One can hardly imagine a better inflection point for revisiting global energy dynamics following last year's U.S. presidential elections as well as ongoing technological advances, especially given increasing skepticism of the geopolitical landscape, supply and demand imbalances, and heightened market volatility.

Now heading into the third quarter of 2017, how should we interpret today’s headlines about the energy industry? What is the current state of play in energy markets? When and how could political dynamics change?

On Thursday, October 12, join us at Vanderbilt Suites in the MetLife Building as our panel of energy experts dissects the current market situation, with a particular focus on critical transitions that may have far-reaching consequences.

The panel discussion will be followed by a networking event. Click here to register for the event!

Moderator: Neil Booth 

Neil Booth is a director at Mazars Global Infrastructure Finance in New York City. He has over 10 years of modelling experience, with a background in advisory services, investment banking, private equity, and project finance. He has held positions with banks such as UBS Investment Bank (Infrastructure Advisory Group), Bank of America Merrill Lynch (renewable energy origination), and Dexia (project finance banking); equity firms like Green Campus Partners (solar/combined heat and power investment); and developers such as DCO Energy (combined heat and power development).

Mr. Booth has recently served in advisory and modelling assignments across the country, including overseeing complex model builds for Merced Halyard Energy Ventures, Silicor, Lend Lease, and OceanaGold. He has also led custom courses on infrastructure and renewable energy for Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ), one of the largest asset managers in North America, CoBank, CohnReznick, Sempra LNG & Midstream and others. He has worked on model audits with over US $100 million of gross liability.

Panelist: Marcus Gilmore 

Marcus Gilmore is a leader in engaging local governments and solar industry stakeholders throughout the northeast US and California to facilitate the adoption of expedited solar permitting processes and new financing options for rooftop solar PV systems. His knowledge in the area of clean energy soft-cost reduction tactics has been sought out by multiple local and state government agencies nationwide. During his tenure with the Center for Sustainable Energy, he has managed solar PV, solar thermal, and electric vehicle projects for the U.S. Department of Energy, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Massachusetts Clean Energy Commission, Southern California Edison, and the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority.

Panelist: Go Katayama 

Go Katayama is an LNG and Natural Gas Consultant at Poten & Partners, a global brokerage and advisory firm specializing in the energy and ocean transportation industries. At Poten, he helps shape the firm's global LNG and natural gas supply and demand analysis, procurement strategies, market/pricing analysis, and providing insights on long and short-term market forces. A Japanese native, he previously worked as a researcher for the Council on Foreign Relations, United Nations Development Programme, Morgan Stanley and the New Yorker Magazine in which he covered the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. He holds a Master’s degree in Global Affairs (Energy Concentration) from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. He is a frequent guest lecturer at New York University on geopolitics and energy related topics and was awarded “Top 10 New York Young Energy Leaders” during New York Energy Week 2015.

Panelist: Samuel Lissner 

Samuel Lissner is a Vice President at Ridgewood, which manages $5 billion of capital and commitments focused on energy and infrastructure. He is currently focused on investments in exploration and production of oil fields in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico and water-focused infrastructure in the U.S. lower middle market.

Prior to joining Ridgewood in 2013, Mr. Lissner was Chief Analyst and Project Director at Kohl Partners, where he primarily focused on investments in distributed power projects in the U.S. and Middle East. During his master’s studies, Mr. Lissner worked in the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Office of Oil & Gas and on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mobile Sources Team.

Mr. Lissner received his A.B. from Harvard University, where he concentrated in Middle East Studies. He earned a M.S. from the New York University focused on energy policy and markets, and he received an M.B.A. from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. Mr. Lissner is a member of the Board of Advisors of NYU’s Center for Global Affairs, where he also teaches a graduate-level course on Energy Finance.