World Energy Cities Partnership Elects New President

Posted on October 28, 2015

Houston, USA – October 28, 2015 – Today, at the 20^th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP), the Board of Directors welcomed its new president elect, Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax, Canada. Mayor Savage’s two-year term as president starts January 2016.

“I am honoured to serve as president of the World Energy Cities Partnership,” said Mayor Savage. “This is the preeminent forum for connecting with global energy power players. The 23 member cities bring unmatched experience and I will be seeking their advice as we pursue opportunities in the changing energy economy.”

Mayor Mike Savage has been an active leader within the WECP since October 2012. He has facilitated several partnerships within the WECP, including a collaboration agreement between Halifax and Aberdeen, Scotland, whereby the cities are pursuing mutual opportunities in oil and gas, renewable energy, sustainable development and education.

WECP Board members also thanked outgoing president Christine Sagen Helgø, Mayor of Stavanger, Norway, for her dedication over the past two years. She was acknowledged for expanding the member base, with the addition of Cape Town and Kuala Lumpur. Her leadership also strengthened connections between universities & researchers, specifically through the formation of a cooperation agreement between universities in Stavanger, Houston, St. John’s, and Aberdeen on Arctic resources. Mayor Helgø wished Mayor Savage well with the position and indicated her ongoing support for the organization.

This year’s WECP AGM was hosted by Rio Negócios, the official investment promotion agency of Rio de Janeiro. Three themes: oil & gas industry development, urban transformation; and policies to support research and development, dominated the agenda of this international conference.

The mayors of the member cities function as the Board of the WECP, which is served by a secretariat in Houston, USA. The new elected Officers are:

President – Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax, Canada
Vice President – Patricia de Lille, Mayor of Cape Town, South Africa
Andy Icken, Secretary General
Janet Moore, Treasurer

Headquartered in Houston, USA, the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP) is the international hub for energy cities. Its objective is to support the growth of the energy economy. Currently, there are 23 world energy capitals that make up the WECP collaboration network. WECP membership allows cities to work within the organization to expand business opportunities, share ideas on investment attraction and urban development, and develop strategic alliances with other world energy cities. www.EnergyCities.org or follow us @Energy_Cities

Media Contacts:

Matthew Shailer, WECP Secretariat

Matthew.shailer@houston.gov

932-393-0829

Nancy Phillips, Halifax

nphillips@greaterhalifax.com

902-490-6003

Helga Strand Vestbo, Stavanger

hsv@stavanger.kommune.no