2024 Summer School Programme

On July 20, 2024, we embark on an extraordinary learning journey as we kick off the 2024 Energy Community Summer School at the esteemed Technical University of Moldova in Chisinau. From 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM, participants from diverse backgrounds will converge for an enriching experience that promises both formal education and informal cultural exchange. This edition welcomes students of various nationalities, fostering a vibrant blend of perspectives that will undoubtedly enhance the summer school's educational landscape. Mrs. Cristina Pereteatcu, the State Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, will guide us through this special day. With responsibilities spanning EU Integration, International Relations, Education, Digitalization, Cybersecurity, and Innovations, Mrs Pereteatcu brings a wealth of expertise to the table.

Following the opening ceremony, all attendees are cordially invited to partake in a welcoming dinner hosted on the premises of the Technical University, setting the stage for fruitful interactions and camaraderie among participants.

Cristina Pereteatcu - State Secretary, Ministry of Energy, Republic of Moldova

Cristina is the state secretary of the Ministry of Energy and is responsible for EU integration, international relations, education, digitalisation, cybersecurity, and Innovation. She has two Bachelor’s degrees and two Master’s Degrees in foreign languages and Law, as well as a Diploma in Advanced Management from the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin. In her professional career, Cristina has worked in academia, business, and civil society and is currently embracing a new experience as a government official.  Mrs. Pereteatcu chaired several Committees, received Human Rights awards for her work as a Human Rights defender and promotion of Human Rights Education, and participated in numerous trainings dealing with crisis management, digitalisation, AI, leadership during COVID, etc.

Artur Lorkowski – Director, Energy Community Secretariat

Artur is an accomplished diplomat with expertise in energy and environmental protection, climate change, and public administration. He is the Director of the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna, Austria. Previously, he served as the Vice-President of the Management Board of Poland's National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, overseeing crucial areas such as climate change adaptation, water protection, and zero-emission transport. Throughout his career, he has also held several important diplomatic positions, including serving as the special envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Climate Affairs and as the Ambassador of Poland in Austria. Prior to his diplomatic assignments, he served as the Deputy Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Committee for European Integration, where he was responsible, among others, for energy security and climate change. Artur is an accomplished alumnus of the Warsaw School of Economics and the National School of Public Administration.

Selma Šehović - Project Manager at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Dialogue Southeast Europe

Selma is a regulatory lawyer with over ten years of experience, including in policy development. Currently employed at the FES SOE Regional Dialogue as a project manager, managing the portfolio on energy transition and climate change policies in Southeast Europe with a focus on the Western Balkan non-EU countries. Before joining the FES SOE, Selma worked on transposing the EU’s Third Energy Package into Bosnia’s legislation and at the international law firm CMS-RRH, advising infrastructure investors and clients on PPA, regulatory compliance, and market opportunities. Selma holds a master's degree in energy and natural resources law from Queen Mary University London.

Experience the enchanting fusion of cultural immersion and culinary delight at the Social Sunday event. Our journey begins with a captivating tour of MIMI Castle, a crown jewel nestled in Moldova's tourism landscape. Recognised among the world's top 15 most stunning wineries, MIMI Castle boasts modern architectural marvels and a rich historical tapestry. Explore the hidden cellars of Constantin Mimi, where over 30,000 visitors from 80 countries annually marvel at Moldova's winemaking legacy. Immerse yourself in local traditions, savouring time-honoured dishes crafted from ancestral recipes, and be enchanted by culinary artisans reinventing gastronomic traditions. MIMI Castle, an impressive architectural gem erected in the late 19th century, stands as the region's inaugural château. Its cellar, capable of housing 300,000 litres of wine in barrels, symbolises the heart of Moldova's viticultural heritage. Following its renovation in 2016, the castle now hosts a museum, art gallery, conference hall, hotel, and restaurant. Notably, in June 2023, MIMI Castle played host to the second European Political Community Summit, drawing approximately 50 heads of state, government officials, and top EU dignitaries.

Our adventure unfolds further with a visit to Vestmoldtransgaz, a pioneering natural gas transportation company headquartered in Chisinau. Delve into their operations, maintenance protocols, gas transmission methodologies, and dispatching procedures, gaining invaluable insight into the intricate management of Moldova's gas infrastructure.

A visit to  Milestii Mici Winery, an emblem of Moldova's winemaking excellence, marks the pinnacle of our Social Sunday extravaganza. Established in 1969, the State Enterprise Quality Wines Industrial Complex "Mileștii Mici" stands as a fortress for storing, preserving, and ageing premium wines. Embark on an exploration of its expansive cellars, stretching over 200 kilometres, where limestone galleries maintain ideal humidity (85–95%) and temperature (12–14 °C). Raise a glass in celebration at Mileștii Mici, home to the world's largest wine cellars, as we toast to the culmination of an unforgettable Social Sunday experience. This tour and dinner will be financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group.

Social Sunday Schedule

Visit to Milestii Mici Winery (tour and dinner) Financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Group

Carolina Novac – State Secretary, Ministry of Energy Moldova

Carolina is the State Secretary on Decarbonisation covering renewables and energy efficiency at the Ministry of Energy. For the past year, she was the Energy Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova in the midst of the country's biggest crisis.  She is a European energy public affairs professional with seven years of experience. Previously, she was the EU Policies and Regulations Manager at National Grid in Brussels. Before, she worked at the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) as a Policy Advisor at Weber Shandwick – a top consultancy in Brussels, and at the European Commission at the Directorate General for Research and Innovation.

Research Associate / PhD Candidate at the Leibniz University of Hannover

As a Research Associate at the Leibniz University of Hannover, Inga is pursuing a PhD at the Institute of Electric Power Systems on the operational flexibility of long-duration energy storage systems. She has always had a passion for teaching engineering and making our energy system's intricacies accessible and understandable – which she hopes to contribute to the 2021 Summer School. Born and raised in South Africa, Inga Beyers moved to Germany to study at a university. While finishing her Master’s Degree in Energy Engineering, she participated in the 2019 EC Summer School in Krakow.

Anna Butenko – Legal Manager System Development and Operations at ENTSO-E

Anna is an experienced energy lawyer who combines gas and electricity sector expertise with a solid academic background. In addition to her duties as Legal Manager of System Development and Operations at ENTSO-E, Anna is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Energy and the Environment at Vermont Law School.

Jasmina Trhulj - Head of Electricity Unit, Energy Community Secretariat, Austria

Jasmina is a Diploma Electrical Engineer for Power Systems employed as Head of the Electricity Unit at the Energy Community Secretariat with a 22-year professional career dedicated to electricity market development in line with EU acquis. Her responsibilities include activities on facilitating energy transition and electricity market development in the EnC Contracting Parties and their integration at regional and Pan-European levels. She also managed an EU-funded project for regional energy market connectivity in the Western Balkans. Jasmina obtained seven years of regulatory experience at the Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia (AERS) as a senior expert for electricity, responsible for developing and monitoring the electricity market in Serbia. With a degree from the School of Electrical Engineering of the University of Belgrade, Serbia, she is the author of numerous papers and articles published and presented at national and international conferences.

Dennis Hesseling - Head of the Gas, Coal & Power Markets Division at the International Energy Agency

Dennis was appointed Head of the Gas, Coal and Power Markets Division in July 2023. From December 2012 to June 2023, Dennis was Head of the Infrastructure, Gas & Retail Department at the EU Agency for the Co-operation of Energy Regulators (ACER). He was responsible for the Agency’s energy infrastructure, gas markets, and energy retail activities. He was also the Agency’s representative to the Energy Community Regulatory Board. Before joining ACER, Dennis worked as Head of the Unit in the Netherland Competition Authority NMa (ACM) Competition Department. From 2000, he worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company in Brussels, providing strategic and operational advice to postal companies and banks. He holds a PhD in Mathematics from Utrecht University.

Julian Reul – Program Lead, Research & Analysis Department

Julian serves as Program Lead in the research department of the H2Global Foundation. In this role, he coordinates the research project “H2Global meets Africa” and the working group “Financing the Hydrogen Infrastructure Investment Gap”. Before joining H2Global last year, he conducted his PhD and post-doctoral studies in energy and transport systems modelling at the Institute for Techno-economic Systems Analysis at the research center in Jülich, Germany.  His research concentrates on analysing individual and corporate decision-making and is currently focused on investigating market dynamics and investment decisions in the emerging hydrogen economy.

Oana Langa - Policy Officer at European Commission, Directorate General for Energy

Oana is an experienced policy officer in the Infrastructure and Regional Cooperation team of the Directorate-General for Energy in the European Commission, where she contributes to the implementation of Regulation (EU) on trans-European energy networks by coordinating electricity and hydrogen infrastructure development in the EU through a biennial project selection process involving national administrations, regulators, energy companies and non-profit organisations. Ms Langa has a decade long experience in the European Commission, the European Parliament and in governmental affairs offices of energy companies and industry associations in Brussels. She holds an MA from the L'Institut d'études européennes de l'Université libre de Bruxelles.

Enea is CEO of the public company OSHEE Group, the largest public company in Albania, with activity in the distribution and supply of energy. Enea has vast experience in the energy sector. Previously, he was the Director General for policies and development of energy and industry at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy. In this position, he was in charge of developing policies and strategies for energy, renewable energy, oil and gas, mining and energy efficiency in Albania. His background is in law and energy. He got his first experience working at the Energy Regulatory Authority, the independent regulatory authority for energy sector in Albania. Later, he moved to the Ministry of Energy and held different positions. Mr Karakaçi graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana, in 2009 and completed his LL.M. Master's degree at the University of Amsterdam in 2010 for European Union Law. He is a lecturer in law at the Mediterranean University of Albania. 

Lisa Marie Wolf - European Energy Exchange

Lisa Marie is an energy economist working for the European Energy Exchange (EEX) as a Senior Strategy Analyst. EEX Group is a global energy and commodity exchange group with a strong footprint in European power and gas markets. Lisa has previously gained experience in European regulatory affairs as a business consultant. Her expertise includes energy trading, regulation of the energy sector and European market integration.

Alberto is a part-time Professor and Deputy Director for the World of Practice at the Florence School of Regulation – European University Institute, where he has been teaching energy regulation and market design since 2004. Since October 2020, Alberto is also a Director of DFC-Economics, a consultancy outfit providing independent economic analysis and advice on complex business and regulatory issues. From 2010 to 2019, he was the first Director of the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER). Before joining the Agency, from 2006 to 2010, Alberto was a Partner in Mercados EMI, a Madrid-based international consultancy specialising in the energy sector, where he served as CEO and Deputy Chairman. He previously worked at the Italian Transmission System Operators (from 2003 to 2005), served as the first CEO of the Italian Electricity Market Operator (from 2000 to 2003) and in the Italian Energy Regulatory Authority (AEEG, from 1997 to 2000), with his final position being Director of Electricity Regulation. Alberto started his professional career in 1989 with London Economics, an international economic consultancy, where he was eventually in charge of the industrial economic advisory practice. Between 2003 and 2005, Alberto also advised the Italian Government on environmental and climate policy issues. Alberto holds a Degree in Economics from Bocconi University in Milan and an MSc in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics from the London School of Economics, University of London.

Ana has nine years of experience in clean energy policies and markets. She is an expert in policy and regulatory frameworks for promoting financing, as well as market and system integration of renewables, including auction design and implementation. She has led various assignments for governments, international organisations, and investors. These include the design and implementation of renewable energy auctions in more than ten countries in Eurasia, Asia, and Africa for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); regional cooperation on renewable energy in ASEAN for the GIZ; an assessment of policy and commercial viability of hydrogen pipelines for system operators in Europe; and market and regulatory assessments of renewable energy in Europe and distributed generation in Mexico. Before joining Tetra Tech, Ms. Amazo was a managing consultant at Guidehouse, an external consultant to the GIZ, and a research assistant at the Berlin Social Science Centre (WZB). She holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin and is a Green Energy Finance Specialist from the Renewables Academy (RENAC).

Bernhard Bauer – SIEMENS Central-Eastern-Europe / Central-Asia

Bernhard has been the commercial director of “Digital Factory” and digital officer for “Digital Industries” at SIEMENS Central-Eastern-Europe/Central-Asia (26 countries) since 2015.  Before studying International Business Administration at the University of Vienna, he worked in Austria for a small company and IKEA. In the more than 20 years following his graduation, Bernhard held various management positions within SIEMENS, i.e. in the global HQ’s “Transportation” division, dealing with “Energy” in regional companies (Argentina/Mercosur, Belgium/Benelux+WaCAfrica), CEE/C-Asia), and working on “corporate-strategy for EMEA” at the group’s headquarters in Munich. He has been an advisor and seed-investor in 2 start-ups:   solar-energy “pay-as-you-go” in Zimbabwe and “cultivated-meat”  in Silicon Valley (California). In the last approx. 10 years, he has been a guest lecturer at various academic institutions and, in recent years, has obtained certificates in “DataScience” (JohnsHopkins) / “EmergingMarkets” (Harvard) / “ImpactBusiness” (MIT) through part-time studies.

Arnold Weiss - Head of Vienna Office of EPEX SPOT

Arnold has been the Head of the Vienna Office of EPEX SPOT since 2013. The European Power Exchange, headquartered in Paris, is the marketplace for short-term power trading in 13 European countries.  He is part of the public & regulatory affairs team and is particularly in charge of representing EPEX in Austria, Luxemburg, Poland, CEE/SEE and at the EU level.  Before that, he worked in the energy sector for ten years as legal counsel, compliance manager and head of the respective staff units. He is a frequent lecturer on energy law and economics at various universities in Austria and Liechtenstein. Also, he is a contributor and speaker at numerous conferences in Europe, China and India.

Arben Kllokoqi – Senior Energy Expert, Energy Community Secretariat

Arben is a Senior Energy Expert in the Energy Community Secretariat since March 2024. He worked as an Electricity Expert for the Energy Community Secretariat from 2017-2022, supporting electricity market reforms in the Contracting Parties and REMIT implementation, market coupling, cross-border balancing, etc. Before re-joining the ECS, Arben worked as the Director for electricity market design at the Energy Traders Europe (EFET) for more than a year, including some consultancy projects. Arben has 20 years of experience in the energy industry and previously worked for more than 7 years at a London-based trading firm, EDF Trading, as a Regulatory Advisor covering regulatory affairs across European markets. Before joining EDF Trading, he worked with the Regulator on market monitoring and the TSO in Kosovo* to define and implement market mechanisms and grid access.

Constantin Borosan - Secretary of State, Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Moldova

Constantin is the State Secretary within the Ministry of Energy, responsible for natural gas, electricity, thermal energy, cogeneration, and petroleum products. From 2021 to 2023, Constantin was the state secretary for energy at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. From 2020 to 2021, he was the Executive Director of the National Energy Council. From 2013 to the present, he has been a University Lecturer and Energy Research Engineer at the Technical University of Moldova. He is fluent in Romanian, Russian, and English.

Matúš Mišík - Associate Professor at Comenius University in Bratislava.

Matúš is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science at Comenius University in Bratislava. His main research interests include energy security in the EU and the role of perception within EU decision-making mechanisms. He is the author of External Energy Security in the European Union (Routledge, 2019). He has published articles in Nature Energy, Energy, Energy Policy, Geopolitics, Journal of Popular Culture, Comparative European Politics, Asia Europe Journal, etc. He has undertaken study and research trips to Norway (2006), Finland (2009), Great Britain (2011), and Austria (2012), was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Alberta, Canada (2015-2016) and was a visiting professor at Carleton University, Canada (2018).

Vaclav Bartuška - Ambassador-at-Large for Energy Security of the Czech Republic

Vaclav assumed the position of Ambassador-at-Large for Energy Security of the Czech Republic in 2006. He works on a wide range of issues, from oil and gas supplies to energy strategy. During the gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine in January 2009, when the Czech Republic held the EU Presidency, he was involved in negotiations with Russian, Ukrainian, and EU leadership. In 2010, he was appointed by the Czech Government to the Commissioner for expansion at the Temelin nuclear power plant. Since 2003, he has taught modern history and security studies at New York University, Prague campus. Mr. Bartuška also teaches energy security at the College of Europe.

Constantin Borosan - Secretary of State, Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Moldova

Constantin is the State Secretary within the Ministry of Energy, responsible for natural gas, electricity, thermal energy, cogeneration, and petroleum products. From 2021 to 2023, Constantin was the state secretary for energy at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development. From 2020 to 2021, he was the Executive Director of the National Energy Council. From 2013 to the present, he has been a University Lecturer and Energy Research Engineer at the Technical University of Moldova. He is fluent in Romanian, Russian, and English.

Predrag Grujičić - Head of Gas Unit, Energy Community Secretariat

Mr. Grujičić joined the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna in 2010. As Head of the Gas Unit, he assesses and reviews the proper implementation and progress by the Contracting Parties of their obligations under the Energy Community Treaty related to the gas acquis. He graduated from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Serbia, in 1999. He held various positions within the Serbian major public electricity company, Elektroprivreda Srbije, as a system operator. He joined the Ministry of Energy of Serbia and occupied various head positions including the EU integration and international cooperation agenda. He was seconded as a national expert to the Energy Charter, Brussels.

Martin Jirušek - Assistant Professor at Masaryk University, Czech Republic

Martin Jirušek is an Assistant Professor at Masaryk University, Czech Republic, and Managing Editor of the Czech Journal of Political Science. He also works as a consultant and analyst. Martin has conducted several research projects in central and eastern Europe, Russia, and the United States. He received a Fulbright research scholarship and spent ten months as a visiting researcher at George Washington University in Washington, DC (2021/2022). He was also selected for the International Visitors Leadership Program run by the United States Department of State (2019). He also obtained the Centre for European Policy Analysis´s James S. Denton Transatlantic Fellowship (2019). Martin regularly publishes in peer-reviewed journals and reputable publishing houses, such as Palgrave Macmillan, Elsevier, etc. In his work, Martin focuses on geopolitics, energy security, central and eastern Europe, Russia, the United States, and the transatlantic dimension of energy security.     

Klaudie Mrkusova - Policy Officer - Innovation, research, digitalisation and competitiveness (JPP), DG ENER

Klaudie holds a master's degree in International energy and European Affairs from Sciences Po. She is one of the youngest policy makers at the European Commission and focuses on energy research and new technologies. She was one of the negotiators of the Net-Zero Industry Act, participated in the formulation of the Commission strategy for renovation of buildings and European industrial priorities for cooperation with Sub-Saharan Africa. In her spare time, she promotes the voices and opinions of the new generation as vice-chair of the youth network under the European Forum Alpbach. In the past, she founded an NGO for the education of children in Togo, thanks to which she had the opportunity to teach in the field herself. Her past experience also includes French diplomacy, the OECD, innovation consulting and the startup scene.

Jolanta Navickaite - Policy Officer in the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy

Jolanta has been a Policy Officer in the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy since May 2021, covering the Energy Community and neighbourhood. Prior to that, she worked as the Lithuanian energy attaché to the European Union. In that position, she represented the Lithuanian position in negotiations on EU policy and legal acts proposals at the Council of the EU (Working Parties, Coreper, and Energy Council) and committees of the EU Commission. She was previously a chief officer at the Ministry of Energy of Lithuania where she worked during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU. Ms Navickaite obtained an LLM cum laude in European Union Law from the Maastricht University.

Anežka Konvalinová – Assistant, Departmental Coordinator for international exchanges and internships Masaryk University, Brno

Anežka is a PhD student and assistant at the Department of International Relations and European Studies at Masaryk University, Brno. Her research focuses on the energy transition, particularly de-coaling in Central Europe, especially Poland. She actively participated in the Czech-Polish round table and is involved in numerous research projects on energy transitions.

Andrius Šimkus - Energy Counsel at Law Firm Sorainen

Andrius has been practising energy law for over 17 years. Before joining the largest pan-Baltic law firm, Sorainen, in May 2022, for 2 years, he ran a boutique consultancy – Šimkus Energy Consulting – with active technical assistance projects in Ukraine, Georgia, Albania, and Lithuania. Before that, Andrius spent 5 years as a Gas Expert and Energy Lawyer at the Energy Community Secretariat. He also worked as a General Counsel at LITGRID – the electricity TSO of Lithuania, a member of the Board of Directors at Nord Pool Holding, and in-house lawyer and external counsel representing major energy stakeholders in the Baltics, Scandinavia, Poland, and Southeast Europe. His legal and energy policy practice covers, amongst others, electricity, natural gas (including LNG), renewables, and nuclear energy. Andrius has a unique expertise in energy legislative matters, being an author or co-author of over 200 legal acts regulating energy relations in 17 European jurisdictions. Andrius is also an invited lecturer at the Kyiv School of Energy Policy.

Verica (national of Slovenia, based in Austria) is a lawyer and former Advocate General of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg and former judge at the General Court of the European Union in Luxembourg and a professor of European Union law in Austria and Slovenia.

Since 2019, she has been a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. She is also a conciliator at the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe) and a member of the Bureau at this Court (from 2019). From 2017-2022, she was a Member of the Management Board and, from October 2017, also a Member of the Executive Board of the EU Agency for fundamental rights. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of the international organisation Energy Community and an external scientific member of the Max Planck Institute Luxembourg. Since 2020, she has been a substitute member of the Venice Commission (Council of Europe). In 2020, she got an Austrian state decoration from President van der Bellen: Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class.

Lena Sandberg - Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher

Lena Sandberg is a Danish-qualified partner and a member of the Brussels Bar, based in the Brussels office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.  She has held positions both in the private sector (law firms and companies) and the public sector (the European Commission and the EFTA Surveillance Authority). While she works on all aspects of competition law (abuse of dominant position, cartels, and merger filings), she has 30 years of expertise experience with State aid.  She also has strong Public Procurement experience and extensive sectoral regulatory experience, especially in the energy/environmental sectors (including renewables, gas and electricity production and transmission).  She has litigated many cases on state aid before the European courts in various sectors and acted as a negotiator with various international institutions.

Ms. Sandberg earned her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in 1995 from the University of Copenhagen and her Masters of Laws (LL.M cum laude) in 1992 from Vrije University. She is a member of the Danish and Brussels Bars. Ms. Sandberg is fluent in English, Danish, Swedish, German and French.

Jacques Andy Isabelle - Renewables and Climate Lawyer at Energy Community Secretariat

Jacques joined the Energy Community Secretariat in April 2024, with extensive experience in the renewable energy sector and having worked in private practice at international law firms (Simmons & Simmons, CMS Francis Lefebvre and Wolf Theiss) as well as in-house at some of the leading renewable energy developers (RES Group and Neoen). He studied Law in France and the United Kingdom, including his specialisation LLM in Energy Law and Policy from CEPMLP of the University of Dundee in Scotland.

Marie-Therese Richter-Kuhnert - Energy Lawyer at Energy Community Secretariat

Marie-Therese joined the Energy Community in 2016 as an Energy Lawyer, mainly dealing with competition and State aid law, dispute settlement cases, assistance to national competition and State aid authorities and training activities. She currently leads the Secretariat’s Task Force implementing the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. Her previous professional experience includes different legal positions as an associate, consultant and Assistant Professor. Ms. Richter-Kuhnert holds a Master’s (2008) and a PhD degree (2011) from the Faculty of Law, University of Vienna, as well as a Master’s degree from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. She has also published several legal articles.

Smaranda Miron - Energy Lawyer at Energy Community Secretariat

Smaranda is an energy lawyer with the Energy Community Secretariat, an international organisation based in Vienna. She handles energy disputes (cases against the Contracting Parties of the Energy Community), supports the Energy Community Secretariat’s Dispute Resolution and Negotiation Centre, and works with the competent national authorities to fully implement the Energy Community acquis. Before joining the Energy Community Secretariat, Smaranda worked as an associate in the International Arbitration Group of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and as a public procurement case handler with the European Commission.

Naida Taso - Renewable Energy Expert in the Energy Community Secretariat

Naida has ten years of international experience in renewable energy, sustainable development, energy modelling and electricity markets. Currently working in the Energy Community Secretariat as a Renewable Energy Expert within the European Green Deal Unit, Ms. Taso is responsible for all activities related to renewable energy. Before the Secretariat, Ms. Taso worked for the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Ms. Taso holds a master’s degree in Electrical Power Engineering from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering - University of Sarajevo. She is a Certified Climate & Renewable Energy Finance Expert from the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. In 2023, Ms Taso attended the Advanced Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Academy conducted by Pexapark.

Dirk Buschle - Deputy Director, Energy Community Secretariat

Dirk is Deputy Director of the Energy Community Secretariat since 2011 and has led its legal unit since 2007. As the Chairman of the Energy Community Dispute Resolution and Negotiation Centre, he is also responsible for dispute resolution and negotiations. He has acted as a mediator in high-profile investor-state conflicts in the energy sector. He manages the Ukraine Energy Support Fund set up by the Energy Community Secretariat in 2022.

Prior to his current position, Dirk was Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Court of Justice of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in Luxembourg. Dirk is also a Professor and Chairholder of the Iberdrola Manuel Marin Chair for European Energy and Climate Policy at the College of Europe in Bruges. He teaches the annual “European and International Energy Policy and Governance” course. He graduated in law from Constance University, Germany, and earned his Ph.D. at St. Gallen University in Switzerland. He has widely published in different areas of European policy and law and has lectured at the Universities of Reykjavik, Constance, and St. Gallen as a visiting professor.

Linda Zeilina- CEO & Founder, International Sustainable Finance Centre

Linda is the Founder and CEO of the International Sustainable Finance Centre (ISFC), a think tank focusing on a range of sustainable finance topics, where she oversees the work on sustainable investing and inclusive economies. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) in London and an advisory board member of the Romanian Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (RoSIF). Until recently, Linda was a Policy Leader Fellow at the European University Institute’s School of Transnational Governance. Over the years, Linda has run consulting projects for large asset managers, pension funds and European investment funds. Previously, Linda was Director at RE-DEFINE, a boutique consultancy and think tank in London, and a Think Visegrad Fellow at the EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy. Linda is an alumna of the University of Glasgow, McGill University and the London School of Economics.

Monika Figaj - Climate and Just Transition Expert, Energy Community Secretariat

Monika is a political science graduate and holds a PhD in international development from Nagoya University. Her career is based on her knowledge of EU climate policies, including the EU ETS and UNFCCC negotiations, as well as her experience working as a consultant in the environment in Montenegro. Since 2014, she has been a negotiator for Poland for the Ministry of Climate and Environment on climate files, including for the Fit for 55 package and a lead on mitigation for Poland’s UNFCCC COP Presidency in 2018.

Maria De Melo - Principal, Climate Strategy and Delivery - EBRD

Maria De Melo has more than 10 years of experience with international organisations. She currently works for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as Principal in the Climate Strategy and Delivery department. Her work focuses on the development of the renewable energy sector in the countries where the EBRD operates. She has previously held positions at the European Commission and Deloitte. Maria holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from Universidade Catolica Portuguesa and a MSc in Political Economy from the London School of Economics.

Ioana Petcu – Advisor, Climate Change, Energy Policy, Climate & Sustainability, Eurelectric

Ioana Petcu is an experienced energy and climate expert with a strong communication and public affairs profile. Ioana currently leads Eurelectric’s activities on the EU climate change regulation, as well as on files related to industrial competitiveness and innovation. Her portfolio includes: the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), and the wider Green Deal Industrial Plan. She joined Eurelectric in 2018 to spearhead media interactions and crisis communications, as well as multichannel engagements, supporting the company’s advocacy efforts. Prior to this, Ioana worked at NATO, the European Parliament, and the Romanian Ministry of Defense. Ioana holds a master’s degree in International Relations - diplomacy and conflict resolution and a bachelor’s degree in Communications.

Ilija is a Researcher at the UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change and a lecturer at the University Pompeu Fabra - BSM. Prior to this, Mr Sazdovski was a member of the International Association of Energy Engineers and the Scientific Advisory Board of the South-East Conference for Sustainable Development of Energy, Water, and Environmental Systems. He has been working as a project developer and implementer, engaged by USAID, UNDP, and GIZ, providing technical assistance to different stakeholders in energy efficiency. He is the author of the National Energy Monitoring System for local self-governments and co-author of the III National Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2016-2018 for Macedonia. He worked as an International Expert for the establishment of Monitoring Reporting and Verification systems for greenhouse gases engaged by UNDP.

Adrian Jasimi - Summer School Coordinator, Energy Community Secretariat

Adrian joined the Energy Community Secretariat in May 2009 as an oil expert. Before coming to the Energy Community Secretariat, he worked in Albania's Oil and Gas Institute until 1994. In 1994, Mr Jasimi joined the UK oil and gas company Premier Oil as a project manager for ten years. In 2004, he started to work as an oil advisor and director of the cabinet to the Minister of Energy and Industry of Albania. In 2005, he was reappointed Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy in Albania until April 2009. Mr Jasimi is involved in many negotiations in oil and gas contracts. His university background is as a physicist.