Talk and Discussion with John Hofmeister

Date: Monday, September 26, 2011 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Room 940 JGH

JOHN HOFMEISTER

 Former President, Shell Oil Company
Head of Citizens for Affordable Energy

John Hofmeister presented the key foreign direct investment challenges facing America’s energy sector which impede the country’s growth and competitiveness. The short presentation was followed by a discussion with the audience, moderated by Michael Likosky (NYU), on issues such as the role of Chinese investment, the Keystone pipeline project, exploration and investment in developing countries, etc.

John Hofmeister’s bio:

John Hofmeister, upon retirement from Shell Oil Company in 2008, founded and heads the not-for-profit (501(c)(3) ), nation-wide membership association, Citizens for Affordable Energy.  This Washington, D.C.-registered, public policy education firm promotes sound U.S. energy security solutions for the nation, including a range of affordable energy supplies, efficiency improvements, essential infrastructure, sustainable environmental policies and public education on energy issues.

Hofmeister was named President of Houston-based Shell Oil Company in March 2005, heading the U.S. Country Leadership Team, which included the leaders of all Shell businesses operating in the United States.  He became President after serving as Group Human Resource Director of the Shell Group, based in The Hague, The Netherlands.

As Shell President, Hofmeister launched an extensive outreach program, unprecedented in the energy industry, to discuss critical global energy challenges.  The program included an 18 month, 50-city tour across the country during which Hofmeister led 250 other Shell leaders to meet with more than 15,000 business, community and civic leaders, policymakers, and academics to discuss what must be done to ensure affordable, available energy for the future.

A business leader who has participated in the inner workings of multiple industries for over 35 years, Hofmeister also has held executive leadership positions in General Electric, Nortel and AlliedSignal (now Honeywell International).

Hofmeister serves as the Chairman of the National Urban League and is a member of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee.  He serves as non-executive Director of the Hunting PLC, London, UK, Lufkin Industries Inc., CAMAC Energy, Inc., and the Sodexo North America Business Advisory Board.  He is an Advisor to Liberty Power of Fort Lauderdale, Fl, the nation’s largest minority owned power company.  Hofmeister also serves on the boards of the National Energy Security Council, Washington, D.C.; the Foreign Policy Association, New York; Strategic Partners, LLC; the Gas Technology Institute and the Center for Houston’s Future.  Hofmeister is a Fellow of the National Academy of Human Resources.  He also is a past Chairman and serves as a Director of the Greater Houston Partnership.  Hofmeister is active in education serving on the Energy Advisory Board at the University of Houston.  He is also a Director of the Texas Education Reform Committee.

Hofmeister earned Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Political Science from Kansas State University.  In May 2010 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters from the University of Houston.

John Hofmeister is the author of Why We Hate the Oil Companies: Straight Talk from an Energy Insider (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010).

Listen to the audio of the talk and discussion.