By Ejekwu Chidiebere
The World Energy Council says it is pleased to announce that H.E. Mr. Adnan Amin has been elected as Chair-designate of the Council. Amin will immediately assume the role alongside current Chair, Mike Howard, for the remainder of his term. Mr. Amin will transition to the Chair position at the Council’s Executive Assembly taking place during World Energy Week in October 2025.
Known as a renowned international leader and sustainable development economist, Mr. Amin was unanimously elected by the Council’s worldwide member committees.
WEC’s statement posted to Energy Window International (Media) presents Mr. Amin as a well-respected and globally recognized leader, having founded and led the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) between 2011 and 2019. Under his leadership according to WEC statement, IRENA became the authoritative voice for renewable energy and a key player in driving the transformation of global energy systems.
Energy Window International (Media) also learnt that most recently he served as Chief Executive Officer of COP28, where he successfully, according to WEC, led international negotiations that culminated in the landmark “UAE Consensus.” It included a historic commitment by countries to triple global renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030, marking a pivotal step forward in accelerating clean energy deployment.
Mr. Amin has served, prior to these roles, in senior leadership across the United Nations System and International Organizations spanning over 20 years. He was also a Senior Research Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, with focus on the geopolitics of the energy transition.
Mike Howard, current Chair, World Energy Council was quoted to have said as follows: “I am truly delighted that Adnan is joining the World Energy Council community in this top leadership role. His international experience across a range of global organizations, including those with energy responsibilities, is outstanding. In these turbulent times, geopolitically and across energy systems, the need for strong and transparent leadership is paramount. I greatly look forward to working with Adnan as he takes on his new roles.”
H.E. Adnan Amin, incoming Chair-designate, WEC was also quoted in these words: “The World Energy Council has long been a cornerstone of impactful global energy leadership. I am honoured to take on this important role at a time when the need for an independent and impartial voice in the energy space has never been more urgent. I look forward to working with the Council’s worldwide community to drive meaningful progress, exchange insights, and inspire transformative change.”
Dr Angela Wilkinson, Secretary General and CEO, World Energy Council was equally quoted as follows: “I am thrilled to welcome HE Adnan Amin as Chair-designate of the World Energy Council. Adnan is more than a trustworthy and admired leader in the energy space – he is a bridge-builder between worlds. Adnan joins the Council at a pivotal moment: energy leadership must rise to new levels of challenge, creativity, and compassion. His appointment signals our intent to shape a fresh energy agenda fit for billions of people and a healthy planet. We’re not here to study the present – we’re here to redesign the future, and Adnan is the right leader to help drive that transformation.”
Born in Kenya and a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Amin will become the first person from a non-OECD country to take up position of Chair of the World Energy Council. “He is well-placed to lead the diverse World Energy Council community” which includes over 3,000 member organizations spanning more than 100 counties, and its flagship World Energy Congress which convenes global energy leaders to advance clean and inclusive energy transitions.
Co-hosted by the World Energy Council and the Ministry of Energy of Saudi Arabia, the 27th edition of World Energy Congress will take place from October 26 until the-29th 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The World Energy Council has been described as the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners. “Through our Humanizing Energy vision, we involve more people and communities in accelerating clean and just energy transitions in all world regions.”
Since its formation in 1923, the Council says it has convened diverse interests from across the full energy ecosystem for a century, and currently has over 3,000 member organizations and a presence in nearly 100 countries, enjoying a global network from across a wide spectrum of audience including governments, private and state corporations, the academia and civil society, as well as current and future energy leaders.