Topical Luncheon

Wednesday,  8 February 2012 • 1200-1400 hours

World Ballroom, Level 23

Michiel Kool, Executive Vice President, Shell Upstream Asia

"Energy Leadership in a Complex World"

Society faces unprecedented challenges in meeting current and future energy needs. Global energy demand is expected to more than double by 2050 driven by population growth and economic development. The current macro-economic uncertainties present a difficult backdrop.

The world needs cleaner energy, more energy and smarter energy. Companies like ours must take a leading role in addressing these needs, through technology and know-how, providing the large investments needed and addressing environmental and social impacts. Building long term relationships between the industry, suppliers, customers, governments and civil society will be critical in managing risks in a low trust world.

There will be a ‘zone of uncertainty’ on how supply will meet demand though a combination of supply growth, change in the energy mix and demand moderation. To further complicate matters there is growing recognition that the path to a more sustainable energy future will require society to consider the important connections between energy, food and water. The industry must continue to show leadership to help find the right solutions in such a complex world.