2024.12
Management Structure
President, Board, and Director biographies
President
Christoph von dem Bussche (Gascade)
Is Managing Director of the German transmission system operators GASCADE Gastransport GmbH and NEL Gastransport GmbH, which connect Germany with five neighbouring European countries via their transport system. GASCADE is in the process of converting important parts of its transmission system to hydrogen transport and is involved in several hydrogen infrastructure projects on land and at sea.
Before becoming Managing Director of GASCADE in 2009 and Managing Director of NEL in 2012, he held various senior positions in the oil and gas sector of the group, including European gas sales and strategic planning.
Christoph von dem Bussche is active in various national and European association committees and Boards for Energy Infrastructure, e.g. ENTSOG, where he has been a member of the ENTSOG Board of Directors for eight years and the AquaVentus Förderverein, where he is active since 2020.
On 11th December 2024, the pre-ENNOH General Assembly approved the appointment of Christoph von dem Bussche as President of Pre-ENNOH.
Director ( director@ennoh.eu)
Abel Enríquez
Based in Brussels for more than 15 years, Abel Enríquez was appointed as Director for Pre-ENNOH on 11 December 2024. Previously, he was Head of EU Affairs and Organisations at Enagás, an international leader in the development, operation and maintenance of energy infrastructure, deeply committed to the energy transition and the development of renewable gases such as hydrogen. Abel is specialised in lobbying, public affairs, EU associations, energy policy and, gas/hydrogen sector regulation. He also co-chairs the Roundtable for Transmission and Distribution of Clean Hydrogen within the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance.
Abel has more than 20 years of experience in different EU affairs, being active in multiple European organisations and having had Board membership responsibilities in two of them. Previous positions for Abel include being Secretary General for a three-year period at Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), where he also held the position of Deputy Secretary General, and working on EU/International regulatory affairs at Enagás HQ in Madrid. Before joining Enagás, he had professional experiences in other sectors within international companies. Abel holds an MSc in Chemical Engineering and post-graduate studies in different fields, including the IESE Business School.
Board members
Gaetano Mazzitelli (Snam)
Is Chief Commercial & Regulatory Officer at SNAM, President/CEO of ITG and Chairman of the Shareholder Meeting of PRISMA (European Capacity Platform GmbH).
He is an executive member of the Comitato Tecnico Energia of Confindustria (the main Italian industrial sector association) and has long-lasting experience in European energy associations (ENTSOG and GIE Board member).
After graduating in mechanical engineering (Polytechnic of Milan) and completing a Master of Business for Energy and Environment (Eni School for Higher Studies "E. Mattei"), he began his career in SNAM in 1995 with roles of increasing responsibility in strategic and infrastructure planning, business development, regulatory affairs, and commercial operations. He gained a deep knowledge of regulated businesses, both at the national and European levels.
Nicolas Peugniez (GRTgaz)
Nicolas has 30+ years of experience in gas business in France and Central Europe (Slovakia, Austria). In France, he held operational positions in transmission and distribution, in network planning, engineering and operation.
In Central Europe, in 2002-2005, Nicolas supported the chairmanship of the Board on SPP, as (Slovakia) after privatization, and prepared the unbundling of activities for transmission and distribution.
In 2009-2013, he has been the Managing Director nominated by GRTgaz in Baumgarten Oberkappel Gasleitungsgesellschaft (Vienna, Austria), where he prepared the 3rd package and took an active part in ENTSOG activities.
In 2014 Nicolas returned to France in the Regulation and Strategy department. He is head of the Strategy department since 2023, supporting the definition of GRTgaz strategy in the energy transition, in particular the growth of GRTgaz hydrogen activities and projects, and actively contributing to the development of the EU and French regulatory framework for hydrogen infrastructures.
Nicolas has been part of the core team developing GRTgaz’ hydrogen roadmap since 2017, including several GRTgaz lighthouse projects in this field (MosaHyc, FenHyx, …). Nicolas graduated in engineering from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées - 1993 and holds a global executive MBA from the WU Wien/CSOM Minneapolis -2014.
Szabolcs Ferencz (FGSZ)
Mr. Ferencz has over 20 years of experience in various fields within the energy industry. Since 2019, he has been serving as the Chairman-CEO of FGSZ Ltd. From 2020 to 2023, he was a Member of the Management Board of ENTSOG, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas. Since 2011, he has been an Associate at ERT, the European Round Table for Industry. Additionally, he is a founding partner of the SEED School for Executive Education and Development, and a member of the Advisory Board at the Regional Center for Energy Policy Research Foundation (REKK), both based in Budapest.
Sara Kärki (Gasgrid Finland / Gasgrid vetyverkot)
Has long experience in the energy sector, especially with new technologies, fuels, business development and R&D.
She joined Gasgrid Finland in 2020, and currently works as SVP responsible for hydrogen infrastructure development. In addition, she acts as COO at Gasgrid Vetyverkot Oy, a Gasgrid affiliate company established for advancing hydrogen infrastructure and market development and cross-border collaboration.
Sara Kärki is also privileged to work as a Co-Chair of the European Hydrogen Backbone (EHB) initiative consisting of a group of thirty-two energy infrastructure operators, united through a shared vision of a climate-neutral Europe enabled by a thriving renewable and low-carbon hydrogen market.
Prior to Gasgrid, Sara worked at Finnish energy utility Fortum. She holds a master’s degree in engineering from Tampere University of Technology. In addition to her native Finnish, Sara speaks English, Swedish and German fluently.
Agnieszka Ozga (GAZ-SYSTEM)
Ms. Ozga is associated with the energy industry since 2004. Since April 2024, She is Director in the Energy Transition Division at GAZ-SYSTEM. She is responsible for preparation and development of all projects safeguarding the national energy security, i.e.: gas interconnections with neighboring countries: Denmark (Baltic Pipe), Czech Republic (Stork I and Stork II), Slovakia (PL-SK Gas Interconnection), Lithuania (GIPL) and Ukraine (PL-UA gas Interconnection). The creation of a well-integrated and diversified natural gas market in the CEE and Baltic Region by the implementation of the planned projects was one of the most important tasks.
Excellent experience in successfully obtaining UE funds from TEN-E, EEPR and CEF programs. Currently, in charge of the implementation of the Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Market Package, development of the hydrogen market, and the company's participation in the decarbonisation initiatives contributing to energy transition in Poland, including the creation of future national hydrogen network and its operator.
Within her duties, she is in charge of developing cross-border hydrogen connections to raise the market in Poland and the region, especially in the Nordic and Baltic Member States and Central Europe.
Andra Vlahbei (Transgaz)
Andra is currently holding the position of Deputy Director of Gas Regulations within the National Gas Transmission Company Transgaz S.A..and was a member of the ENNOH Plenary during 2024.
She is a law graduate with a master’s studies in European politics and economy and joined Transgaz in 2015, where she started as a consultant in the legal department.
Arno Büx (Fluxys Hydrogen)
Has been part of Fluxys’ Executive Team since 2015, overseeing all commercial activities, both regulated and non-regulated. During this time, he also ran the group’s subsidiaries and its M&A activities. Since November 2024, he is CEO of FluxSwiss.
Arno Büx is President of Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), the European Industry Association of gas infrastructure operators.
Arno Büx holds degrees in Engineering from Université de Liège, Business Administration from IMD and Corporate Governance from INSEAD. He looks back on a 30-year career in the energy industry through which he took various executive and non-executive management positions in companies focused on the B2B and B2C commodity markets and the gas midstream sector in Belgium, Germany, the UK, France and Luxemburg.
Björn Santana Arvidsson (Nordion Energi H2)
Senior leader that moved into infrastructure 2023 after nearly 30 years in industrial gases, working internationally in a range of leading roles. A common theme has been to drive change through engaged development and major investment projects, with focus on customers, supply chains and safety.
Detlef Brüggemeyer (Open Grid Europe)
After successfully completing his degree in mechanical engineering at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, he held various management positions at E.ON Ruhrgas AG, E.ON Gastransport and later OGE. In 2013 he took over the management of the Network Planning and Control department at OGE. In July 2024 he was appointed as a member of OGE's Management Board as CTO.
Edwina Nyhan (Gas Networks Ireland)
Is the Director of Strategy and Regulation in Gas Networks Ireland, the owner and operator of the transmission and distribution gas network in Ireland. Edwina is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accounts Ireland.
Since joining Gas Networks Ireland in 2006 she has held numerous roles across the Corporate Group in Finance, Strategy and Regulation.
She has been pivotal in shaping Gas Networks Ireland’s strategic thinking and the organisation’s drive to be at the heart of Ireland’s energy future which is built on a commitment to be a net zero carbon network. Edwina drives the organisation commitment to sustainability, effective management of regulatory affairs, in addition to managing the organisation’s stakeholder and policy environment.
Helmi Botter (Gasunie – HyNetwork Services)
Studied economics at the University of Groningen. In 2002 she started as an business controller at Gasunie. Within the company she first grew to become finance manager of the first import of LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) in 2008. She focused on the entire financial side for this.
A few years later, she became finance manager at Gasunie Germany in Hanover, before returning to Groningen in 2014 as a concern controller. From 2017 to 2020, Helmie was manager of commercial and regulatory affairs at Gasunie Transport Services. In that role she gave advice on Groningen natural gas extraction and how it could be phased out further and, above all, more quickly. Because that is sometimes forgotten: Gasunie is actively working to reduce its own core product. “A logical consequence of our own transition strategy,” says Helmie.
Since 2017 she has been on the advisory board of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at the University of Groningen, and since November 2020 she is responsible for the development of the hydrogen business in the Netherlands and Germany. In that role, she directly and indirectly manages around 400 employees and an investment portfolio of over 5 billion euro.
Luis Ignacio Parada (Enagás Infraestructuras de Hidrógeno)
Is EU Energy Policy & Regulation Director at Enagás, an international leader in the development, operation and maintenance of energy infrastructure. Enagás is certified as an independent gas Transmission System Operator (TSO) by the European Union and has been granted the title of provisional Hydrogen Transmission Network Operator (HTNO) in Spain.
Luis has 25 years of experience in the energy sector, where he has specialised in energy economics, gas and hydrogen sector regulation and energy policy. Before joining Enagás, Luis started his career in 1998 at Gas Natural, and worked in NERA Economic Consulting from 2001 to 2004.
Since May 2023 he serves as Board member in ENTSOG and in GIE (Gas Infrastructure Europe). Within GIE, in January 2024 he became GLE President (Gas LNG Europe), after having joined its Executive Committee in May 2023. Before he was a member of the Executive Committee of GTE (Gas Transmission Europe) from December 2020 to May 2023. He is also engaged as Board member in EASEE-gas since March 2019.
Luis Ignacio holds an Executive MBA from IESE Business School and a MSc. In Applied Economics. He graduated in Economics at Universidad de Salamanca (Spain).
Michal Slabý (Net4Gas)
Michal has been active in the energy sector since 1999.
He started his career at RWE Transgas, where he was involved in commodity trading, specifically with Norwegian gas producers.
He also held various managerial positions in the E.ON Group in the Czech Republic and Germany, mainly in portfolio management. He spent part of his career with the MND Group, where he was responsible for the gas storage business.
Since 2016, he has worked at NET4GAS, the sole gas transmission system operator in the Czech Republic. He currently manages the Strategy Department and the CEO resort.
Michal is also involved in several gas associations. He is a member of the ENTSOG board and the management team of the IGU Transmission committee.
Michael Thomadakis (DESFA)
Is the Strategy & Development Chief Officer of DESFA, since 2020.
Formerly, he was the Vice Chairman and Member of the Board of RAE from 2005 to 2015, member of the BoR of ACER, the CEER General Assembly, the Board of MEDREG, the Board of Appeal of ACER and Chairman of the Investment Group of the Energy Charter.
He has extensive experience in the development of the gas regulatory framework of the Greek gas market and is deeply involved in corresponding developments in South East Europe, especially in the regulatory framework for several gas infrastructure projects related to the Southern Gas Corridor.
He started his career in DEPA, where he worked as the contractual administrator of the Gas Procurement contracts from Russia (pipeline) and Algeria (LNG), the LNG transportation contracts, the development of underground gas storage, the derivation of transportation tariffs and on the establishment of the Gas Distribution Companies in Greece. He is a Mechanical Engineer from NTU Athens with a PhD from the same university. He is the author of more than 40 scientific papers and reports and an invited lecturer in many events of the energy industry worldwide.
Pedro Furtado (REN Gás)
Pedro Manuel A. Puente Furtado, Mechanical Engineer (Applied Thermodynamics and Fluid Dynamics) by Instituto Superior Técnico.
Director of Studies and Regulatory Affairs at REN - Redes Energéticas Nacionais S.A. group. Manages Electricity and Gas infrastructure Regulation, European Affairs, and Renewable Gases Planning dealing with hydrogen network development. He supervises a team handling the energy transition challenges for REN gas infrastructure where its hydrogen readiness is central, and long-term security of supply studies for both electricity and gas.
For 30 years he embraced multiple responsibilities in the energy sector infrastructure operations and management, network analysis and simulation, gas control, long-term contracts, network codes implementation, and unbundling process. He manages regulatory affairs for the last 21 years, for both gas pipelines and the electricity transmission grid.
He is also President of the Board of Directors of HyLab, a Portuguese Collaborative Laboratory for Green Hydrogen applied research and development, with the major national chemical and energy companies as associates.
Rastislav Ňukovič (eustream)
Experienced executive with over two decades in the natural gas industry, specializing in strategic project management, asset management, and operational leadership. Currently serving as General Director of eustream, a.s., transmission system operator in Central and Eastern Europe.
Recognized for extensive experience in leading the operations of a gas transmission system operator, managing complex and high-impact projects within the natural gas industry. Actively engaged in gas industry associations, namely International Gas Union and the Slovak Gas and Oil Association (SPNZ). Proven track record in driving strategic initiatives and fostering industry collaboration.