Towards a more dynamic regulation for Energy networks

Charles Esser has been with CEER for over six years and Secretary General since April 2019. Previously, he was an independent consultant and journalist, an analyst with the International Energy Agency, the International Crisis Group in Brussels and the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Charles has been Secretary General of E.DSO, the European Association of Distribution System Operators since December 2023.

Olivier Franz is a regulatory expert focusing on energy markets and energy networks, with additional knowledge in financial regulation. Recently, telco regulation has become part of his portfolio, particularly in the FttX environment. He teaches energy economics and regulatory economics at various institutions, including TU Berlin. During his tenure within innogy (now merged with E.ON), smart metering was a significant aspect of his work. Recently, he has also been actively involved in E-Mobility-related projects.

Klaus is a senior economist for the Swedish Energy Markets Inspectorate, the Swedish regulator for electricity, gas, district heating and cooling. Before joining the inspectorate, he worked for many years at the Swedish energy agency in a variety of roles spanning the breadth of the energy system, most recently as chief economist. He holds a doctoral degree in economics from Gothenburg University and an undergraduate degree in business administration. He has been involved in a variety of international cooperations among others with IEA, WEC and others.

Melis Isikli serves as the Lead for Grid Integration at Eurelectric. In her role as a policy advisor, she takes charge of overseeing policy matters concerning distribution networks. Her focus extends to critical topics including grid capacity, planning, investment, and the integration of distributed energy resources. She has recently led initiatives addressing the scarcity of grid capacity, recommendations for Solar Connection, and anticipatory investments. Prior to her current position, she worked at an independent power producer, managing the legal aspects of renewable projects, along with associated financing and asset risks. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Law.

Gavin Knott is the Chief Economic Adviser at Ofgem, and works on both price control regulation and on using economic analysis to understand how the competitive energy markets act in the consumer interest. Gavin has over 15 years experience working in competition and regulation across the UK’s infrastructure sectors, working as a regulator and in the private sector. Gavin also has a PhD in real option theory.

Max Papon is Regulatory Advisor for RTE, the French TSO. He has more than 30 years of experience in energy sector (gas and electricity). He works in RTE regulatory department since 2007, and he is involved in tariff discussions and regulatory framework with French regulator. He is also RTE representative in ENTSO-E working groups.

Alessio Pastore is an energy analyst and power grids expert. His activities focus on distribution grids, both from technical and regulatory perspective, with a focus on flexibility, climate resilience and digitalization.

He is Seconded at International Energy Agency from Enel since March 2023. He is among the main contributors of the World Energy Outlook 2023 and the Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transition report, leading on regulation and distribution.

He joined Enel in 2016, in the Business Development of the Global Generation division, before moving to the Grids division, where he worked in the Italian Enel DSO then at global level, as Senior Strategic and Regulatory analyst.

Alessio holds a master’s degree in energy and nuclear engineering. In 2022 he obtained a second level specializing master in Smart Grids, from the Politecnico of Milan.

Professor Sean Ennis is an economist, author, and expert. He focuses on company behaviour, competition, and regulation.

Sean Ennis is Professor of Competition Policy and Director of the Centre for Competition Policy at the University of East Anglia.

Previously, he was a Senior Economist in the Competition Division of the OECD. Prior to that, he has served as an Executive Director of the Competition Commission of Mauritius, as an Economist at the European Commission’s DG Competition and at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division.

Over the years, Sean Ennis has published research studies and reports published by economic journals and submitted to the European Parliament, the G20, the OECD and the World Bank. He has co-authored reports for regulatory and government agencies in Australia, Greece, Mexico, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

He received a BA (Hons) in Economics from King’s College, Cambridge and a PhD in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.

Andrei Covatariu is an international energy and climate change expert. His activity focuses on climate and energy policies, concentrating on the energy transition process and its geopolitical, economic, and social challenges. Andrei’s views and policy analyses are constantly published and cited in international media. He holds multiple roles, working at the intersection of theoreticians (think tanks, academia) and practitioners (energy industry, international organizations, domestic), engaging with both private and public stakeholders, across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States.

Andrei is currently the Co-Chair of the Task Force on “Digitalization in Energy” and a Vice-Chair of the Group of Experts on Energy Efficiency at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Simultaneously, he serves as a Non-resident Scholar in the Climate and Water Program at the Middle East Institute (United States), a Senior Research Associate at Energy Policy Group (Romania), and an Associate Lecturer at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, teaching energy and environmental policies. In 2021, Andrei co-founded ECERA, a network of sustainability practitioners aiming to produce policy-relevant knowledge, helping governments, companies, NGOs, universities, and others navigate the various facets of sustainability.

In the past, Andrei has worked for other for-profit companies, or with different multilateral and international organizations (e.g. International Energy Agency, World Energy Council), think tanks (e.g. Harvard’s Belfer Center; Energy Policy Group), or NGOs (Climate Reality Project, Climate Interactive, etc.).

Andrei holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in nuclear engineering, a master’s degree in business administration, and a master’s in public policy (MPP) from the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, with a summer project at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School.

Daniel Duma has a background in political science (B.A), public policy (MSc) and economics (PhD) and has worked in the energy sector for almost 10 years, holding various roles related to public policy, development, finance and sustainability at Enel. Currently, he is a Research Fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute.

In 2020, Daniel completed the MBA program at the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School, with a concentration in Energy and Environment. Daniel is also an affiliated expert of the Energy Policy Group, where he contributed to research projects on the green transition and economic growth. Daniel is a fellow of the Aspen Institute Romania since 2015.

Michael Pollitt is Professor of Business Economics at the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. He is an Assistant Director of the university’s Energy Policy Research Group (EPRG) and a Fellow and Director of Studies in Economics and Management at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. Michael is an elected Vice President (for Publications) of the International Association for Energy Economics (IAEE). He is a former external economic advisor to Ofgem.