HELLENiQ Energy Center for Sustainability and Energy @Alba at the 11th HAEE Energy Transition Symposium: Fostering Strategic Dialogue and Collaboration

The HELLENiQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability & Energy @Alba Graduate Business School participated as Knowledge Partner at the 11th HAEE Energy Transition Symposium.

The Center played a central role, contributing in the Symposium Agenda, through high-level panels, a joint white paper presentation, and academic sessions, reinforcing the link between energy markets, geopolitics, technology, and sustainability.

The Symposium was officially opened by Edward C. Wingenbach, Ph.D., President of The American College of Greece, who highlighted the importance of academic institutions in fostering education, interdisciplinary dialogue, and innovation to support the global energy transition.

Prof. Dr. Kostas Andriosopoulos, Director of the Center moderated the discussion featuring Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Environment & Energy of Greece, Joshua Volz, Special Envoy for Global Energy Integration at the U.S. Department of Energy, and Osama Mobarez, Secretary General of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum. The discussion emphasized the role of energy security as a core pillar of geopolitical stability, underlining the importance of the Vertical Corridor, regional infrastructure, and East Mediterranean resources in strengthening Europe’s resilience. Diversification, competitiveness, and regulatory stability were highlighted as essential enablers of a secure and successful energy transition.

Τhe Center further reinforced its role at the Symposium through three “Powered by” panel discussions addressing geopolitics, energy security, and inclusivity in the energy transition. Τhe discussion between George Alexopoulos, Deputy CEO & Chief Strategy Officer, of the Center’s naming donor HELLENiQ ENERGY, Franck Neel, Executive Board Member of OMV Petrom, and Prof. Dr. Kostas Andriosopoulos, focused on how energy markets are adapting to ongoing geopolitical disruptions both in the Middle East and in global trade pressures. Exploitation of indigenous energy sources including hydrocarbons, diversification of energy mix, supply sources and routes and investing in competitiveness regarding technological neutrality are essential for energy resilience and economic growth, while regulatory stability and financial incentives are required for a successful energy transition.

Τhe “Future of Gas Flows in Southeast Europe: Risks, Routes and Impacts” joint White Paper between the Center and the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. Anne-Sophie Corbeau, Global Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University | SIPA, discussed with Prof. Dr. Kostas Andriosopoulos how LNG dynamics, infrastructure evolution, and demand shifts are reshaping Southeast Europe’s energy system, under the spectrum of current geopolitical developments. The discussion highlighted both the risks of external dependence and the role of LNG in strengthening long-term energy security. Energy resilience will depend on diversifying supply sources and routes (LNG, TAP, Türkiye interconnections, Romanian offshore gas), removing regional infrastructure bottlenecks, and strengthening cross-border coordination, while demand-side flexibility, storage optimization, and grid readiness will act as critical tools for managing future supply shocks and maintaining energy security.

The empowerment of women in the energy transition was addressed by Alexandra Sdoukou, Spokesperson of New Democracy Party and Chair of EmpowerMed Women, EMGF, Enas Shabana, Communications & Media Relations Specialist at EMGF, Maria Rita Galli, CEO of AKTOR LNG, and Georgia Giannakidou, Senior Research Fellow at the HELLENIQ ENERGY Center. The discussion emphasized the importance of STEM education, mentorship, visibility, and institutional accountability in fostering a more inclusive energy sector.

Workforce readiness was explored in a panel moderated by Kostas Axarloglou, Dean of Alba Association, The American College of Greece, and member of the Center’s Steering Committee, featuring Athanasios Dagoumas, Associate Professor in Energy and Resource Economics at the University of Piraeus, Nikolaos Bakatselos, President & CEO of Pyramis Metallourgia, Panagiotis Papastamatiou, CEO of the Hellenic Wind Energy Association and Director at ENTEKA, and Angelos Antonakakis, Head of Analytics Sales – EMEA at S&P Global Energy. The discussion highlighted how digitalization, artificial intelligence, decarbonization, and geopolitical shifts are reshaping workforce requirements, underscoring the critical role of education, lifelong learning, and institutional adaptability in preparing the next generation of energy professionals.

Representing the HELLENiQ Energy Center for Sustainability and Energy @Alba, Theodora Antonakaki, Director of the Climate Change and Sustainability Centre at the Bank of Greece and member of the Center’s Steering Committee, participated in a high-level discussion on financing the energy transition alongside Konstantinos Eleftheriadis, Ioannis Kaltsas, and Christophe Bonnery. Moderated by George Ioannou, the panel examined how public and private capital can support the scale-up of clean energy investments, while addressing the challenges of regulatory certainty, implementation capacity, and system preparedness.

Members of the HELLENiQ ENERGY Center @Alba Graduate Business School also chaired the three Academic Sessions of the Symposium, reinforcing the connection between research, policy, and market application. Prof. Kyriaki Kosmidou, Director of the Postgraduate Studies in Master in Business Administration-MBA, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and Steering Committee Member of the Center, chaired the session on Emerging Technologies in the Energy Transition. Eleni Ntemou, Research Associate at the Center, chaired the session on energy systems, industrial innovation and decarbonization; Georgia Giannakidou chaired the session on Society, Geopolitics and ESG.

The participation of the Center reflects its mission to serve as a platform for research, policy dialogue, and strategic cooperation on sustainability and energy at regional and international level.

Across all discussions, a clear message emerged: in an increasingly fragmented geopolitical environment, cooperation remains the most powerful tool for ensuring energy security, resilience, and a successful transition toward a sustainable and competitive energy future.

The HELLENiQ ENERGY Center for Sustainability and Energy at Alba Graduate Business School remains committed to lifelong learning and to bridging knowledge with the practical implementation of sustainable solutions.

Speakers

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

Speakers

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

Speakers

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