'Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics' will be the focus of the world's preeminent energy conference. Learn more at www.ceraweek.com

HOUSTON (March 19, 2026) – Nobel Laureate Maria Corina Machado will address delegates at the 44th annual CERAWeek by S&P Global, March 23-27 in Houston. She will join the world's energy industry leaders, experts, government officials and policymakers, as well as leaders from the technology, financial and industrial communities addressing this year's conference. In shaping a vision for Venezuela's future, Ms. Machado has been a consistent advocate for restoring the institutional foundations necessary to attract large-scale private investment. Her remarks will outline a pathway toward a competitive, rules-based energy sector, anchored in legal certainty, transparent governance and full market opening.

She will present a forward-looking vision for Venezuela as a reliable, investment-grade energy partner for the Western Hemisphere, highlighting the country's potential not only as one of the world's largest hydrocarbon producers, but as a platform for integrated energy development, technological innovation and long-term capital deployment.

"It is an honor to welcome Ms. Machado to CERAWeek," said Daniel Yergin, conference chair and Vice Chairman of S&P Global. "At a pivotal moment of transition for Venezuela, the Western Hemisphere and the world, her insights on markets, the energy industry and Venezuela's future will be a highly anticipated addition to the important dialogues taking place at the conference and will do much to frame the conversation on the future and timing of investment in her country."

CERAWeek 2026 Convergence and Competition: Energy, Technology and Geopolitics will explore ideas and strategies for a world where energy markets are increasingly entwined with new and existing technologies—even as geopolitical rivalries and economic competition fray alliances and fracture supply chains. The conference program will spotlight the breakthroughs, cross-industry connections and powerful partnerships that can accelerate the transformation of the global energy system.

CERAWeek 2026 Key Themes

The CERAWeek 2026 conference program will explore key themes related to:

• Politics, Economics, Trade and Supply Chains – How the global energy landscape is undergoing a fundamental transformation, defined by rising geopolitical competition, tariffs, fragmented supply chains and an expanding definition of energy security. 
• Policy, Regulations and Stakeholders – What policy frameworks and regulatory approaches are needed to align innovation, incentives and public support for meeting future energy demands? 
• Oil Value Chain – Maintaining resilient, focused growth in a complex energy landscape. 
• Natural Gas and LNG – The dynamic reordering of gas and LNG markets—driven by rapidly rising liquefaction capacity, shifting demand fundamentals and growing power demand—is opening a new phase. How is the rise of an interconnected global gas market reshaping competitiveness, policy and energy security worldwide? 
• Power, Renewables, Generation and Grid – How are regions adapting their approaches to policy, financing and technology to meet growing demand from AI and increasing electrification amid concerns about generation capacity and grid resilience? 
• AI and Digital – How can industries effectively invest in infrastructure and balance urgent needs to meet the soaring electricity demands driven by AI and digital technologies? 
• Minerals and Mining – How is rising demand for critical minerals bringing a new element to national security and economic competitiveness and will enough copper be available to meet the needs of electrification? 
• Electrification Technologies – How are emerging technologies transforming the electricity system and contributing to electrification, decarbonization, reliability and meeting rising demand? 
• Investment and Financing – How should capital allocation evolve to fund resilient and sustainable energy infrastructure in a world marked by rising energy demand, geopolitical uncertainty and rapid change? 
• Chemicals and Materials – How are mounting pressure in global chemical markets, disruptive trade flows and the march toward sustainability redefining competitiveness and innovation across the chemicals and materials value chain? 
• Business Strategies – In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and increasing competition, how should energy companies integrate AI and new technologies into their strategies? And how could it transform the way energy is produced, distributed and consumed? 
• The Innovation Ecosystem – How can the energy sector sustain momentum for rapid technological innovation to develop and scale solutions for the future? 
• Managing Emissions – How can the energy sector balance the costs and complexities of scaling emissions-reducing solutions while maintaining energy affordability and security? 
• Low-Carbon Fuels and Mobility – How are commercial and technological approaches for financing, developing and deploying low-carbon fuels advancing in response to the changing demands of industry, transportation and policy? 
• Climate and Sustainability – How can pragmatic, scalable climate actions and adaptation strategies advance resilience amid diverging policies and fractured international cooperation? 
• Workforce Strategy – The energy sector faces a sweeping transformation in human capital, accelerated by AI and digitalization. How do companies attract, develop and retain talent equipped for rapid change? And how do educational institutions provide foundations for learning and upskilling the energy workforce of tomorrow? 

The week-long event will also include the CERAWeek Innovation Agora, serving as the center of technology and innovation programming at the conference. Featuring a community of technologists, startup entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and investors, thought leaders, policymakers and corporate innovators, the Innovation Agora will showcase transformational technology platforms in energy and adjacent industries ranging across AI, decarbonization, low carbon fuels, cybersecurity, hydrogen, nuclear, mining and minerals, mobility, automation and more.

The conference program will wrap Friday, March 27 with a new feature—Look Forward—that will focus on economics, politics and technology.

Speakers CERAWeek 2026 speakers will include (partial list):

• Shaikh Nawaf Al-Sabah – Deputy Chairman and CEO, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation
• Linda Z. Cook – CEO, Harbour Energy
• Hon. Paul M. Dabbar – Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
• Claudio Descalzi – CEO, Eni
• Greg Ebel – President, CEO and Director, Enbridge Inc.
• James D. Farley, Jr. – President and CEO, Ford Motor Company
• Jim Fitterling – Chair and CEO, Dow
• Jack Fusco – President and CEO, Cheniere Energy
• Daniel González – Vice-Minister of Energy and Mining, Ministry of Economy, Argentina
• Russell Hardy – CEO, Vitol
• Vicki Hollub – CEO, Occidental Petroleum
• Ditte Juul Jørgensen – Director-General for Energy, European Commission
• John Ketchum – Chairman, President and CEO, NextEra Energy
• Markus Krebber – CEO, RWE AG
• Ryan Lance – Chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips
• Chris Levesque – President and CEO, TerraPower
• Olivier Le Peuch – CEO, SLB
• Tadashi Maeda – Chairman of the Board, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
• David H. McCormick – United States Senator, Pennsylvania
• Tomohide Miyata – Representative Director and CEO, ENEOS Holdings, Inc.
• Amin H. Nasser – President and CEO, Saudi Aramco
• Anders Opedal – President and CEO, Equinor
• Marcel van Poecke, Chairman of Energy, The Carlyle Group
• Ruth Porat – President and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet and Google
• Patrick Pouyanné – Chairman of the Board and CEO, TotalEnergies
• Gen. Randall Reed – Commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM)
• Toby Rice – President and CEO, EQT Corporation
• Paolo Rocca – President and CEO, Techint Group
• Wael Sawan – CEO, Shell
• Lorenzo Simonelli – Chairman and CEO, Baker Hughes
• Hon. Danielle Smith – Premier of Alberta, Government of Alberta
• Michael Smith – Chairman, CEO and Founder, Freeport LNG
• Laura V. Swett – Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
• Mike Wirth – Chairman of the Board and CEO, Chevron
• Chris Wright – Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
• Zoë Yujnovich – CEO, National Grid
• Lee Zeldin – Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)