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EMGF Ministers and EB Members

H.E. George Papanastasiou

Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry

Mr. Marios Panayides

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, and Industry

H.E Karim Badawi

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources

Eng. Moataz Atef

Underseceratry For Technical Office and Official Spokesperson
- Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources

• Eng. Moataz Atef, is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, specializing in mechanical engineering, project management, production operations, and strategic business planning. With diverse roles across major national and international organizations, he has driven transformative energy initiatives, managed multi-billion-dollar projects, and built strong collaborations between governments, global corporations, and regulatory bodies.

• Eng. Atef Currently serves as Undersecretary for the Minister’s Office Affairs, Technical Office, and Official Spokesperson at the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, providing strategic and technical advisory, leading multiple teams covering various areas across the entire value chain. Moreover, he has been working on fostering regional energy collaboration, advancing Egypt’s energy hub strategy.

• Equipped with a Master’s degree in Project Management from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cairo University, His earlier role at EGAS included directing technical aspect of special projects and managing collaborations with leading energy companies. At BP North Africa, he played a pivotal role in delivering Egypt’s West Nile Delta Development Project, a multi-billion mega-project. His leadership ensured seamless coordination among multinational teams, stakeholders, and contractors, while aligning project objectives with Egypt’s energy policies.

• Prior to these roles, he contributed significantly to Egypt’s natural gas infrastructure at GASCO, taking part in the management of the national gas network, in addition regional gas expansion projects. His career began at Shaker Consultancy Group, working on high-profile infrastructure projects, including large-scale industrial facilities. A successful career defined by his practical leadership, technical expertise, and strategic contributions to shaping Egypt’s energy sector and regional collaborations.

H.E Jean-Noël Barrot

Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs

Mr. Ludovic Pouille

Director of the Economic Diplomacy Directorate - Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs

H.E Theodoros Skylakakis

Minister of Environment and Energy

• He was born in 1959 in Athens. He is an economist. Member of Parliament for New Democracy (2022-2023). Minister of Environment and Energy from June 2023. Alternate Minister of Finance, responsible for Fiscal Policy and responsible for preparing and coordinating the implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan "Greece 2.0" (2020-2023).

• Deputy Minister of Fiscal Policy (2019-2020), Member of the European Parliament (2009-2014), Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation (2006-2009), Municipal Councilor, Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Athens (2003-2006), responsible for preparing for the 2004 Olympic Games. From 1990 to 1993 he served as Advisor to Prime Minister Konstantinos Mitsotakis and Head of the Prime Minister's Planning and Communication Office.

• He also served as President and Director General of the E21 Research Centre (1994-2001). He was the last President of Drasi (2014-2019), which suspended its activity to support New Democracy.

• He has worked in advertising and communication since 1985 and he has founded four companies in the fields of communication (1994-1999), crisis management (2000-2006) and agricultural production & processing (2014-2019).

• He studied economics in Greece (University of Athens) and business administration (MBA) in England (City University, London) and received a master's degree from the British Market Research Society in Market Research. He has received a PhD from the Department of History and Philosophy of Science of the University of Athens, entitled: "Social tolerance to corruption".

• He is married to Eleni Papapanou, has two daughters, Marianna and Irene and four granddaughters.

Mr. Aristotelis Aivaliotis

Secretary General for Energy & Mineral Resources

• 2023 - present Secretary General for Energy & Mineral Resources, Ministry of Environment & Energy

• 2021 - 2023 Member of the board of ENERGEAN, the operator of Prinos Oil Fields, as a representative of the Greek State

• 2020 - 2023 Advisor to Assistant Minister of Finance in the observation of the loan part of RRF

• 2016 - 2019 CEO of DELTA CHEMICALS as a subsidiary of RAVAGO Group

• 2000 – 2022 Vice President of G.E.DIMITRIOU ABEE, commercial company, with activities in distribution and service of the Air Condition market in Greece

• 1994 – 2004 Shareholder, Member of the Board and Investment Committee of AIOLIKI AEEPEY, Investment company listed in the Athens Stock Exchange

• 1986 – 2016 President and CEO of DELTA CHEMICALS SA, commercial company, with subsidiaries in Romania and Turkey, covering all the Balkan area

• 1977 – 2023 President and CEO of DELTA CHEMICALS SA, commercial company, with subsidiaries in Romania and Turkey, covering all the Balkan area

• 1971 - 1976 Degree: Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA)

• 2014 – 2018 : Vice President of the political party “DRASSI”

• 2007 – 2019 : Vice President of the Entrepreneurship Club of Greece

• 2000 – 2012 : General Secretary of the political party “THE LIBERALS”

• Candidate for MP in the national elections of 2012, 2015, 2019

H.E. Eli Cohen

Minister of Energy and Infrastructure

• Eli (Eliyahu) Cohen is the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the State of Israel, since January 2024. Before that, he held the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs, appointed by Prime Minister Netanyahu in December 2022. Mr. Cohen also serves as a member of the Security Cabinet of the government of Israel, and of the Twenty-fifth Knesset representing the Likud party, being the third on the party's list. Before the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Cohen was the Minister of the Economy and Industry (2017-2020), Minister of Intelligence (2020-2021), there, among other things, held negotiations with Sudan, towards normalization, and was a member of the Security Cabinet.

• Prior to his appointment as Minister of the Economy and Industry, Mr. Cohen chaired the Reform Committee of the parliament. As chairman of this committee, Cohen led the parliamentary work related to several major reforms inter alia the banking system in Israel, technical standards, capital market, pension, housing and real-estate. In addition to his capacity as chairman of the Reform Committee, Mr. Cohen has promoted various private bills mainly in the pension and housing fields.

• Before joining politics, Mr. Cohen held various positions in major Israeli Financial Companies. Cohen headed the Economic sector of the accounting and consulting firm- BDO Ziv Haft, then he moved to the credit rating company “S&P” where he headed its Corporate division. Cohen’s last position in the private sector was Senior Vice President of the Israeli Insurance Company ILDC (The Israel Land Development Company). In the latter, Cohen was responsible for the ongoing management of the group’s companies and served as a member of the board in all the companies within the group.

• Mr. Cohen, CPA, holds an MBA degree majoring in accounting and finance from the Tel Aviv University, a BA in Accounting from the Tel Aviv University and a BA in Management and Economics from the Open University of Israel, later served as a lecturer at Tel Aviv University in the fields of management, finance and accounting.

• Mr. Cohen completed his military service in the Air Force and was discharged with the rank of Major.

• Born in 1972, in the city of Holon, Mr. Cohen is married and has four children.

Mr. Mr. Yossi Dayan

Director General, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

• Yossi (Yosef) Dayan was born on 26th of July, 1975 and currently serves as the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. prior to assuming his current position in February 2024, he held the position of Deputy Director General of the Israeli Minstry of Foreign Affairs.

• Dayan is a licensed attorney and has served in several senior positions in the business and private sectors.

• He enlisted in the IDF as a military student, completed his law degree with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and then served in several positions in the Military Advocate Generals unit. After completeing his Bachelor's degree in Law, he pursued a Masters degree in Business Administration (specialized in Integrative Management) at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as an additional MA in Law (specializing in real estate).

• Following his army service, Dayan became a partner at the private law firm Akiva-Nino-Dayan and Partners. In the year 2000, established an indepenendent law firm primarily dealing with civil and commercial law.

• Dayan has held senior positions, including CEO and partner, in various companies within the real estate sector. Furthermore, he has served as CEO of both the Eilat and Ashkelon Economic Corporations.

• In January 2023, Dayan was appointed Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Minister of Foreign Affairs Eli Cohen. Minister Cohen later chose to appoint Dayan as Director General of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure when he assumed his position as Minister in early 2024.

Palestine

H.E Gilberto Pichetto Fratin

Minister for the Environment and Energy Security

Palestine

Dr. Alessandro Noce

Director General of the Directorate General for “Energy markets and Infrastructure”

• Since January 2024, dr. Alessandro Noce has been appointed as Director General of the Directorate General for “Energy markets and Infrastructure” within the Energy Department of the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security.

• Previously, from 1994 – 2023 he was Head of Department, Director General at the Italian Antitrust Authority dealing with digital infrastructures, energy and industry competition issues (both electricity and gas sectors).

• Since 2024, he oversaw and is in charge of the energy supplies and security issues, grids and strategic planning related to the global energy crisis as well as in the definition of incentive mechanisms to develop renewable sources and of the phase out of coal.

• Graduated in economics, with a Master of science in Economics.

H.E. Saleh A. Al-Kharabsheh

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources in Jordan

Ms. Amani Al Azam

Secretary General of the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources​

Palestine

H.E. Zafer Milhem

Chairman of the Palestinian Energy & Natural Resources Authority

• Born in Jerusalem - Palestine 1965

• Lives in Ramallah

• Zafer Milhem is the Chairman of the Palestinian Energy & Natural Resources Authority (PENRA) since 01/2017, and one of the founders of PENRA in 1995.

• For many years he worked as Deputy Chairman and Projects General Manager at PENRA, during which he bore primary responsibility for overall management of all project and defined the main objectives and strategies.

• Also, he was the founder and CEO of the Palestinian Electricity Regulatory Council (PERC) from 2010 to 2013 during which he had developed PERC’s by law and other energy regulatory regulations and instructions. During his term the first unified tariff was issued.

• In 1999, he worked as Project Technical Director for the energy efficiency improvement and greenhouse gas reduction project funded by United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

• This project had contributed to transform the Palestinian market to be more efficient by marketing energy efficient appliances and lighting fixtures. In 1993 he worked in Dubai, UAE as Electrical Engineer / Head of Maintenance and Workshop Section at Dubai Municipality.

• In 1992 Zafer Milhem Graduated from California State University Sacramento, USA, Masters of Science / Electrical Engineering.

Palestine

Eng. Abdul Hadi Barakat

Director of the Regulatory and Policy Unit at the Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority

• Having more than 20 years of experience project management, policy making and leadership roles in the Energy and Telecom and Energy, coupled with my unwavering commitment to driving sustainable development and positive change.

• Working since 2017 up to now as the Director of PENRA's Projects Management Unit, I manage a diverse portfolio of energy sector projects, fostering valuable relationships with donors, ensuring meticulous project planning and execution, and effectively navigating regulatory landscapes. Worked in the Telecom Sector in big firms in Palestine, Jawwal, Paltel and BCI in senior positions.

• Furthermore, my experience extends to governance and regional cooperation, where I currently serve as a Board Member of the Northen Electricity Distribution Company the Liquidity Support Fund and as EB member of the EMGF representing Palestine.