GIE enlarges its board by 2 new members

September 26, 2023

GIE, the association of gas infrastructure operators of Europe, enlarges its board to adapt to the fast-changing environment. The board now counts 14 members, including GIE President Torben Brabo.

In the rapidly evolving energy landscape, the gas infrastructure industry is extending its activities to support the European Union’s efforts best. Our objective is to strengthen the energy supply and decarbonise the EU industry. Torben Brabo, GIE President and Senior Vice President of International Relations in Energinet Group, will lead the 13 board members with the support of Boyana Achovski, GIE Secretary General and her team.

Torben Brabo, GIE President stated: “REPowerEU has given us the mission to enhance the decarbonisation of Europe’s economy while strengthening the security of supply. GIE members are determined to support the European Commission and the energy sector in the most efficient manner: our Board enlargement is a good example of that. More active people are needed to accelerate our work. We warmly welcome the new members  Anna Slavkovská, Nafta from Slovakia and Pierre Duvieusart, GRTgaz from France, and thank the long-standing ones for their unparalleled commitment.” 

GIE Board members met in Brussels on 20 September to assess the latest global and European challenges and opportunities related to decarbonisation and energy. Participants could identify the increasing role of the infrastructure in connecting Europe to the global market while shedding light on the progress made since last year in terms of diversification of routes and sources of supply. It was the occasion to discuss the next steps for the industry transformation while reminding us that synergies between the electricity and gas sectors shouldn’t be overlooked.

Meet the new Board members
https://www.gie.eu/dna/gie-board/

Boyana Achovski, GIE Secretary General, explained: “Our role will evolve over three chronological phases. In the short term, the emergency lies in maintaining the security of supply for the upcoming winters. Mid-term and long-term efforts are about supporting the development of renewables and enabling the establishment of a fully decarbonised and integrated energy system for Europe. Those priorities must be tackled today and will be reflected in the scope of our activities.”

Torben reminded “One year ago, we faced a very severe crisis. Gas infrastructure operators reacted fast, overcoming multiple challenges, including reversed flows in the transmission pipeline system. Gas storages are indispensable assets to guarantee natural gas supply to European households and industries. It was good to see that the EU institutions acknowledged our role in supporting Europe in overcoming the shortage of gas imports from Russia. Fastening the permitting process to construct new LNG terminals helped: we opened new doors for imported energy to enter the EU market. All of that could be monitored via our market transparency platforms. This upcoming winter will be a new occasion to demonstrate our resilience.”

Boyana concluded: “As stated in Ursula von der Leyen’s #SOTEU’s programme, the top priority is to ensure that Europe remains competitive while delivering on the clean transition, and we share this vision. Energy consumers, Electricity, Wind and more: gas infrastructure operators will pursue applying a collaborative approach to fasten the transformation towards a carbon neutral and resilient energy system in the most efficient way.”

Note to editors

Who is GIE?

Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE) is the association representing the interests of European gas infrastructure operators active in gas transmission, gas storage and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) regasification. GIE is a trusted partner of European institutions, regulatory bodies and industry stakeholders. It is based in Brussels, the heart of European policymaking. GIE currently represents 70 member companies from 26 countries. GIE’s vision is that by 2050, the gas infrastructure will be the backbone of the new innovative energy system, allowing European citizens to benefit from a secure, efficient and sustainable energy supply.