Speakers

H.E. Eng. Mohamed Hamel assumed office on January 1, 2022, as the fourth Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF).

Before joining the GECF, Eng. Hamel served for seven years as Senior Advisor to the Minister of Energy and Mines of Algeria. His association with the GECF began in 2016 when he became a Member of the Executive Board.

Since 2015, Eng. Hamel has been a Member of the Board of Governors of OPEC and has chaired its Audit Committee. In 2016, he chaired the OPEC High-level Committee of the Algiers Accord and co-chaired the OPEC/Non-OPEC High-level meeting. Eng. Hamel has also been a Member of the Executive Committee of the International Energy Forum, which he chaired in 2016 leading up to the 15th IEF Ministerial Meeting.

His career with OPEC began in 2002 in Vienna, where he worked for 12 years, first as Head of the Energy Studies Department and later as Senior Advisor to the Secretary General.

Eng. Hamel spent the majority of his 21-year career with Sonatrach, advancing through various roles across the oil and gas value chain. He started as a Reservoir Engineer in the Production Division, was promoted to Director of Studies and Synthesis in the Exploration Division, and eventually became Vice President in charge of Strategy and Planning. He also served on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors of Sonatrach.

Eng. Hamel is a graduate of the École Polytechnique de Paris and the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, both in France.