Webinar: Energy Capitals in a Post-Corona Environment

When: June 16th at 10am Houston / 5pm Stavanger
Where: Look out for a Zoom invitation in your mailbox.
Webinar fee: This webinar is FREE.

The economic consequences of COVID-19 and the oil price collapse pose major challenges to the energy industry.  Houston and Stavanger – both energy capitals in their respective parts of the world – are home to major oil and gas clusters. Both are aiming to be leaders in the energy transition. Both recognize that innovation of the oil and gas industry is crucial to achieving our ambitious climate goals. Both recognize that collaboration is more important than ever.

Program

Welcoming remarks 

Ms. Hilde Skorpen, Consul General

Ms. Skorpen has served as Norway’s Consul General to Houston since September 2019. She joined the Norwegian foreign service in 1993.  She was consul general in San Francisco 2013-17, and has been posted to Norway’s missions to NATO in Brussels and the UN in Geneva. Ms. Skorpen holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Boston University.

Opening Remarks

Mr. Sylvester Turner, Mayor of Houston

Mayor Sylvester Turner is an attorney and politician, and is serving his second term as Mayor of Houston, Texas.   Mayor Turner was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1989 until 2016. He attended the University of Houston and Harvard Law School.

Ms. Kari Nessa Nordtun, Mayor of Stavanger

Mayor Nordtun is an attorney and a politician for the Labor Party in Stavanger.  She has been the mayor of the municipality of Stavanger since September 2019.  Ms. Nordtun has a law degree from the University of Bergen.  During her time at the university she worked with pro bono legal advice and also studied European law in Brussels.

Economic status and outlook

Mr. Patrick Jankowski, Sr. Vice President, Research, Greater Houston Partnership

Mr. Jankowski is an economist and senior vice president of research at the Greater Houston Partnership. He has tracked Houston economic, demographic and business trends for nearly 40 years. His observations and analysis of local, regional and national economic trends have appeared in over 200 newspapers, magazines, radio and television broadcasts, including The Financial Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Ms. Guro Elgheim Sivertsen, Head of Sustainable Finance, SpareBank 1 SR-Bank

Ms. Sivertsen is the Head of Sustainable Finance at SpareBank 1 SR-Bank, focusing on climate risk and sustainability strategy. She has previously worked as investment manager at TD Veen AS and as senior analyst at Equinor Asset Management. Ms Sivertsen is an economist from the University of Bergen and the London School of Economics, and holds an Executive MBA in Finance from the Norwegian School of Economics.

Industry Update

Mr. Hans Jakob Hegge, US Country Lead, Equinor

Mr. Hegge is US country manager and senior vice president of Equinor’s Global Unconventionals business unit. He oversees Equinor’s onshore operations in the US as well as exploration leases in Argentina and Turkey. Mr. Hegge holds a Master of Science degree from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration.

Mr. Erling Kvadsheim, Norwegian Oil and Gas Association, Director International Affairs

Mr. Kvadsheim has a broad background from the international petroleum business,  industry associations and public administration. He has more than 30 years of experience as a manager, a strategy consultant and as apracticing geologist.  His responsibility as head of  International Affairs at Norwegian Oil and Gas includes Arctic cooperation, EU issues and international cooperation.

Q&A session moderated by:

Mr. Jan Soppeland, External and Governmental Relations Manager, Nordics at Shell

Mr. Soppeland was CEO of the regional business development organization Greater Stavanger Economic Development for four years before joining Shell in 2014. He has long experience from the media and aquaculture sectors. Mr. Soppeland holds a Master of Economics and Management from BI Norwegian Business School.

More Information and Registration