20th Energy Efficiency Policy Training Week

As Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Dr Fatih Birol (@fbirol) has positioned the IEA at the forefront of global efforts to advance a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system. Since taking office in 2015, he has modernised the Agency by broadening its energy security mandate beyond oil to include electricity, natural gas, renewables and critical minerals, strengthened the Agency's global leadership in clean energy transitions and expanded IEA membership to include major emerging countries. As a result, the IEA’s share of global energy demand coverage has increased from 40% to over 80%. He has also played a central role in the global response to major energy security emergencies, including those triggered by the invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis.

Dr Birol joined the IEA in 1995 and steadily rose through the ranks from junior analyst to Chief Economist, where he oversaw the flagship World Energy Outlook. Throughout his career, he has been a leading advocate for expanding access to electricity and clean cooking solutions in developing countries, particularly in Africa.

He has twice been included in the TIME100 list of the world’s most influential figures, in 2021 and 2026. His numerous honours include the French Legion of Honour, the Japanese Emperor’s Order of the Rising Sun, the Swedish King’s Order of the Polar Star, and the highest state decorations from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Korea, Portugal, and the United Arab Emirates.

Before joining the IEA, Dr Birol worked for the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna. He holds degrees in power engineering and energy economics from the Technical University of Istanbul and the Technical University of Vienna. He also has an honorary doctorate from Imperial College London and has been elected a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.  He chairs the World Economic Forum’s Energy Advisory Board and is an honorary life member of Galatasaray Football Club.

An economist and career diplomat since 1991, Ambassador Sarquis has worked in the fields of economics, finance, international trade, investment, and development. He has also authored papers and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in these fields.

He is currently Brazil’s representative to the OECD and other international economic organizations in Paris. Previously, he was Secretary for Foreign Trade and Economic Affairs and G20 Sherpa (2020-2023) and Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at the New Development Bank (2018-2020).

Ambassador Sarquis holds a PhD and a MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a BSc in Electronic Engineering from the Polytechnic School of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He is also a graduate of Brazil’s diplomatic academy - Instituto Rio Branco. 

Ambassador Betty Cherwon, MBS, ‘ndc’(K) is a long serving Foreign Service Officer at the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya. She is a seasoned diplomat who joined the Ministry in 1996 and has served in various capacities in the Ministry and its Missions in Berlin, Cairo and London. Prior to her appointment as Kenya’s Ambassador to France with accreditation to Portugal, Serbia, Monaco and the Holy See, Ambassador Cherwon was the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, a post she held from 2020 to 2023. Ambassador Cherwon has a cross-section of expertise and skills acquired for almost 20 years in the fields of Public Policy, Strategic Planning, Protocol, Negotiation, Political Analysis and Diplomatic Etiquette. Ambassador Cherwon has an MA in International Studies from the University of Nairobi. She holds a BA in Education from Kenyatta University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomacy from Andres Bello Diplomatic Academy, Chile. Additionally, she is an alumni of the National Defence College Kenya and the Kenya School of Government.

Dr. Young Tae Kim is the Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum (ITF) at the OECD. Elected by transport ministers of the ITF member countries in 2017, he was confirmed for a second fiveyear mandate in 2022. Under the leadership of Secretary-General Kim, the ITF has grown from 59 to 69 member countries and into a truly global organisation with a presence on five continents. He has strengthened the ITF’s role as a convener of transport policy leaders and global platform for dialogue for better transport, inter alia by establishing Regional High-level Dialogues on Transport for Asia, Latin America and in Europe, that complement the ITF Summit, the world’s premier transport policy event and largest gathering of transport ministers.

Before becoming ITF Secretary-General, Dr Kim distinguished himself in the civil service of his native Korea, serving as Director-General in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT). As Deputy Director-General from 2015, he was responsible for co-ordinating various transport policies including for autonomous vehicles, greenhouse gas reduction, urban transport, Intelligent Transport Systems and road safety, among others. 

Dr Kim also held several Deputy Director and Director positions with responsibility for housing welfare, integrated city development and overseas infrastructure construction. He was seconded to the Prime Minister's Commission on Administrative Reform in 1996 and the Presidential Committee on Social Inclusion in 2005-07. From 2010 to 2014, Dr Kim worked at the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., as Counsellor for Construction, Transport and Maritime Affairs. Dr Kim earned Master's degrees in Public Policy from Seoul National University, Korea, and in Urban Studies from Paris University de Vincennes-Saint-Denis, France.

He also received his Doctoral degree in Political Sociology and Public Policy from the Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Sciences-Po) in Paris, France. Dr Kim speaks fluent English, French and some Spanish, in addition to his native Korean. 

Tamara Babayan is a Senior Energy Specialist at the World Bank, where she is leading the work of energy efficiency at the ESMAP (Energy Sector Management Assistance Program), covering energy efficiency and decarbonization of energy end-use in all sectors, including urban, buildings, industry, e-mobility. Tamara is a seasoned expert in sustainable energy policy, planning, technology, and finance. She is experienced in design and implementation of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, development of financing mechanisms and business models. Before joining the World Bank, Tamara led the R2E2 Fund (Armenia Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund) for 12 years, managing sustainable energy projects, advocating for the clean energy strategy and regulations. working with government, private sector, local and international financial institutions, academia and civil society. She has been working with various institutions (ADB, AFD, EBRD, EIB, EU, WBG, UNDP/GCF) as a consultant for energy efficiency.

Emma Wink is a Sustainable Finance Specialist and Project Lead at BASE, where she focuses on scaling the use of innovative business models such as 'Cooling-as-a-Service' to accelerate the energy transition and circular economy. Emma holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Development from the University of Basel.

Mr. Konstantinos Dimopoulos is an Associate in the Climate Strategy and Delivery unit at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). He is responsible for advancing sustainable investments in the Green Buildings and Information and Communication Technology sectors across the Bank’s countries of operation. From 2013 to 2016, he worked as a Sustainable Development Consultant, assisting public sector organizations in Greece to reduce their carbon footprint and transition to sustainable growth. From 2017 to 2021, he worked in the engineering and real estate sectors in London. Mr. Dimopoulos holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Patras and an MBA from the Athens University of Economics and Business.

Mélanie holds a master's degree in international and European Law (in English) from Tilburg University, in Netherlands, with a focus on environmental law. After her graduation in 2019, Mélanie joined directly the European Heat Pump Association as a policy assistant and analysed the European Green Deal and its opportunities for the heat pump sector. She quickly took the lead on products related legislations (Ecodesign, energy labelling, network codes, code of conducts…) and started managing the Heat Pump Manufacturers Committee. With the expertise of the members, Mélanie drafted position papers and statements as support to engage with various European and National actors.   

As Head of Supply Chain ​& Competitiveness​ , she oversees the policy officers working on product-related legislation. She is now focusing on engaging with more key actors for heating and cooling applications and representing the European Heat Pump Association externally in webinar, conferences, workshops, panel discussions and trade shows. As a result, Mélanie has a strong network of actors involved in the transition of the heating and cooling sector (European Commission, Member States representatives, NGOs, consultancies, EU and National associations, manufacturers, testing centres and laboratories, installers, and energy providers.)  

Since summer 2023, Mélanie is also providing policy and advocacy support to two EU-funded projects: Compliance Services with Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Regulations and WaterWarmth. 

Ronja is Coordinator for Climate and Labour at the PECO Institute, a specialized institute within IG BAU - the German Trade Union for Construction Workers affiliated to Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) focusing on sustainability in construction and forestry, occupational health and safety, climate change, and worker relations. Her expertise lies in sustainable construction methods, materials, and their implications for the workforce. Prior to her current role, Ronja worked as a lobbyist for Volkswagen and Friends of the Earth Bavaria, bridging industry insights with environmental advocacy. She initially trained as a laboratory assistant in chemistry before pursuing academic studies in International Relations.

Ronja has also been active in international labour movements, serving as a representative of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) in youth councils for both the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Pan-European Regional Council (PERC). She is a Fulbright alumna, bringing a global perspective to discussions on sustainability, labour, and climate policies. 

As a Policy Analyst at the Office of Energy Research & Development, I conduct quantitative and qualitative research on investment in energy RD&D. I draft reports, briefings, and presentations to inform strategic decisions, enhancing engagement with industry stakeholders focused on breakthrough energy technology development. I also coordinate cross-functional teams to design and implement technology demonstrations and access new markets. Additionally, I monitor political and economic trends in energy, providing timely insights to senior management for program alignment. I am passionate about pursuing innovation programs and policy approaches that support the transition to a low-carbon economy. I have a Bachelor of Business Administration from Trent University, with a focus on Management Skills, Strategic Management, Management Thought, and Business Ethics. I also hold several certifications related to energy programming and evaluations. 

Andrew O’Callaghan is a Senior Policy and Programme Evaluator at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). He works on developing evidence and data models to assess the impact of national retrofit and energy efficiency programmes. Andrew has a background in applied psychology and carbon management, and has previously worked in behavioural economics and energy modelling. His work supports the design of more effective and inclusive policies to advance Ireland’s climate and energy goals.

Leandro Andrade is the director of the Department of Information, Studies and Energy Efficiency at the National Secretary of Energy Transition and Planning of the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Brazil. He coordinates energy data, planning studies and energy efficiency activities of Brazil in cooperation with other important institutions of Brazil, such as ENBPar, ANEEL, EPE, among others. The main activities of the department in energy efficiency area relate to PROCEL program and MEPS policies. Before joining MME, Leandro worked at EPE in the generation planning, modeling and regulation area.

Eng. Merab Birungi Byaruhanga is the Project Manager & head policy for the Promotion of Renewable and Energy Efficiency Programme at GIZ Energy & Climate cluster. The project focusses on policy interventions to support Government of Uganda in creating an enabling framework in energy sector, promotion of uptake of renewable energy and energy efficiency with private sector, capacity building interventions for public & private sector and inclusion of energy aspects in planning processes for districts.

Merab has over 10 years’ experience in implementation of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate projects with government, private sector, academia and development partners. She is passionate about mentoring young women in the energy sector.

Merab is a registered engineer under the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers and is a member of the Federation of African Engineering Organization under the Governance committee.

Valeria Arroyave Cardozo is a Project Manager at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), where she leads the Energy Efficiency for Livelihoods in Africa (EELA) Regional Project. The initiative focuses on transforming markets for energy-efficient appliances and services through enhanced policies, increased investments, and the development of sustainable local value chains.

Since joining UNIDO in 2021, she has contributed to global efforts in sustainable cooling, energy efficiency, and the critical minerals supply chain, supporting the broader clean energy transition. Previously, Valeria spent five years at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), specializing in climate transparency and strengthening national capacities to meet climate commitments through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting.

She holds an engineering degree and a Master of Public Administration and Sustainable Management. Valeria is fluent in Spanish, English, and French, with additional proficiency in German and Portuguese.

Emma Wink is a Sustainable Finance Specialist and Project Lead at BASE, where she focuses on scaling the use of innovative business models such as 'Cooling-as-a-Service' to accelerate the energy transition and circular economy. Emma holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Development from the University of Basel.

Katerina has been a Progamme Specialist with UNESCO-UNEVOC since March 2011. In this role she is responsible for knowledge management and research activities in the field of TVET and for implementing and promoting cooperation and capacity development activities within the UNEVOC Network. She is also the focal point for UNEVOC's thematic work on youth and skills and coordinator of the Latin American and Caribbean region of the UNEVOC Network.

Prior to joining UNESCO Katerina worked for four years as a policy analyst at the Centre for Educational Research and Innovation (CERI) of the OECD, among others on systemic innovation in VET and the New Millennium Learners project. Before that she was a researcher at the Institute of Education in London, specialising on adult literacy and numeracy and workplace learning. Her academic background is in Psychology and Cognitive Science which she studied at the Universities of Athens (BA), Cardiff (MSc) and Warwick (PhD).