Fatih Birol

Speaker at the St. Gallen Symposium

Dr Fatih Birol is the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), a position he has held since September 2015. Under his leadership, the IEA has undertaken a comprehensive modernization program, focusing on strengthening ties with emerging economies and advancing the global clean energy transition. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Dr Birol served as the IEA's Chief Economist, overseeing the World Energy Outlook, the agency's flagship publication. Before joining the IEA in 1995, he worked at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna. Dr Birol has been recognized globally for his contributions to energy and climate policy. He was named by Time magazine as one of the world's most influential people in 2021 and has received numerous national honors, including the French Legion of Honour and the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun. Dr Birol earned a BSc in Power Engineering from Istanbul Technical University and an MSc and PhD in Energy Economics from the Technical University of Vienna. In 2013, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science from Imperial College London.