Andris Piebalgs

Andris Piebalgs was European Commissioner for Energy from 2004 to 2010 and Commissioner for Development from 2010 to 2014. Before that he held Latvian posts including Minister of Education (1990–1993), Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister (1994–1995), Ambassador to Estonia and head of Latvia's mission to the EU (1997–2003), when he led accession negotiations.

He studied physics at the University of Latvia and led Latvia's Unity Party in 2016–2017.

He was a panellist at The New European Maritime Policy forum in 2005 and gave a keynote at the 2006 forum.