Business Development Natural Gas

CENK PALA

********@*******.*** M: 281-***-**** **00 Branford PL 3406 Sugar Land TX 77479

Summary

Highly analytical, achievement-oriented, self-motivated energy market professional with PhD in Economics (US Green Card Holder)

20+ years of management, and business development experience in TSOs, multinational natural gas and power wholesale and trading companies (Equinor, E.ON Ruhrgas, TransAdriatic Pipeline AG, South Stream Transport BV-GAZPROM, EnerjiSA, BOTAS/BIL)

Developed/originated regasification, underground storage, distribution investment and natural gas import and export projects via pipelines and as LNG

Implemented pre-feasibility, feasibility, marketing, finance, contract negotiations, legal studies and lobbying, stakeholder engagement, business development of the following oil & gas pipeline projects:

oBTC Crude Oil Main Export Pipeline, Turkey-Greece (ITG) Natural Gas Pipeline, Turkey-Greece-Italy (IGI) Natural Gas Pipeline, Turkey-Austria (Nabucco) Natural Gas Pipeline, Iraq-Turkey-Europe Natural Gas Pipeline, Arab Gas Pipeline (TR Section), Samsun-Ceyhan Crude Oil By-pass Pipeline, TAP pipeline, TurkStream pipeline, Israel-Turkey Subsea Gas Pipeline Project

Developed/originated power production, distribution projects, both in natural gas and renewables

o1 CCGT project in Denizli/Turkey for E.ON (840 MW),

oPrepared an offer to TR as the country’s first Offshore Wind (1 GW) Tender as EQUINOR (STAOIL) Turkey BV’s Deputy Country President

oConducted long and short listed in sale solar and wind project’s due diligence process in Turkish Mediterranean region for EOUINOR Turkey BV.

Deep knowledge and experience in

oglobal Oil & Gas upstream-midstream-downstream, LNG, LPG, oil refinery, oil and gas pipelines and origination and power markets, logistics, supply and trading,

oeconomic analysis, regulatory analysis, strategy, and business development

ostakeholder engagement, government relations, external affairs, regulatory affairs, public affairs,

oproviding consulting and advisory services to consumers, regulatory authorities, NGOs

oacademic studies, lectures on energy, geopolitics of oil & gas, energy & environment

Highly skilled in Government Liasoning, Business & Strategy Development, Project Management, Relationship Building, Market Analysis and Intelligence,

Skills

Business: Business Development, Market Analysis and Intelligence, Lobbying Strategy, Relationship Building, Strategic Planning, Economic Analysis, Project Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Supporting Legal & Permitting team for pipelines, Due Diligence for M&A and for renewables (incl. offshore wind)

Energy: Oil, Refinery Products, Natural Gas and Power Markets and Investments, Regulations and Tariffs, Pipeline Investments, LNG, CNG and LPG Logistics

Leadership: Strategic direction, life-long learner and fostering learning and development, coaching, mentoring, effective communication, team building, change management

Professional Experience

UNIPER ENERJİ A.S.

General Manager & Chairman of the Board 12/2022-Present

Support set up of the new gas trading Turkish entity for German state owned UNIPER Global Commodities

Support gas deal with TPAO and BOTAS (gas from TR to German UGS and CCGT’s ın Hungary),

Start relations with Regulator (EMRA), Energy Ministry,EXIST, Pr’vate FSRU ^ LNG Regas players

Meeting with Overgas in BUL as a solution partner for capacity booking

Support preparing a plan to use BOTAS idle LNG capacity to swap with pipe gas in summer period to EU markets via Bulgaria

Extra Azeri and Turkmen gas to Germany and to other EU gas markets that UNIPER is active

GR2 ENGINEERING INC. HOUSTON, TX

Business Analyst & Sr. LNG/Gas BD Consultant 11/2021-Present

Economic & regulatory analysis,

Strategy and business development,

Regulatory affairs, public affairs,

Stakeholder engagement, government relations, community interactions

Consulting and advisory services mainly to oil & gas sector, and energy transition

ERSAN PETROLEUM (REFINERY)

General Manager (Project Coordinator) 02/2021-06/2022

Coordinated ERSAN technical and financial team

Sustained relations between ERSAN and major stakeholders

Coordinated joint task forces with US Chamber of Commerce and TR Embassy in DC to structure finding US investors and financiers to the refinery project.

Achieved to have recently US EXIM LoI for $ 512,5 million finance to ERSAN Refinery

Facilitated shareholder agreement with Houston based refinery company and a European investor

Relations with FEED contractors in USA like Technip, Worley, Bechtel and managing relations with technology providers incl. Honeywell, Saipem, Tupsoe etc.

EQUINOR Turkey BV

Deputy Country Manager 10/2018 – 02/2021

Assessed opportunities and core competencies and defined the new strategies for market entry

Coordinated relations between Equinor TR and major TR stakeholders incl. Ministry of Energy, TPAO, GDMPA, BOTAŞ, EMRA and relevant President Offices.

Coordinated joint task forces with Norwegian Embassy on Offshore wind bilateral agreement (IGA) and Energy Dialogue between TR & NO on Paris Climate Change

Prepared well accepted Stakeholder Engagement Plan and executed for Equinor's entrance to TR energy markets with gas exploration and renewables

Supported renewable energy team of Equinor (NES) by making high level connections from TR state bodies mainly on offshore wind opportunities

Monitored renewables tenders and supported Due Diligence process on TR renewables projects on sale for NES

Prepared comprehensive reports on TR renewable energy present and future trends

Supported Communication & PA Department in local Stakeholder Engagement Plan as the company's government affairs representative in TR (toward local authorities like Governors, Majors, District Governors etc.)

Coordinated TR communication plan and stakeholder engagement strategy with relevant Equinor departments in Norway, USA, UK

Coordinated Equinor TR’s cooperation with Atlantic Council (USA), Turkish Wind Energy Assoc., TR Solar Investors Assoc., EBRD, IFC, SOCAR, ENGIE, GE, BP, SHELL etc.

SOUTH STREAM TRANSPORT BV HOLLAND (GAZPROM TURKSTREAM PROJECT)

Government Relations Coordinator 01/2017 - 09/2018

Coordinated relations between Gazprom and major stakeholders BOTAS and TR Ministry of Energy

Succeeded enactment of Prime Ministry Circular (05.04.2017) for ordering all related Governmental bodies to support TurkStream permitting process in a proper and timely manner

Prepared a comprehensive Lobbying/Public Affairs Strategy for the fast implementation of TurkStream project based on facilitated state relations approved by Gazprom

Supported Permitting Team by making high level connections from state especially via Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Transportation

Supported TurkStream team to have 2 communiques on tax and stamp exemptions

Supported Communication & PA Department in local Stakeholder Engagement Plan

Prepared a lobbying plan towards local MP's in Thrace Region

Participation to Gazprom-Turkish Energy Ministry Protocol and Gazprom-BOTAS Heads of Terms & Shareholder Agreement negotiations on second TS pipeline

ENERJISA Gas Company & Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)

Business Development and Regulatory Affairs Manager & TAP Turkey Government Affairs Advisor 06/2013 - 01/2017

Prepared Lobbying Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement Plan towards TR Government

Prepared short-medium and long term gas market strategy plan and a business development plan in TR gas sector

Supported GasCo team in Israeli and KRG gas import projects in political/economic analyses and market intelligence

Played a critical role within TAP team in Southern Corridor pipeline race of 2013 that resulted with TAP’s victory!

€ 265,000 earned for ENERJISA in 24 months as TAP Consultant

Concluded BOTAS connection agreement for EnerjiSA Bandirma 2 CCGT

E.ON Turkey Enerji AS / TAP

E.ON Global Gas Representative Turkey/TAP Representative Turkey 05/2012 - 06/2013

Succeeded to finalize 4 due diligence case

Succeeded taking over of 50% shares in EnerjiSA to E.ON with the team

Succeeded to change Turkish energy high level officials negative approach to TAP and increased TAP awareness and representation in Turkey

Nearly € 500,000 to E.ON as Consultant to TAP AG

E.ON Ruhrgas Dogalgaz A.Ş / TAP AG

General Manager & Board Member & TAP Representative Turkey 09/2008- 04/2012

Developed “Buyers Club” idea for spot LNG imports as private companies

Increased TAP’s reputation and awareness by intensive lobbying activities via important stakeholders including President’s Office, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BOTAS, embassies and national/international energy media

Signed BOTAS-E.ON Ruhrgas Master Agreement on LNG spot sales

BOTAS-E.ON Ruhrgas Cooperation Agreement incl. UGS (finalized but not activated)

Successful implementation of “Master Lobbying Strategy (MLS)” for Turkey (on gas market and transit pipelines)

E.ON Ruhrgas AG-Gas Supply East Division

Head of Gas Supply Turkey 03/2008- 09/2008

Linked E.ON and E.ON Ruhrgas teams to high level Turkish energy bureaucracy, mainly Ministry of Energy and BOTAS

Signed LOI and Connection Agreements with BOTAS for Denizli CCGT

BOTAŞ, Petroleum Pipeline Corporation

Head of Strategy and Business Development, Senior Economist 01/1997- 02/2008

Implemented pre-feasibility, feasibility, marketing, finance, legal studies and lobbying events of the several pipeline projects including;

oBTC Crude Oil Main Export Pipeline, Turkey-Greece (ITG) Natural Gas Pipeline, Turkey-Greece-Italy (IGI) Natural Gas Pipeline, Turkey-Austria (Nabucco) Natural Gas Pipeline (As of being one of the Master Mind’s of Nabucco), Iraq-Turkey-Europe Natural Gas Pipeline, Arab Gas Pipeline Project – Turkish Connection, Samsun-Ceyhan Crude Oil By-pass Pipeline

Represented BOTAŞ’ share as Board Member in Bursagaz Distribution Company (July 2002 to May 2003) privatized in 2004.

Prepared country energy reports about Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Egypt and the Russian Federation.

Prepared a detailed sector analysis report on Russia, “Structure of the Natural Gas Sector of Russian Federation and GAZPROM in the 21st Century”

Education and Training

PhD in Economics, Hacettepe University 25.01.2001

o“Thesis: Energy and Industrialization: A Historical Perspective”

M.Sc. in Economics, Hacettepe University 18.12.1992

o” Thesis: The Impacts of Oil Crises to the World Economy”

BA in Economics (High Honor Student), Gazi University 05.07.1989

Think Clearly, Speak Effectively and Lead Successfully, E.ON Academy, Dusseldorf June 2009

Finance for Non-Finance Executives, European School of Man. & Tech. Berlin Nov 2010

Other Skills

Languages: English (Fluent), Turkish (Native), German (Beginner), Azerbaijani (Fluent)

Information Technology Skills: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Office 365, Share Point, Teams)

References

Available upon request from top-level managers, direct reports, people I have helped in development and reaching higher or new positions, and top-level experts of the global energy market.

Memberships:

Energy Charter Secretariat (Brussels), Industry Advisory Panel Member (2005-2008)

Brussels Energy Club (Brussels), Member (since 2012)

Energy Disputes Arbitration Center Ankara TR, Arbitrator (since 21 OCT 2020)

Petroleum Platform Assoc. (PETFORM), Board Member at years: 2010, 2011, 2020

LinkedIn Profile

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-cenk-pala-8a059a45

Contact this candidate