Jean-Luc Fugit
Member of the French Parliament, President of the National Air Council
Jean-Luc Fugit, Member of the French Parliament (member of the LREM group at the National Assembly), in France, President of the National Air Council, Member of the board of the Standing Committee on Sustainable Development and Regional Planning of the National Assembly Member of the National Council for Ecological Transition.
Maria Georgiadou
Joint Research Centre, European Commission
Maria Georgiadou worked in research and development in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (USA), as well as at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (USA), at the Center for Research and Technology (Greece), at Vrije Universiteit Brussels (Belgium), at Ecole Polytechnique Universitaire (France), and for Ernst & Young. She joined the General Directorate of Research and Innovation of the European Commission in 2003 and currently works in 'Clean Energy Transition' in the field of Renewable fuels, Biofuels and Bioenergy, where she heads the strategic orientation and the development and implementation of relevant programs and policies
Maria Georgiadou holds PhD and MSc degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (USA), a Master in Business Administration and a B.S in Chemical Engineering from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece).
Author of 5 thesis and books and over 50 peer reviewed publications.
Estíbaliz Pombo Barés
AutoGas and Alternative Energies Development Business Manager, Repsol
Estíbaliz Pombo Barés, is a qualified Industrial Engineer from ETSII Bilbao (Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales) and has a MBA from EOI. In 2001 she began her professional career at Repsol. Estíbaliz’s professional activity has always been linked to LPG, initially in Repsol's Technology Centre (including two years in Argentina coordinating projects in Latin American countries) where her activity focused more on the development of the use of AutoGas. Since 2013 she has formed part of Repsol's AutoGas Sub-Directorate where she works to promote the use of this alternative fuel. And Since 2018, the scope increased including the different alternatives for transport in Repsol ED of Mobility.
Maarten van Dijk
CEO, SkyNRG
Maarten van Dijk is Managing Director at SkyNRG. He has been involved in sustainable aviation fuels since 2007 and has been with the company right from the start in 2010. Maarten holds various advisory and board positions in sustainable aviation fuel projects and platforms across the globe. He studied chemistry at Utrecht University, where he graduated with additional majors in renewable energy technologies and in business economics. SkyNRG is the global market leader for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) solutions. Having supplied over 30 airlines on all continents, SkyNRG’s mission is to make SAF the new global standard. SkyNRG sources, blends and distributes SAF, guarantees sustainability throughout the supply chain and helps to co-fund any price gap over conventional jet fuel. At the same time, SkyNRG focuses on developing regional SAF supply chains -e.g., DSL-01, that offer a real sustainable and affordable alternative to fossil fuels. To ensure it makes the right decisions regarding the sustainability of its operations, projects and products, SkyNRG is structurally advised by an independent Sustainability Board, which includes representatives from WWF International, the European Climate Foundation, Solidaridad Network and the University of Groningen. Also, SkyNRG’s operations are certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), the highest possible certification standard for sustainable fuels.
Katja Mattner
PACE Project
Katja Mattner has been working for Sunfire since 2017, initially as Communication Manager. In 2020 she specialized in fuel cells and became Business Development Manager, focusing on the market introduction of Sunfire-Home. In this role, she manages customers and partners as well as supports the processing for the EU-funded PACE project to promote the Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration technology. Previously, she worked for Fuel Cell Energy Solutions in various roles. She graduated in economic sciences with specialization in energy economics.
Erik Lindroth
Sustainability Director, Duni Group
Erik Lindroth is Sustainability Director at Duni Group since January 2021. He has earlier worked at Tetra Pak for more than 25 years in various sustainability and marketing roles and has also been a part-time PhD student at Lund University. Erik is convinced that an active sustainability approach not only should be integrated in the company, but also that it is a prerequisite for the company’s long-term competitiveness and survival.
Chet Reshamwala
CEO, Anova
Chet Reshamwala is CEO of Anova, the leader in Industrial IoT solutions serving the LPG and Industrial Gas markets.
Mr. Reshamwala is an experienced global technology executive with extensive experience serving the Industrial IoT, automotive, industrial, and semiconductor markets. Mr. Reshamwala has B.S. and M.S. mechanical engineering degrees from MIT.
Neil Murphy
VP, Business Development, UGI International
Neil graduated in Chemistry and Materials Science from Liverpool University before joining the Industrial Gases Industry. Neil undertook further qualifications at Henley business school, Princeton, Rochester NY and Insead and worked Internationally in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia between 1983 to 2012. He completed assignments in logistics, Sales, Applied research and development , Marketing and General Management.
In 2012 he Joined UGI as the newly appointed MD for Avantigas in the UK, stepping up to group CEO of the Nordics, UK and Benelux in 2016 before moving to his current role as VP for business development at UGI International in 2018.
Neil is currently a member of the Liquid Gas Europe management team and chairs the WLPGA group focussing on Technology, innovation and growth. He is based in the Netherlands.
Joy Alafia
President and CEO, Western Propane Gas Association
Joy Alafia is the President & CEO of the Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA), an organization that values propane as part of California’s clean energy economy. Under her direction, the association is focused on the commercialization renewable propane as well as seeking other innovative propane technology developments. Joy previously served as an advisory member for the California Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program which supports the accelerated development and deployment of advanced transportation fuels and technologies. Her employment history includes the California Association of REALTORS®, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Electrical Power Research Institute (EPRI). Joy also currently serves on the Board for the non-profit Building Diversity in Science, an organization committed to increasing the role of underrepresented groups in STEM careers. Joy has a BS in Physics from Spelman College and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Tom Kenison
Senior NGL Analyst, FGE
Tom's main focus is on the fundamentals for the West of Suez NGLs market as well as upstream activity within the Middle East. He has extensive analytical experience and insights as well as practical experience in the discovery and production of oil. Tom worked for a number of years at an exploration and production company, utilising a proficient technical skillset across different basins globally, from wildcat exploration to field development projects.
He specialises in upstream supply forecasting from field to country level analysis. Recent career experience has led to a broadening of knowledge within the NGL market, focusing on the energy transition. Tom holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Birmingham in Environmental Geoscience, and a Masters in Petroleum Geoscience from Royal Holloway.
Henry Cubbon
Managing Director, DCC LPG
Henry has been Managing Director of DCC’s LPG division since 2018, having joined DCC in 2008 as Managing Director of Flogas Britain. Prior to joining DCC, he was Managing Director of Antalis from 2000 to 2008, overseeing its paper distribution business in the UK, Ireland and South Africa. Previously he held a strategic planning role at paper manufacturer Arjo Wiggins Appleton and was a senior manager at Barclays Bank, Paris, having started his career on their graduate programme. reader to attend their session.
Andreas Froemmel
Managing Director, Sunfire Fuel Cells
As Commercial Managing Director, Andreas Froemmel heads the business of Sunfire Fuel Cells GmbH. For more than 20 years he has gained experience in the energy industry, including leading fuel cell and hydrogen companies such as FuelCell Energy Solutions. Based on his previous work in the board of Hydrogen Europe and the FCH-JU governing board in Brussels, Belgium, Andreas Froemmel is well connected within the hydrogen and fuel cell industry in Europe. During his career, the industry expert has often proven his sense for the commercial launch of innovative technologies.
Ewa Abramiuk-Lété
General Manager, Liquid Gas Europe
Originally from Poland, Ewa Abramiuk-Lété has been active in the EU Brussels energy arena since 2007. Over the years, she has specialised in gaseous and sustainable fuels and been a strong supporter of Europe’s rural communities. Seamlessly integrating advocacy and communications, Ewa is determined for Liquid Gas Europe to structurally engage with broader energy and societal stakeholders – together ensuring that a just energy transition is accessible, attainable, and affordable to all, whether on or off-the grid.
PhD Eng Andrzej P. Sikora
CEO and President, Energy Studies Institute
Andrzej Sikora (PhD Eng.) is a graduate of the faculty of Automatics and Electronics at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, participated in courses at the School of Banking in Vienna, and at University of Southern California, Jackson, Mississippi, USA (USID program) Andrzej Sikora has also completed the STOREWARS course at INSEAD in France. Before joining PKN ORLEN he was a Director of the BGZ Bank's branch in Tarnow and Head of Key Account Department in the Bank's headquarters in Warsaw. Between 1997 and 2001 Andrzej Sikora served as Finance and Trade Vice-President and the Key Clients Director at Sokolow S.A., Poland's leading food producer. In 2002 he joined PKN ORLEN, where he has been responsible for overall optimization of the Company's production assets managed refining optimisation for 276000 barrel per day Plock refinery (9.5 Nelson Complexity Index).
Dr. James Watson
Secretary General, Eurogas
Dr. Watson is the Secretary General of Eurogas, a role he has held since January 2019. Eurogas is the association representing the European gas wholesale, retail and distribution sectors.
Prior to taking the helm at Eurogas, Dr. Watson was the Chief Executive Officer of SolarPower Europe, the European solar industry association. Before joining SolarPower Europe, Dr. Watson worked as the Director of Public Affairs for Weber Shandwick, specialising in energy and trade policy. Before coming to Brussels, Dr Watson worked for the Commonwealth Secretariat on a European Commission project on trade and sustainable development based in Ethiopia.
Earlier in
his career James worked for various UK government bodies in London and worked as a lecturer in
Environmental Law at the University of Manchester.
He holds a Ph.D in International Trade and Environmental Law from the University of Leeds, and is
currently a Visiting Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Michael Welch
Industry Marketing Manager, Siemens Energy Industrial Turbomachinery
Mike Welch is Industry Marketing Manager for Siemens Industrial Gas Turbines Ltd. Based in Lincoln, U.K. Mike has over 30 years’ experience in Engineering, Sales and Business Development for industrial and Aero-derivative Gas Turbines in Power Generation and Oil & Gas applications around the World, focusing recently on Energy Efficiency, Fuel Flexibility and Decarbonization. Mike has an Honours Degree in Electrical Engineering from Loughborough University of Technology and is a Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.
Esther Busscher
President, Liquid Gas Europe; Head of Group Public Affairs, SHV Energy
Mrs Busscher is Head of Group Public Affairs at SHV Energy, and previously held the position of Vice-President of Liquid Gas Europe. “This is an exciting time in EU politics to collaborate with the dynamic and talented team at Liquid Gas Europe, whose mission is to ensure the EU policy community embrace our vision to establish LPG and renewable LPG as the alternative energy of choice supporting the EU policy agenda,” she says. Her predecessor, Francesco Franchi from Costiero Gas Livorno SpA successfully guided the sector’s main representative organisation towards a new vision. “As a seasoned practitioner in the EU affairs arena, Esther Busscher is the perfect fit for helping us taking Liquid Gas Europe through this exciting journey”, concluded Samuel Maubanc, General Manager of Liquid Gas Europe.
Thomas Vanhauwaert Watson
PACE Project
Thomas Vanhauwaert works as Communication Manager at COGEN Europe since 2017. In his role, he also manages the external communication for the EU-funded PACE project to promote the Fuel Cell micro-Cogeneration technology. Previously, he worked for the Polish Embassy in Brussels.
He graduated in Eastern European languages and European Studies, and speaks Dutch, English, French, Polish and Russian.
Walt Hart
Vice President, Strategy & Business Development | Europe, CIS & Africa, IHS Markit: Oil, Midstream, Downstream and Chemicals
During 2004-21, Dr. Hart worked primarily in the area of NGLs and petrochemical feedstocks, eventually serving as the global NGL business lead and NGL Chief Strategist, in which roles he led the company's NGL subscription services, bespoke consulting, three annual international NGL conferences and NGL training workshops. His proprietary studies have involved business analysis and strategy, market studies, forecasting, valuations, and legal support.
Prior to joining IHS Markit, Dr. Hart worked 14 years at The Dow Chemical Company/Union Carbide as well as two years at Owens Corning Fiberglas. He held positions in process engineering, technical sales, research and development, finance, and strategic planning. He has also taught at the undergraduate level. Dr. Hart is a registered professional engineer and a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He represents IHS Markit at the World LPG Association (WLPGA) and serves as an ambassador for the WLPGA Women in LPG Global Network.
Dr. Hart holds a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from the University of Charleston, and a PhD in chemical engineering from West Virginia University, United States.
Katrina Sichel
TV Host and moderator
Katrina is a London-born, Brussels-based moderator with a degree in Modern Languages from Oxford University. A former TV producer, she put together news packages for the BBC, Sky News, Channel 4, AP and Reuters, interviewing well-known figures from the arts, fashion and political arenas.
Since 2007, Katrina has been moderating events covering diverse topics and policy areas, from R&I, social affairs, finance and digitisation, to agriculture, the environment, energy, fisheries and health. Alongside she has managed the development and roll out across Europe of multi-channel, multi-lingual communications campaigns targeting the public, and EU and national stakeholders from diverse sectors.
Katrina speaks fluent French, rusty Russian and a dash of German alongside her native tongue.
Christos Chryssakis
Business Development Manager, DNV
Christos Chryssakis is a Business Development Manager at DNV – Maritime, focusing on decarbonization and marine fuels. In the past, he has worked at DNV Group Technology & Research focusing on energy efficiency and alternative fuels. Before joining DNV he worked as a researcher at the National Technical University of Athens, and at the Institut Francais du Petrole (IFP), in Paris, France. He has more than 10 years of R&D experience in internal combustion engines for marine, automotive and off-road applications, with particular focus on emissions reduction. He has a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and a MSc and PhD degree from the University of Michigan.
Rebecca Groen
Director Sustainable Fuels, SHV Energy
Rebecca is Director Sustainable Fuels at SHV Energy. She joined the company in January 2018 to set up and lead a new department to explore, develop & exploit routes for the group to reach its bold ambition of 100% renewably sourced fuels by 2040. Her team focuses on scouting for new supply of bio-based and renewable fuels; researching novel, sustainable feedstock & conversion technologies; exploring new product options, managing a portfolio of sustainable fuel investments & assets and global stakeholder management. Rebecca was elected Vice President Renewable Energy of the International DME Association in 2019 and is Non Executive Director of Circular Fuels Limited. Circular Fuels Limited is a joint-venture between SHV Energy and KEW Technologies, aiming to fast-track innovative Advanced Conversion Technology for renewable and low-carbon DME (rDME) production.
Dr. Philippe Cornille
General Secretary, EIGA
Dr. Cornille is heading the European Industrial Gases Association since 2018.
Before that, he also served the industrial and medical gases industry, but form within the Belgium chemical association. He worked 10 years at essenscia.
James Kanter
Editor, EU Scream
James is the founder and editor of EU Scream, the progressive politics podcast from Brussels. EU Scream won The Good Lobby's Media of the Year award 2019 and is frequently among the top 10 documentary podcasts in a number of EU countries. For 12 years James was a staff correspondent for The International Herald Tribune and The New York Times reporting on climate change and the struggles over EU integration. He is a recipient of the Reporting Europe Prize and was previously a business reporter with Dow Jones and chief editor of The Cambodia Daily in Phnom Penh where he started his career.
David Appleton
Vice-President, LPG, Argus
David Appleton is Vice President for LPG at Argus, responsible for Argus’ LPG activities in Europe, Middle East and Africa, with the core aim of bringing transparency to LPG markets through Argus’ long-standing price assessments and fundamentals data. Prior to that he had a similar role for Asia-Pacific, and was previously editor of various reports including the Argus LPG Outlook, Analytics, and the Statistical Review of Global LPG, which is published jointly each year with the World LPG Association. Before joining Argus in 2015, David spent six years at the European LPG Association, defending and promoting the interests of the sector. He holds degrees in Politics, economics, and international development, and is currently based in Singapore.
Kristen Mueller
Principal, LPG, Argus Consulting
Kristen is a Principal in the London office, responsible for Argus Consulting’s LPG subscription products. She also serves as a subject matter expert for Argus’ work on bespoke projects in the LPG sector. She has more than 15 years of consulting experience, with an emphasis on strategy and analysis. She is a frequent speaker at relevant industry events. Prior to joining Argus, Kristen spent over two years in the general strategy practice of L.E.K. in London. Kristen also spent five years working as a financial and data analyst supporting healthcare litigation in Washington D.C, with Navigant Consulting. She has a Masters from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from London Business School.
Cillian Totterdell
Account Director, FleishmanHillard
Cillian Totterdell specialises in climate, energy and transport policy, with a special focus on renewable energy. Cillian works with clients from a range of sectors, including renewable energy producers and major energy consumers, coordinating advocacy campaigns across the spectrum of the EU’s sustainability framework. Prior to joining FleishmanHillard, Cillian worked for the NGO Building Markets, which supports small businesses in developing countries such as Timor-Leste, Afghanistan and Haiti.
John Wouters
Sales Director, Prins Autogassystemen BV
John Wouters, Sales Director of Prins Autogassystemen started his career at Prins in 2007, after holding his Bachelor degree in Marketing Management at Fontys Hogeschool Eindhoven, the Netherlands, as a Marketing representative. Already soon he held the positions of Prins Marketing Manager and Area Sales Manager for Westport Fuel Systems. Since 2018 John manages for Prins the sales team and large accounts in the After Market and Delayed OEM.Prins Autogassystemen, since 2016 a Westport Fuel Systems company, develops and supplies innovative and high quality LPG, CNG and LNG systems and components for the automotive and transportation market worldwide.
Angelique Berden
Corporate Marketing and Communications Director, Westport Fuel Systems
Angelique started her career in 1990 as a communications specialist at DSM Agro and later became a Corporate Marketing Director at MSI, Microstar International, a leading Taiwanese computer company. In 2011 Angelique pursued her career in the Automotive and Transportation market developing B2B and B2C strategies and organizing activities for Prins Autogassystemen.
Since 2018 she manages, together with a team of experts, the brands that belong to Westport Fuel Systems, related to marketing, branding and communications. Westport Fuel Systems designs, manufactures, supplies and supports innovative and high-quality LPG, CNG, LNG and Hydrogen systems and components for the OEM, Delayed OEM and Aftermarket Automotive and Transportation market worldwide.
Kenneth Dahlqvist
Strategy & Sustainability Director, UGI International
Kenneth has since this spring joined the UGI Business Development team to further strengthen the groups work in the field of sustainability. During a period of 10 years Kenneth worked as Sales and Technical Manager for Kosan Gas Sweden, an UGI company. During this period UGI acquired Preem LPG and with that got access to some renewable LPG. Kenneth and his team placed it in the undeveloped market and there were many learnings about legislation, sustainability criteria and the customers’ requirements. Kenneth has a MSC. Chem Eng from Lund University of Technology. He has worked with sales and general management within exhaust aftertreatment for HD vehicles, titanium processing and chemical processing before he entered the LPG world. The reason for choosing to work with LPG was that energy is really important for the future and LPG is really clean burning. When LPG is renewable it is the perfect fuel.
Maria Malmkvist
Managing Director, Energigas Sverige (the Swedish Gas Association)
Maria Malmkvist has a MSc degree from the Institute of Technology at Linköping University. In February 2016 she became the Manging Director of the Swedish Gas Association. She has experience from consultancy work at WSP and she was the head of unit Energy efficiency and the deputy department head at the Swedish Energy Agency for several years
Nikos Xydas
Technical Director, Liquid Gas Europe and WLPGA
Mr. Nikos Xydas joined WLPGA as Technical Director in September 2011. He holds a M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Glasgow/Scotland. His main professional background is from Shell, in Technical, Operations and HSE positions, the largest majority in international roles with Shell Gas (LPG) and Shell Global Lubricants.
Earlier he was with ABB in Switzerland and also in Greece. He has a double French/Greek nationality and his permanent residence is in Paris. He speaks English, French, German and Greek. The width of his international roles in Shell in charge of large numbers /zones of countries provided him with a good mix of competences and experiences and not only in the Technical, Operations or HSE which are his main expertise areas.
Outside these, he spent some years in developing and managing the network of the Shell Select outlets in Greece (mostly food retailing) and in roles as Communications mgr. Most recently, in Shell Lubricants he held the roles of Global Strategy/Planning mgr, Global Communications mgr, Global Assurance/Audit mgr and Global Performance mgr. in HSSE.
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