The Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), His Excellency Haitham Al Ghais, will make his first official visit to Canada this June as the keynote speaker on opening day of the Global Energy Show Canada (GESC), organizers announced Wednesday.
Al Ghais will appear on June 10 as part of “The Conversation,” an Executive Conference segment hosted by veteran journalist Peter Mansbridge.
The event will bring together leading CEOs, policymakers, and elected officials to debate the future direction of Canada's energy strategy over the next five years.
“We are thrilled to welcome His Excellency Haitham Al Ghais to the Global Energy Show Canada this June in Calgary, for what is shaping up to be the most influential and important edition of the event in decades,” said Nick Samain, Senior Vice President of dmg events, which produces the show.
Organizers say interest in the event is surging, with pre-registration nearly doubling 2024 numbers and attendance expected to reach capacity within days.
Al Ghais joins a lineup of more than 150 private and public sector energy leaders, including Rona Ambrose, Deputy Chairwoman of TD Securities; Mark Maki, CEO of Trans Mountain; and Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith. Industry heavyweights from Shell Canada, PETRONAS Canada, Cenovus Energy, Ontario Power Generation, and MEG Energy are also slated to speak.
Government and indigenous leaders will be strongly represented, with participants from Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, the U.S., and Colombia. Indigenous voices include Crystal Smith, Chief of the Haisla First Nation, and Karen Ogen, CEO of the First Nations Natural Gas Alliance.
The three-day conference, held June 10–12 at the BMO Centre in Calgary, will feature daily receptions, industry dinners, and the Global Energy Show Awards. Over 500 companies will showcase products and technologies across five exhibition halls.
Exhibition hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 10 and 11, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 12.
