Featured Speaker: Klaus-Dieter Barbknecht, Executive Board Member, Verbundnetz Gas, Germany.

Klaus-Dieter Barbknecht has been a leader in the European energy field for many years, and is a member of the executive board of Verbundnetz Gas (VNG), an energy company engaged in the storage, transmission, purchase, and sale of natural gas, which mainly operates in Russia, Germany, and Norway. In addition to his function at VNG, Mr. Barbknecht is managing director of VNG – Erdgascommerz GmbH, a Leipzig-based business owned by VNG. He is also a member of the board of the German-Norwegian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Mr. Barbknecht served as president of Gas Storage Europe from 2005-2008, representing the gas storage operators in Europe. He also served as vice president of Gas Infrastructure Europe during that time. From 2000-2004, he served as head of the gas transport and gas storage departments at VNG, and then ran the newly established strategic coordination department. Mr. Barbknecht started his professional career as a lawyer and worked as a legal advisor in the oil and natural gas business.

Moderator: Arpad von Lazar, Professor Emeritus, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University

Arpad von Lazar is Professor Emeritus of International Affairs at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also currently a member of the International Advisory Board of the Instituto de Empresa (Madrid) and Senior Advisor of Verbundnetz Gas (Germany).

Professor von Lazar has taught at several US and overseas universities. He has also conducted and directed policy research in the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, and Africa. He has been Senior Advisor to US and European corporations, in the fields of finance, energy and trade policy. These include Chevron, ExxonMobil, Skaarup Shipping, ENI/Agip, Bechtel International, Exxon Mining and others.

He has also worked on various projects with the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the EBRD, and other international institutions. He has served as advisor to international financial institutions such as Chase Investors, Citigroup, Bank of Boston, Oppenheim, and others. He has also worked with institutions in the European Union and governments in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Professor von Lazar is the author of numerous books and articles on international business, energy, and environmental policy management. He is a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Club of Rome.