IEA Names Chief Economist Birol as New Executive Director

The International Energy Agency’s Chief Economist Fatih Birol will replace Maria Van Der Hoeven as Executive Director in September.

Birol, 56, who joined the IEA 20 years ago, has responsibility for its annual World Energy Outlook, which makes long-term forecasts on global energy supply, the Paris-based organization said in an e-mailed statement. His prior work at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries in Vienna gives him a “unique perspective on the producer-consumer relationship,” the IEA said.