Gas conference to feature outstanding speakers
THE PETROLEUM Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) is hosting a Natural Gas Conference (JNGC) next month. It is to be held between October 4 and 6, 2017, at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston. The theme of the conference, being jointly hosted by the PCJ and the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), is ‘New Horizons: The Development of a Natural Gas Sector in Jamaica - Prospects and Challenges’. The following are some of the speakers:
Brian Boothe
As the head of the NCB Corporate Banking Division, Boothe has responsibility to strategically guide, grow and manage the bank’s diverse corporate banking portfolio. He brings to the team extensive experience from over 20 years in the banking industry, having held senior positions at multiple financial institutions. His specialised knowledge and expertise enable him to effectively lead the team in providing unique and valueadded solutions to suit the complexity of the corporate landscape.
Curtis Mohammed
Mohammed, is the president of the NGC CNG Company Limited. Previously he worked as vice president, gas transmission and distribution at the National Gas Company, and was requested to develop and head the national CNG initiative. Mohammed gained his BSc in chemical engineering at University of the West Indies (UWI) in 1988 and his MSc in engineering management in 1999.
He previously worked at Petrotrin and the Angostura Group. Mohammed is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago, and of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Kenneth S. Julien
Kenneth Julien, professor emeritus of energy systems, UWI, holds an outstanding 35-year record as an academic and has been the driving force in the development of the national energy sector. He was the first West Indian dean of the Faculty of Engineering, UWI St Augustine and the first Caribbean national to attain the rank of fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, USA. He holds patents for electrical systems and has published extensively in his field. He has taught and mentored numerous engineers, many of whom now hold key positions in the energy sector.
Ian Mondrow
Mondrow leads Gowling WLG’s energy regulation and policy practice in the firm’s Toronto office. He advises on a variety of matters in the natural gas and electricity sectors, including: energy policy, regulatory policy and processes, rates and tariff matters, facilities applications, compliance and licensing issues.
He has represented electricity generators, transmitters and distributors, competitive energy retailers and energy consumers before the Ontario Energy Board, the National Energy Board, and in other Canadian regulatory forums. Mondrow is a member of the Council for Clean and Reliable Electricity, a federally incorporated nonprofit organisation that was formed to provide a platform for open public dialogue and a solutions-oriented approach to the challenges of the energy sector.
Ruth Potopsingh
Dr Potopsingh is the associate vice president of sustainable energy, at the University of Technology. She is the head the Caribbean Sustainable Energy and Innovation Institute, at the university, and she is also an independent consultant in energy and environmental management.
Dr Potopsingh has lead several key national energy initiatives, and is a recognised speaker at local, regional and international fora on energy and the environment.