• Daniel Yergin

Daniel Yergin

Vice Chairman, IHS Markit

Author "The New Map"

Daniel Yergin is a highly respected authority on energy, international politics, and economics, and a Pulitzer Prize winner. He is Vice Chairman of IHS Markit, one of the leading information and advisory firms in the world with 16,000 employees worldwide. He is Chairman of IHS Markit’s CERAWeek conference, which CNBC has called “the Super Bowl of energy” and of “India Energy Forum Presented by CERAWeek” in New Delhi.

Time Magazine wrote, “If there is one man whose opinion matters more than any other on global energy markets, it’s Daniel Yergin.” Fortune noted that he is “one of the planet’s foremost thinkers about energy and its implications.” The New York Times described Daniel Yergin as “America’s most influential energy pundit.”

Dr. Yergin’s new book The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations is described by the London Sunday Times as a “wonderful book.” In it, The Wall Street Journal observes “Daniel Yergin turns his considerable talents to explaining how the world continues to be shaped by oil.” USA Today wrote, “At a time when solid facts and reasoned arguments are in full retreat, Daniel Yergin rides to the rescue.” Another review called The New Map “a page turner.”

A Pulitzer Prize winner, Dr. Yergin is the author of the bestseller The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World. The Quest has been described by the Financial Times as “a triumph.” The New York Times said it is “necessary reading for C.E.O.’s, conservationists, lawmakers, generals, spies, tech geeks, thriller writers,” among many others.

Bill Gates summed up his review of The Quest by saying, “This is a fantastic book.”

Dr. Yergin is known around the world for his book The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil Money and Power, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. It became a number one New York Times best seller and has been translated into 20 languages.

Of Dr. Yergin’s book Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy, which has been translated into 13 languages, The Wall Street Journal said, “No one could ask for a better account of the world’s political and economic destiny since World War II.” Both The Prize and Commanding Heights were made into award-winning television documentaries for PBS and BBC, which Dr. Yergin co-produced, co-wrote, and narrated.

Dr. Yergin has served on the US Secretary of Energy Advisory Board under Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump.

He is a director of the Council on Foreign Relations and a trustee of the Brookings Institution. He serves on the Energy Advisory Council of the Dallas Federal Reserve.

In 2019, Dr. Yergin and former US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz led a major 229-page study, “Advancing the Landscape of Clean Energy Innovation,” which was conducted for the Breakthrough Energy coalition, led by Bill Gates. The study, which the Financial Times described as “lighting some torches,” identified ten areas for transformational energy breakthroughs.

Among his many awards, the Prime Minister of India presented Dr. Yergin with “Lifetime Achievement Award” and the US Department of Energy awarded him the first “James Schlesinger Medal for Energy Security.” In 2015, the University of Pennsylvania presented him with the first Carnot Prize for “distinguished contributions to energy policy.” In November 2018, he received a “Lifetime Achievement Award in Abu Dhabi.”

Dr. Yergin was awarded the United States Energy Award for “lifelong achievements in energy and the promotion of international understanding.” The International Association for Energy Economics gave Dr. Yergin its 2012 award for “outstanding contributions to the profession of energy economics and to its literature.” Dr. Yergin was awarded the Medal of the President of the Republic of Italy for combining “an understanding of the dynamics of the market with a broad view of the forces of geopolitics as he seeks to point the way to the positive outcomes for the world community.”

Dr. Yergin is on the Advisory Board of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Initiative, a member of the India Petroleum Ministry’s Think Tank and the US National Petroleum Council, a director of the United States Energy Association and of the US-Russian Business Council and a member of Singapore’s International Energy Panel and on the Advisory Board of the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy.

Dr. Yergin holds a BA from Yale University, an MA from Trinity College, Cambridge University, and a PhD from Cambridge University, where he was a Marshall Scholar.

He has received honorary degrees from Dartmouth College, the Colorado School of Mines, the University of Houston, and the University of Missouri.

Sessions With Daniel Yergin

Monday, 1 March

  • 08:00am - 08:45am (CST) / 01/mar/2021 02:00 pm - 01/mar/2021 02:45 pm

    Plenary

    Welcome Remarks & Special Dialogue with Bill Gates
    Markets/Economics/Strategy Innovation & Technology Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory

    The co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and founder of Breakthrough Energy discusses his new book "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster." Drawing on his decades of work in science, technology, and humanitarian aid, Bill Gates offers insights into the breakthrough technologies and pipelines of innovation to address the climate challenge. 

  • 08:50am - 09:20am (CST) / 01/mar/2021 02:50 pm - 01/mar/2021 03:20 pm

    Plenary

    Reinventing Energy
    Panel Digitalization Innovation & Technology Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    The energy transition, in combination with digitalization, is driving companies to reinvent themselves and to transform traditional business models. The response to the pandemic has accelerated this. Achieving low-carbon objectives will require partnerships and new ways of thinking. How are energy and digital technology players teaming up to deliver lower-carbon solutions? What learnings and synergies are they generating to reinvent the way that energy is produced and consumed in the future?  
  • 10:50am - 11:10am (CST) / 01/mar/2021 04:50 pm - 01/mar/2021 05:10 pm

    Plenary

    Leadership Dialogue with H.E. Iván Duque Márquez
    Interview Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory
    A conversation with President Iván Duque Márquez of Colombia to explore his vision for the country’s energy future, economic resilience, regional stability, and innovation. 
  • 11:15am - 11:45am (CST) / 01/mar/2021 05:15 pm - 01/mar/2021 05:45 pm

    Plenary

    New Strategies for the New Era
    Panel Markets/Economics/Strategy Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    Meeting the ambitious goals of international climate agreements will require new strategies and innovative partnerships. Business models are being reimagined, new markets penetrated, new alliances formed with nontraditional partners. What are the opportunities for cross-industry collaboration? What are the pathways to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors such as air travel? How are global companies balancing the climate agenda and responding to growing market demands?  

Tuesday, 2 March

  • 08:35am - 09:00am (CST) / 02/mar/2021 02:35 pm - 02/mar/2021 03:00 pm

    Plenary

    Charting an Era of Recovery
    Interview Markets/Economics/Strategy Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory Upstream Oil & Gas
    Oil markets have stabilized from the volatility of 2020. What are the greatest challenges facing the industry as the economy rebounds? What will be the lasting impacts of the pandemic on the energy industry? What investments and strategies are needed to ensure long-term energy security from the perspective of cost, supply, and reliability?  
  • 09:00am - 09:25am (CST) / 02/mar/2021 03:00 pm - 02/mar/2021 03:25 pm

    Plenary

    Getting to Net Zero
    Panel Downstream/Midstream/Chemicals Clean Tech Upstream Oil & Gas Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    Energy transition is leading companies to diversify their mandates. Producers are reframing themselves as carbon management companies. National energy firms are repositioning as engines of breakthrough technologies. These new narratives reflect innovative mindsets and organizational approaches to create new value during a time of industry wide transition. Which technologies will have the greatest impact on lowering carbon emissions and intensity? What strategies are being adopted to manage costs, increase competitiveness, and drive operational efficiencies?
  • 09:30am - 09:55am (CST) / 02/mar/2021 03:30 pm - 02/mar/2021 03:55 pm

    Plenary

    North America Shale: What's the path ahead?
    Panel Markets/Economics/Strategy Upstream Oil & Gas
    The shale revolution has had a dramatic impact on U.S. and global supplies. But the model for U.S. shale has been under increasing pressure to cut costs and boost investor returns. What is the next act in value creation for the U.S. shale industry? What is the role of unconventional oil and gas assets in the march to net-zero carbon? 
  • 10:00am - 10:25am (CST) / 02/mar/2021 04:00 pm - 02/mar/2021 04:25 pm

    Plenary

    Future of the Oil & Gas Industry
    Panel Markets/Economics/Strategy Downstream/Midstream/Chemicals Upstream Oil & Gas
    How are these two preeminent industry leaders viewing the current inflection point for oil and gas? Where are energy markets heading and what are the changing needs of customers? How can the industry respond to the growing movement toward low carbon and energy transition?  
  • 12:05pm - 12:25pm (CST) / 02/mar/2021 06:05 pm - 02/mar/2021 06:25 pm

    Plenary

    Special Dialogue with H.E. Yasir O. Al-Rumayyan
    Interview Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory Upstream Oil & Gas
    As chairman of the board of Saudi Aramco and governor of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, The Public Investment Fund (PIF), Yasir O. Al-Rumayyan has a unique perspective on the Saudi economy and the global business environment. This dialogue will explore his insights on Saudi Vision 2030, the kingdom’s agenda to diversify its economy, and the role of PIF in the world economy.  
  • 12:30pm - 01:00pm (CST) / 02/mar/2021 06:30 pm - 02/mar/2021 07:00 pm

    Plenary

    Sustainability & Circularity: The changing world of petrochemicals
    Panel Downstream/Midstream/Chemicals

    As public attention and policy-maker concerns grow over plastic waste, the industry is responding by investing in new technology and greater circularity in product design, production, and consumption. What are the most promising technology pathways and solutions to plastic waste? How can industry meet growing demand for petrochemicals in the post-COVID world, while also achieving more stringent sustainability objectives? What strategies and policies are needed to increase investment in solutions to plastic waste and to improve ocean stewardship?

Wednesday, 3 March

  • 08:00am - 08:30am (CST) / 03/mar/2021 02:00 pm - 03/mar/2021 02:30 pm

    Plenary

    Welcome Remarks & Special Dialogue with Hon. Jennifer M. Granholm
    Interview Innovation & Technology Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    A one-on-one dialogue with the new U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. Speaking in her first public forum as energy secretary, Secretary Granholm will discuss her vision for the DOE, the agenda for energy research and innovation, and the Biden Administration’s strategy for net zero by 2050. 
  • 08:30am - 08:55am (CST) / 03/mar/2021 02:30 pm - 03/mar/2021 02:55 pm

    Plenary

    The Energy Industry of the Future
    Panel Markets/Economics/Strategy Innovation & Technology Upstream Oil & Gas Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    How have the business models of the world’s leading energy companies shifted to align with the low-carbon transition while also meeting the demands for traditional energy sources? The evolving nature of global energy is driving changes in strategies and investment. Companies are recalibrating their portfolios, expanding investments outside of traditional areas, adopting new technologies, and repositioning to prepare for a different energy future. Customers are becoming partners and, in some cases, competitors. What are the winning business models, fuels, and technologies of the future?  
  • 10:20am - 10:45am (CST) / 03/mar/2021 04:20 pm - 03/mar/2021 04:45 pm

    Plenary

    New Strategies for a Changing World
    Panel Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability

    How is an energy company whose mission is core to national development recalibrating its strategy in the era of energy transition? What are the new technologies it is deploying and the markets it is developing through a diversified portfolio of energy sources? And how are service companies reinventing in parallel with innovations that meet the needs of their customers? Delivering on the goals of energy transition and net-zero economies require close coordination across the value chain. How are partnership models evolving to service the changing demands for energy?

  • 11:00am - 11:30am (CST) / 03/mar/2021 05:00 pm - 03/mar/2021 05:30 pm

    Plenary

    Building Tomorrow's North American Infrastructure
    Panel Innovation & Technology Transportation & Mobility

    The business of building energy infrastructure has grown in complexity in recent years. Recent disruptions have emphasized the need for reliable services and the importance of market design to create the incentives for investments that boost resilience. At the same time, midstream developers are under increasing scrutiny to raise their ESG standards and align their operating models with the buy-in of a project’s many stakeholders. What role can midstream companies play in advancing energy transition? Where is the disconnect between energy infrastructure required and the capital needed to develop it? How are companies and capital providers assessing the risks of project opposition? 

  • 12:20pm - 12:40pm (CST) / 03/mar/2021 06:20 pm - 03/mar/2021 06:40 pm

    Plenary

    Special Dialogue with Hon. Dharmendra Pradhan
    Interview Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    India is a driver of global energy demand and a pivotal actor in shaping the agenda on climate change. Dharmendra Pradhan, India’s Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Steel, will assess the country’s energy outlook and India’s road ahead in the new map of energy and climate. 

Thursday, 4 March

  • 08:35am - 09:05am (CST) / 04/mar/2021 02:35 pm - 04/mar/2021 03:05 pm

    Plenary

    Power Strategies for the Decade Ahead
    Panel Markets/Economics/Strategy Power & Renewables Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    Utilities face great challenges in meeting the growing demand for electrification, e-mobility, decarbonizing generation, and boosting reliability and grid resiliency. These pressures have been compounded by the realities of the pandemic and other rare natural occurrences. What are the responses and strategies of leading power companies? What is the map ahead for scaling clean energy technologies at manageable costs? How are utilities addressing greater cybersecurity threats and potential system vulnerabilities? 
  • 10:20am - 10:50am (CST) / 04/mar/2021 04:20 pm - 04/mar/2021 04:50 pm

    Strategic Dialogue

    Supply Chain Realities for a Low-carbon Economy
    Panel Finance & Investment/Trading & Risk Management Decarbonization Pathways
    Energy transition and low-carbon economies will require a transformation and rethinking of the complex global energy supply chain. This includes production and deployment of technology, infrastructure, and capital goods. What are the challenges and constraints to bringing these goods to market? What are the components and carbon footprints of new technologies and solutions? How will capital be deployed to finance the value chains behind low-carbon economies? 
  • 11:30am - 11:55am (CST) / 04/mar/2021 05:30 pm - 04/mar/2021 05:55 pm

    Plenary

    Special Dialogue with Hon. Richard Glick
    Interview Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory

    A conversation with the new chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on priorities for developing U.S. energy infrastructure and the FERC’s upcoming agenda. 

Friday, 5 March

  • 07:25am - 08:00am (CST) / 05/mar/2021 01:25 pm - 05/mar/2021 02:00 pm

    Plenary

    Welcome Remarks & Special Address by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi
    Interview Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    A keynote address by the Prime Minister of India Hon. Shri Narendra Modi on India’s energy future and country’s role in the global economy. Prime Minister Modi will receive the 2021 CERAWeek Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award in recognition of his commitment to sustainability in energy and the environment. 
  • 08:00am - 08:25am (CST) / 05/mar/2021 02:00 pm - 05/mar/2021 02:25 pm

    Plenary

    Leadership Dialogue with Hon. Mayor Sylvester Turner
    Panel Transportation & Mobility Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    Houston is the capital of global energy and for the past four decades the home of CERAWeek. Mayor Sylvester Turner will share lessons from the city’s experience with the pandemic, discuss leadership strategies during times of crisis, and explore Houston’s evolving role in the new map of energy.  
  • 09:35am - 10:05am (CST) / 05/mar/2021 03:35 pm - 05/mar/2021 04:05 pm

    Plenary

    What's Ahead in Washington
    Panel Markets/Economics/Strategy Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory Finance & Investment/Trading & Risk Management Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska highlight the legislative agenda for energy, minerals, and infrastructure and discuss Congress’s priorities for managing industry supply chains and geopolitical competition. 
  • 10:50am - 11:15am (CST) / 05/mar/2021 04:50 pm - 05/mar/2021 05:15 pm

    Plenary

    Leadership Dialogue with Hon. Joe Manchin
    Panel Markets/Economics/Strategy Power & Renewables Geopolitics/Policy/Regulatory Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
    A conversation with the new chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on the legislative agenda for oil, gas, and renewable energy and bipartisanship in the current political environment.  
  • 12:35pm - 12:50pm (CST) / 05/mar/2021 06:35 pm - 05/mar/2021 06:50 pm

    Plenary

    Concluding Thoughts
    Interview Energy Transition/Climate & Sustainability
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