Fatih Birol

Executive Director / International Energy Agency

Dr Fatih Birol is the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency. He was first appointed in 2015 and re-elected in 2018 for the second term. 

During his time in office, he modernised the Agency, focusing his efforts on involving major emerging economies in the Agency’s works, broadening IEA’s security mandate and making the IEA the hub for clean energy technologies and energy efficiency. Before becoming the Executive Director, Fatih Birol worked his way through the ranks for 20 years: from junior analyst to the Chief Economist. He was responsible for the Agency’s flagship publication, the World Energy Outlook. 

After earning his BSc in power engineering at the Technical University of Istanbul, he went to the Technical University of Vienna where he completed his MSc and Ph.D. in energy economics. 

He has been recognised globally for his outstanding work: from the Japanese Emperor's Order of the Rising Sun to the highest Presidential awards from Austria, Italy and Germany. And, what probably made him equally happy, an honorary life member of Galatasaray Football Club.