New York, NY – Building on a commitment to engage a diverse array of international experts in scholarship on the most pressing energy challenges facing the globe, the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) announced today the appointment of Adrian Lajous as a Fellow. Lajous has close to four decades of experience in public service and in the energy industry. He joins previously announced Fellows David Sandalow, Nobuo Tanaka and José Sergio Gabrielli de Azevedo.
Jason Bordoff, director of the Center on Global Energy Policy, said, “We’re thrilled to add another distinguished expert to our growing team at the Center. This is a critical time for rigorous analysis to help improve understanding of the future of North American energy supply and trade, and the prospects for Mexican energy sector reform. Adrian’s experience in government and industry will be invaluable as he explores the challenges and opportunities surrounding energy in North America and their global implications.”
During his time as a Fellow, Lajous will focus his work on both upstream and downstream oil issues triggered by the energy reform program launched by the Mexican government, in the context of rapidly changing North American energy flows. His core interest is in the transition of Mexican oil and natural gas activities from a State owned monopoly to a more open and competitive industry, concentrating on oil industry governance, new structures and strategies, and the resulting learning and adaptive processes. His career began decades ago in Mexico when he taught at El Colegio de México and later served as the Director General for Energy. He left the government to join Pemex, where he held a number of executive positions, before being appointed CEO. He has also been a Senior Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, and from 2001 to 2011 was senior energy advisor to McKinsey & Company. He now serves as Chairman of the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and non-Executive Director of Schlumberger, Ternium, Trinity Industries and the Mario Molina Center for Strategic Studies on Energy and the Environment. He is Chairman of the Coloquio de Política Energética in Mexico City and also serves on the Board of Trustees of El Colegio de México.
The Fellows Program brings leading energy policy thought leaders to the Center on Global Energy Policy for 6-12 months at a time to research and write, lead study groups with students, and otherwise contribute to Columbia University’s robust and deep intellectual community focused on energy issues. Lajous joined the Center on Global Energy Policy on November 1 of this year.
