The meeting in Brussels, May 5, 2015, With special guest speaker: Mehmet Öğütçü

Mehmet Öğütçü 

President, Bosphorus Energy Club

Chairman, Global Resources Partners, London

Chairman, Caspian Oil and Gas Fund Management Group, London

Special Envoy for MENA, The Energy Charter

Background

In early 2015 the “big picture” of Eurasian energy security is looking more challenging than ever. The energy standoff between Russia and Europe has reached new heights, taking into account the continued impact of Western sanctions, the unresolved nature of the 50 billion YUKOS case and the Commission”s “objections” to Gazprom”s alleged market dominance inside the EU. While Gulf oil producers appear quite relaxed about the lingeringly low oil price, other big producer countries — like Russia — are left to “sweat it out”. Furthermore, it should be added that the risks of an overlap between the political-military crisis in Ukraine with a crisis of European energy security remain prominent.

Continued political and energy-related tensions between Russia and the West are resulting in “diversification”, as recently mentioned by Gapzrom chief, Alexei Miller, becoming the strategy of the day. Europe continues to put its hope in Southern Corridor gas projects, while Russia is seeking to strengthen its energy ties with China, Turkey and other key sources of demand. Central Asian, Middle Eastern and North African gas producers are looking for closer ties with premium price markets in Europe and Asia, but to a large extent remain hostage to prevailing geopolitical trends.

In order to have a better grasp of how these developments are likely to pan out, we have asked Mehmet Öğütçü to address the Brussels Energy Club on May 5. In particular, we have asked Mehmet to map out the key “game changers” in the global energy markets — shale gas in the USA, the rise of China, India and Brazil, the emergence of more flexible gas pricing in Europe — and inform us on how these are impacting on the energy security prospects of the key actors in the Eurasian energy markets. These include both state and corporate actors. Profound change is coming to European energy. Make sure you join us for the next BREC members meeting with Mehmet Öğütçü to ensure that you are not left behind in the wake of these dynamic developments. 

Program May 5, 2015 — 18.45-21.00:

• Arrival of members and guests leading into welcome cocktail   
• Welcoming remarks by Dr Bahadir Kaleagasi, Chairman, Brussels Energy Club
• Setting out the debate by Dr Marat Terterov, Executive Director, Brussels Energy Club
• Presentation by Mehmet Öğütçü, President, Bosphorus Energy Club
• Reflections and remarks by members and guests of the Brussels Energy Club, leading into Q/A session (NB: all discussions during the session will take place under the Chatham House Rule).
• A light buffet will be incorporated into the interactive discussion

Speaker information

Mehmet Ogutcu has more than 30 years of successful track-record in the energy business, investment, development, government, diplomacy, and international organisations. He has a wide and influential global network of government, business and finance leaders, and is well versed in diplomatic and negotiating skills required to pave the ground for business growth, fund-raising, dealing with resource countries, risk mitigation and dispute settlement. Mehmet has served as board member at London Stock Exchange- and Istanbul Stock Exchange-listed companies as well as at family-owned conglomerates while at the same time providing strategic advice to several international energy, natural resources and finance corporations.

In his early career, Mehmet was a prominent Turkish diplomat, having worked on critical “economic and energy diplomacy” dossiers in Ankara, Beijing, Brussels and Paris, and later as an advisor to the late Turkish Prime Minister, Turgut Ozal. After leaving the Foreign Service in 1994, Mehmet joined as a senior staffer at the International Energy Agency heading Eurasia, Asia-Pacific and Latin America programme, and the OECD (dubbed as “Rich Men”s Club”) in Paris as principal administrator managing international investment outreach over 11 years. Mehmet was for six years (2005-2011) the global director for British Gas (BG) Group Plc. in the UK, managing high-level government engagements and new business development around the world. He negotiated deals and disputes in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, China, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Egypt, Oman and Brazil. He also worked for four years as the chairman of the International Advisory Board of Invensys plc., until 2014.

Mehmet is a graduate of Turkey”s Mulkiye, London School of Economics (LSE) and College d”Europe, Bruges. He is an occasional lecturer at LSE”s Enterprise Executive Programme, Harvard University, Dundee University, University of Reading and Peking University”s School of Government since 2005. Mehmet has effective media communications, writing and speaking talents. He often speaks at key international and regional conferences around the world and writes in newspapers. Mehmet is fluent in Turkish, English, French, Central Asian dialects, and Chinese Mandarin (conversational). 

Further information

Participation in the interactive discussion at TUSIAD venue will be free of charge for members and guests of the Brussels Energy Club. For more information please contact Mr Martin Minarik on industry@brusselsenergyclub.org and/or Mr Ben McPherson onresearch@brusselsenergyclub.org, or visit the contacts section of our website.