In the first episode of a two-part podcast series, Chiranjib Sengupta sat down with Joseph El Bitar, Vice President and General Manager of Hexagon Asset Lifecycle Intelligence in Middle East and Africa, to discuss how enterprise asset management (EAM) can help reinvent urban governance in the Middle East and beyond. At a time when the region is experiencing one of the fastest urban transformations in the world, Joseph explains how organisations can manage this complexity intelligently, proactively and sustainably through the Living City concept. He also highlights how Hexagon’s EAM platform connects with assets across urban departments not just to collect data but to analyse it, automate tasks and recommends smart solutions.

In the second episode of our four-part podcast series with Siemens, Chiranjib Sengupta sat down with John Nixon, Vice President of Global Strategy for Energy, Chemicals and Infrastructure and Mike Houghton, Global Head of Sales, both at Siemens Digital Industries Software, to unpack the secrets of how energy companies can maximise their returns on digital investment. John and Mike highlighted emerging digital technologies and data-driven solutions that can help Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) better understand the impact of a company’s financial pathway. They also explored the digital infrastructure that companies need to benefit from model-based financial optimisation, and addressed the skills and training component for CFOs and other stakeholders to start incorporating such optimisation in typical business plans and operations.

In this first episode of a four-part special podcast series with Siemens, Chiranjib Sengupta sat down with John Nixon, Vice President for Global Strategy in Energy, Chemicals, and Infrastructure, and Mike Houghton, Global Head of Sales at Siemens Digital Industries Software, to discuss how incorporating digital twins into oil and gas operations can unlock unique efficiencies and also make the industry more sustainable. As the global energy infrastructure landscape faces up to the realities of ageing assets, decarbonisation and the urgent need for digitalisation, leaders across energy, chemicals, and urban systems are confronting a main challenge: how to make infrastructure more intelligent, adaptive, and resilient. John and Mike discuss how the fusion of digital twins, artificial intelligence, and industrial software is changing the way energy infrastructure is designed, operated, and optimised. They explore how digital twins are evolving into living models that replicate real-time conditions, enabling predictive maintenance, risk mitigation, and system-wide efficiency at unprecedented levels. They also highlight how at Siemens, these capabilities are no longer experimental, but an essential part of their portfolio as industrial operators seek to future-proof assets against climate disruption, resource constraints, and operational efficiency.

In the next episode of the Energy Connects podcast, Chiranjib Sengupta sat down with Claudio Golino, Partner at Deloitte, to discuss the critical role of utilities in decarbonisation and shaping the energy transition. Claudio explained how electricity is becoming an increasingly major part of the energy mix, and the key forces of change shaping the energy value chain: decentralisation, democratisation and digitisation. He also discussed Deloitte’s perspective on how the energy transition is evolving across the different parts of the power value chain, the dynamics of rising power demand and its influence on the strategies of utilities, and the way forward for energy companies to navigate this complex and fast-evolving landscape.

As the energy sector accelerates towards a digitally driven, low-carbon future, the path forward is anything but simple. In this episode of the Energy Connects Podcast and as we prepare for the World Utilities Congress 2025, we revisit a standout conversation from the Energy Connects Studio with Oxana Dankova, Global Energy Network Lead at BCG. Oxana discusses the real-world challenges of transitioning to a renewable-powered energy system - from the volatility of solar and wind to the pressure of balancing supply and demand in real time.

She emphasises the critical role of AI and advanced data analytics in managing modern power grids, enabling predictive infrastructure planning and simulating countless scenarios to avoid costly missteps. Oxana also highlights the potential of decentralised energy systems - particularly at the distribution grid level - to boost resilience and efficiency, especially in developing regions. Drawing on global case studies such as South Australia’s rooftop solar boom and evolving EV strategies across Europe and the US, she outlines what a more flexible, responsive utility model could look like - and the barriers that still remain.

In the next episode of the Energy Connects podcast, Chiranjib Sengupta sat down with Gauri Singh, Deputy Director-General of International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), to explore the pathway to tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030. That was the target committed to by world leaders at COP28 in Dubai, a historic agreement that was in line with recommendations by IRENA on how to close the energy transition gap and stay on a 1.5°C pathway.

Singh discusses the progress made on that journey and outlines actions for the global energy community to ensure we are on track with this target. She also highlights how consistently decreasing cost of renewables is helping speed up their deployment across the industry, and why the World Utilities Congress in May will help propel the industry towards a sustainable future.

In the next episode of the Energy Connects podcast ahead of Japan Energy Summit & Exhibition, Chiranjib Sengupta sat down with Joe Raia, Chief Commercial Officer at Abaxx Exchange, to discuss the role of LNG as a fuel for change, and how that is altering global trading markets. Joe highlighted the critical role of LNG as an essential enabler of the energy transition, and spoke about how natural gas as an energy base load has helped expand the international trade of LNG.

He also expanded on the key takeaways from Japan’s new draft Strategic Energy Plan, and his thoughts on the upcoming Japan Energy Summit & Exhibition 2025 in June.

In this episode of the Energy Connects podcast, host Chiranjib Sengupta speaks to Mandeep Narang, Director of Operations at Cairn Oil and Gas Vedanta Limited, about the critical role of sustainability in the hydrocarbon industry and how organisations can balance energy production with environmental responsibility.

As the first private organisation to sign onto the United Nations Environment Programme’s Methane Reporting and Reduction Initiative, Cairn is setting a new standard for responsible energy practices. The episode explores the strategies, innovations, and commitments that are shaping the company’s approach to reducing its hydrocarbon footprint while ensuring long-term sustainability.