11th HAEE Energy Transition Symposium

• Assessing the role of the Vertical Corridor as instrument of collective security and geopolitical resilience against global supply disruptions.
• The integration of Greece’s and East Mediterranean exploration into the broader European framework, ensuring long-term stability amidst global shifts.

Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Environment & Energy

Joshua Volz, Special Envoy for Global Energy Integration, U.S. Department of Energy

Osama Mobarez, Secretary General, EMGF

Moderator:
Prof. Dr. Kostas Andriosopoulos, Aff. Professor, Finance & Energy Management; Director, HELLENiQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability and Energy @Alba Graduate Business School; CEO, Akuo Energy Greece; President, Energy Committee, AmCham Greece

Aaron Praktiknjo, President, IAEE; Professor, RWTH Aachen University (online)

Laurent Ruseckas, Executive Director, First Take Gas, Geopolitics and Finance, S&P Global Energy

George Alexopoulos, Deputy CEO & Chief Strategy Officer, HELLENiQ ENERGY

Franck Neel, Executive Board Member, OMV Petrom

Moderator:
Prof. Dr. Kostas Andriosopoulos, Aff. Professor, Finance & Energy Management; Director, HELLENiQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability and Energy @Alba Graduate Business School; CEO, Akuo Energy Greece; President, Energy Committee, AmCham Greece

• The Legacy of the 2022 Crisis: Evaluating the structural vulnerabilities exposed by the sudden decoupling from Russian gas. Assessing the long-term impact of emergency measures on European market integration and competitiveness.
• Defining Energy Rationalism: Balancing aggressive decarbonization targets with the technical and economic realities of energy density and system reliability. The role of market-based instruments versus state intervention in securing affordable energy for the industrial core.
• A Blueprint for Resilience: Transitioning from reactive crisis management to a proactive, sovereign energy strategy for the EU. Strengthening cross-border infrastructure and diversification as the primary tools for mitigating geopolitical risk and persistent price volatility.

Olga Khakova, Non-resident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council

Ambassador Matthew Bryza, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council Turkey; Former White House and Senior State Department Official

Samuel Furfari, Energy Geopolitics Professor, ESCP Business School (Online)

Gürkan Kumbaroğlu, Director of the Energy Policy Research Center, Boğaziçi University; President, TRAEE

Moderator:
Laurent Ruseckas, Executive Director, First Take Gas, Geopolitics and Finance, S&P Global Energy

• RES Market Expansion: Analyzing the massive growth of Renewable Energy Sources and the strategic evolution of the green energy market.
• The Curtailment Challenge: Addressing technical bottlenecks and the rising issue of production cuts due to grid saturation.
• Battery Storage: Assessing the latest developments for the integration of storage systems into the wholesale market by year-end.

Pantelis Capros, Professor of Energy Economics and Operational Research, NTUA

Oskaras Alšauskas, Energy Modeller and Analyst, IEA

Apostolos Panos, President, H.A.E.S.S; Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Principia Energy

Georgios Stamtsis, General Manager, Hellenic Association of Independent Power Companies

Moderator:
Lalela Chrysanthopoulou, Editor-in Chief, powergame.gr

Andrei Popov, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Cyprus

Maria Rita Galli, Chief Executive Officer, AKTOR LNG S.A.

Konstantinos Kotoulas, Executive Director, Cranmore Partners

Konstantinos Chatzifotis , EU Affairs Manager, MOH

Nikos Satras, Head of Natural Gas Business Unit, MOH & Dioriga Gas

Moderator:
Christos Papaleonidas, CEO, WMG Sustainable Innovation

Gianfranco Scalabrini, Managing Partner, 3H PARTNERS; Founding Partner, BOOST; Adjunct Professor, LUISS Business School (online)

White Paper discussion

Anne-Sophie Corbeau, Global Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University|SIPA

In discussion with:

Prof. Dr. Kostas Andriosopoulos, Aff. Professor, Finance & Energy Management; Director, HELLENiQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability and Energy @Alba Graduate Business School; CEO, Akuo Energy Greece; President, Energy Committee, AmCham Greece

Alexandra Sdoukou, Spokesperson, New Democracy, Chair, EmpowerMed Women, EMGF,

                                Enas Shabana, Strategic Stakeholder Engagement Officer, EMGF

                                Maria Rita Galli, Chief Executive Officer, AKTOR LNG S.A.

Moderator:
Georgia Giannakidou, PhD Candidate, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Senior Research Fellow, HELLENIQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability & Energy @Alba Graduate Business School

• Bridging the Talent Gap: Identifying the technical and leadership skills necessary to support a decarbonized and digitalized energy sector.
• Reskilling for the Green Era: Strategies for transitioning the workforce into new jobs within renewable energy and smart grid technologies.
• AI-Driven Transformation: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to optimize energy management and the urgent need for AI-literate professionals in the industry.

Angelos Antonakakis, Head of Analytics Sales – EMEA, S&P Global Energy 

Athanasios Dagoumas, Associate Professor in Energy and Resource Economics, University of Piraeus, Chief Research and Data Engineer

Nikolaos Bakatselos, President & CEO, Pyramis Metallourgia

Panagiotis Papastamatiou, Chief Executive Officer, Hellenic Wind Energy Association; Director, ENTEKA

Moderator:
Kostas Axarloglou, Dean, Alba Association

• Strengthening National Climate Resilience
• Advancing the Circular Economy mandate
• Combating Water Scarcity

 Prof. Konstantinos Aravossis, UNESCO Chairholder on Green Innovation & CE · NTUA Vice President & Waste Management BoD Chairman · RAAEY

George Kremlis, Ambassador of EPLO to Bulgaria; Member of the Board and Director, Circular Economy and Climate Institute, EPLO

Moderator:
Prof. Thanos Bourtsalas, Director, Earth Engineering Center, Columbia Climate School; Senior Expert, Deloitte, Greece

Spiros Papaefthimiou, President, HAEE, Professor, Technical University of Crete

Dimitris Kollias, Energy Transition Strategist

Othon Kaminiaris, Expert in Environmental and Climate Change Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic

Marios Fokas Tsamichas, Climate, Sustainability & Innovation Economist | YCDF & HNYC Member | Vice Curator of WEF Global Shapers London, PhD Researcher, Imperial College London

Moderator:
Georgia Giannakidou, PhD Candidate, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Senior Research Fellow, HELLENIQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability & Energy @Alba Graduate Business School

John D. Saracakis, President, American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce

Strengthening the strategic partnership between China and Greece to tackle the challenges of massive RES growth and the critical integration of storage technologies.

Keynote Speaker:

Zhang Gang, Minister Counsellor & Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Hellenic Republic

Kostas Andriosopoulos,BoD Member, HAEE; Aff. Professor, Finance & Energy Management; Director, HELLENiQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability and Energy @Alba Graduate Business School; CEO, Akuo Energy Greece

• HAEE Greek Energy Market Report 2026, Powered by NBG: Key market trends and progress toward national climate and energy targets
• The role of banks and new financing initiatives in supporting clean energy projects
• Strategic regional interconnections: Cross-border corridors and network resilience to optimize energy flows

Vassilis Karamouzis, General Manager of Corporate and Investment Banking, National Bank of Greece

Ioannis Margaris, Vice-Chairman of BoD, IPTO

In discussion with

Kostas Andriosopoulos, BoD Member, HAEE; Aff. Professor, Finance & Energy Management; Director, HELLENiQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability and Energy @Alba Graduate Business School; CEO, Akuo Energy Greece

• Mitigating investment risks and securing funding for RES projects.
• The impact of market design on clean energy transitions.
• The role of insurance and financial stability in energy

Alexandros Giannis, CEO, Engaia

Michelle Houwers, Senior Account Manager, HOWDEN

Nikos Kolyvodiakos, General Manager, ENERTA S.A.

Moderator:
Lalela Chrysanthopoulou, Editor-in Chief, powergame.gr

• Smart Grid Infrastructure: Integrating smart technologies to transform the grid from a passive carrier to an active energy hub.
• Bridging the Funding & Delivery Gap: Balancing the energy trilemma (affordability, reliability, decarbonization) to drive private capital, new partnership models, and network investment at scale.
• International Best Practices: Lessons from European grid operators on harmonizing large-scale RES penetration with system security.

George Arvanitis, Chief Commercial Officer, PROTASIS 

Giorgos Panagiotou, Energy Management & Production Director, VOLTON

Katerina Tsirimpa, Group Head of M&A and Corporate Development, National Grid

Dr. Georgios Papaefthymiou, Head of Power System Economics and Policies, ELIA GRID INTERNATIONAL

Moderator:
Giorgos Fintikakis, Journalist, EURO2day

A high-level discussion on mobilizing capital and creating the financial frameworks necessary to support the rapid scaling of clean energy infrastructure.

• Investment Surge & Market Growth: Evaluating the flow of capital into large-scale renewable projects and the evolving landscape of green financing.
• The Stability Challenge: Addressing the financial impact of grid constraints and curtailments on project bankability and investor confidence.
• New Revenue Streams: The role of the wholesale market and the upcoming integration of battery assets in creating sustainable investment models by year-end.

Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Energy, Resources & Industrials Industry Leader and a Financial Advisory Partner, Deloitte Greece

Theodora Antonakaki, Director Climate Change and Sustainability Centre, Bank of Greece

Ioannis Kaltsas, Head of Investment Team for Greece & Cyprus, European Investment Bank, Greece

Christophe Bonnery, Programme Director, Paris School of Economics; Honorary President, French Association for Energy Economics

Moderator:
George Ioannou, Professor at Athens University of Economics and Business

Eugen-Ioan DOBREANU, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Romania to the Hellenic Republic

Dimitris Avramopoulos, Member of the Hellenic Parliament

• Romania’s Renewables Momentum: Assessing the factors behind the country’s accelerating RES market, from project pipeline growth and investor attention to its rising role in the regional energy transition.
• From Expansion to Execution: Examining the practical barriers that now shape project delivery, including permitting, development discipline, infrastructure limitations, and market readiness.
• Grid Pressure, Bankability and Regional Lessons: Exploring how connection constraints, curtailment risks, financing expectations, and the need for greater system flexibility are redefining the next phase of renewable growth in Romania and across South-East Europe.
• Technologies, Business Models and the Next Investment Wave: Looking at how solar, wind, hybrid projects, and emerging storage-linked strategies are shaping the next chapter of Romania’s RES market for developers, financiers, and regional partners.

Sotiris Kapellos, COO, HELLENiQ Renewables

Michael Roussos, Investment Director, Country Manager for Greece & Romania, Korkia

Elena Popescu, CEO, Elektra Renewable Support

Paul Șerbănescu, Head of Public Funding, PPC Romania

Giacomo Billi, CEO & Founder, Alive Capital 

Moderator:
Gabriel Avăcăriței, Chief Editor, Energynomics

A high-level dialogue on international cooperation and policy alignment to facilitate the massive expansion of clean energy and the technical evolution of the grid.

Barbara Van Hellemond, Dutch Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic

Matthew Lodge, Ambassador of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Hellenic Republic

Håkan Emsgård, Ambassador of Sweden to the Hellenic Republic

Moderator:
Dimitris Pefanis, Manager, CNN Greece

This session explores cutting-edge approaches and policy frameworks that unlock the value hidden in waste streams, reinforcing sustainability as a core pillar of the energy transition.

A candid debate on whether hydrogen and waste-derived fuels can move beyond pilot projects to become the backbone of industrial decarbonization and energy independence.

• Hydrogen at the Crossroads: Is it the ultimate energy carrier or just an expensive alternative? Examining the roadmap for true commercial viability.
• The Scale-up Challenge: Identifying the exact regulatory and infrastructure breakthroughs needed to turn alternative fuels into a mass-market reality.
• From Laboratory to Industrial Power: Why the partnership between academic research and heavy industry is the only way to accelerate the transition from theory to practice.

Eleni Bairami, Owner and Managing Director, ECO Hellas

Emmanouil Kakaras, Senior Advisor, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries EMEA; Professor, National Technical University of Athens

Panagiotis Grammelis, Director of Research, Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas

Evangelos Kyritsis, Dep. Head Energy Market Analysis, Axpo Group

Moderator:
Konstantinos Bergeles, Strategy & Transactions Principal, Deloitte Greece

Keynote Speaker:
Laurence Auer, Ambassador of France to the Hellenic Republic

Rethinking the "Operating System" of the Greek energy market to ensure that massive green investments remain viable and productive.

• Maximizing Yield: Technical strategies to reduce forced curtailments and protect the economic returns of renewable projects.
• Bilateral Innovation: Leveraging French expertise in grid resilience to build the flexible infrastructure of the future.
• Market Readiness: The final countdown for batteries entering the wholesale market and their role in balancing the national energy mix.

Thalia Valkouma, President and CEO, Faria Renewables

Michail Vardalakis, Finance Manager-Greece, Akuo Energy

Yannis Sakellion, Country Manager, Voltalia Greece

Alexandre Harito, Country Manager Greece, Smart Energies

Moderator:        Spiros Raptis, General Manager Greece and Cyprus, Schneider Electric; Chairman of Energy Committee, CCI France Grèce

• The Strategic Infrastructure Synergy: Defining the "Energy Backbone" through the dual lens of the gas Vertical Corridor as a necessity for SE Europe.
• The 2025 Export Paradigm: Evaluating the systemic shift that allows Greece to leverage LNG infrastructure into stable export commodities.
• Resilience & Geopolitical Shielding: How major cross-border projects create a resilient energy shield, mitigating geopolitical risks and price volatility through enhanced regional connectivity.

Despoina Paliarouta, Secretary General for Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Environment & Energy

Maria Sferruzza, CEO, DESFA

In discussion with

Korina Georgiou, Journalist, SKAI