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¿Who is Ana Palacio?
Ana Palacio, a specialist in European and international law and founder of Palacio & Associates, was the first woman to serve as Foreign Minister of Spain, from 2002-2004. She has held various relevant positions in the European Parliament – notably, she chaired the Legal Affairs and Internal Market Committee, the Justice and Home Affairs Committee and the Conference of the Committee Chairs, the most senior decision-making body on legislative policy and programs. She served as Head of the Spanish Delegation to the European Union’s Intergovernmental Conference and as a member of the Presidium of the Convention for the Future of Europe (2001-2003) in the debate and drafting of the European Constitution, as well as EU Coordinator for the strategic integrated corridors known as the Trans-European Transport Network. Additionally, she was a member of the advisory panel on judicial appointments provided for in Article 255 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Nationally, she served on Spain’s Consejo de Estado (Council of State), and chaired the Joint Committee of the two Houses for European Affairs in the Spanish Parliament.
Ana Palacio's internationalist vocation led her to hold the institutional position of Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group, as well as Secretary-General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Apart from her long career in public service, Ms. Palacio has specialized in energy matters. She currently sits on the corporate boards of several energy-focused companies – among them, Enagás, Ecoener, and Emissions Reduction Corp – and is a member of the International Advisory Board of OCP Group. She also serves on the Industry Advisory Committee of the International Energy Forum (IEF), the multilateral organization that brings together oil and gas producing and consuming countries, along with the External Advisory Committee of Secretary Ernest Moniz’s Energy Futures Initiative. She was a member of the Executive Committee and Senior VP for International Affairs of the nuclear energy leader AREVA, as well as a member of the International Advisory Board of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.
Among the positions she has held in major foundations and think tanks, her tenure as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Corporation of New York stands out. She is also a member of the Board and the Strategy Committee of the Atlantic Council and was the first non-American member of its Executive Committee. Ms. Palacio is a visiting professor at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and at UM6P. She is a regular speaker at international conferences and a contributor to different publications, including a monthly column for Project Syndicate, and a weekly column for El Mundo (Spain).
Notable recent conference participation includes Project Syndicate's closing panel of the High Level Conference on Advancing the European Green Deal (organized by Strategic Perspectives, Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft and the Jacques Delors Institute), the Naturgy-Elcano Royal Institute conference “Geopolitical pathways for the energy transition: Eastern Mediterranean”, COP28, the Repsol-AAPG ICE Madrid Conference 2023, International OPEC Seminars, the Aspen-Columbia Global Energy Forum, and the Columbia Global Energy Summit.
What are her conferences like?
Ana Palacio's conferences stand out for her deep knowledge and analysis of international relations, the geopolitics of energy, and the European Union. With a clear and insightful approach, her presentations provide an expert and critical view of current global challenges. Her ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible manner, along with her engaging style, captures the audience's attention and fosters enriching dialogue.
Selection of conferences
"The Future of Global Politics: Challenges and Opportunities"
Ana Palacio analyzes the main challenges and opportunities in global politics, ranging from the role of international institutions to current geopolitical tensions. She provides key insights into the future of international cooperation and its impact on the global economy and security.
"The Role of the EU in a Changing World"
In this conference, Ana Palacio examines the role of Europe in an ever-changing world. She discusses the challenges facing the European Union, from political integration to migratory and economic crises. She offers innovative ideas about the future of Europe and its influence on the global stage.
"The geopolítics of energy"
Ana Palacio explores the geopolitical considerations in the field of energy, looking at the interplay between countries and the increasing weaponization of energy. She compares different approaches to the energy transition and highlights the role of the “Global South” in this arena. She reflects on the geopolitical dimension of climate preservation efforts, including the unequal distribution of responsibility for emissions and existing international structures and collaboration on the matter.
Related speakers
Leszek Balcerowicz
Former Polish Deputy Prime and Finance Minister & President of the National Bank (until 2006)
Mohan Munasinghe
Deputy Chairman of the International Panel on Climate Change and Nobel Peace Prize 2007. Chairman of the Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND)
Vijay V. Vaitheeswaran
Global Energy & Climate Innovation Editor at The Economist, Author of “Need, Speed and Greed”
CONTRATAR CONFERENCIANTE