Geneva Energy Forum: a history of transition

The Geneva Energy Forum began informally in 2000 as the Geneva Petroleum Club, when three Geneva based oil executives, Ian Lundin of Lundin Oil, Marc Lorenceau of Addax Petroleum, and Charles de Mestral of Athanor, got together for lunch to discuss developments in the upstream petroleum sector.

The Club rapidly expanded as senior professionals working in the oil and gas exploration and production sector were invited to join. From an initial membership of 23 at the end of 2000, the Club counted more than 80 members by 2010. In June 2003, the Geneva Petroleum Club was official registered in the Canton of Geneva and an Executive Committee was elected.

Towards the end to the last decade, it became evident to the membership that their interests lay beyond petroleum as topics presented increasingly covered all aspects of the energy transition. At the 2020 AGM, the Executive Committee was charged by the members to refocus the Club’s raison d’être.

At the June 2021 Extraordinary Annual General Meeting of the Geneva Petroleum Club, the Executive Committee presented its proposal for the creation of the Geneva Energy Forum and received unanimous approval from the members.

The new mission for the Forum recognises the fundamental role of energy in global economies and in social wellbeing as well as the importance of fact-based science and economics in providing society with energy that is affordable, reliable and sustainable. The Forum affirms its commitment to significantly expand the expertise of its membership and to facilitate networking and collaboration between key stakeholders across the entire energy sector.

Whilst most members speak French, the Forum conducts its business in English and traditionally meets for a luncheon presentation at a leading hotel in Geneva on the first Wednesday of each month from September to June.