Message from the incoming Secretary General

z Luis Bertrán Rafecas. The IGU Secretariat rotates less often than the Presidency but this November it is our turn to change. After nine years in Oslo, the Secretariat will move to Barcelona, to be hosted by Gas Natural Fenosa as agreed with enthusiastic applause at the Berlin Council meeting in October 2014. That means that we will change the office, the Secretary General and almost the entire

Secretariat team.

We are very proud that Barcelona was chosen to host the IGU Secretariat. Barcelona has been a well-connected and outwardlooking city throughout its history with a long tradition of hosting international institutions and events. The Spanish gas industry has a long history of involvement in international forums, including 65 years as a member of IGU, and aims to continue to contribute. Hosting the Secretariat recognises the efforts that Spanish gas professionals have made to support IGU and the industry, through their links to international markets and strong, constructive and trustworthy relationships. These efforts will grow in size and impact through the Secretariat.

IGU as a whole is undergoing a deep transformation that started in 2014 and was clearly defined with a new Vision and Mission in 2015. The aim is to enhance the value that

IGU provides to members and through them to the societies where the natural gas industry delivers a vital service.

Maintaining the momentum of the transformation of IGU while we are moving the office of the Secretariat and taking over an important part of the team is a challenge which we assumed at the Berlin Council meeting. We started to participate in the activities of the Oslo Secretariat in October 2015 by seconding a staff member and, at the beginning of this year, I moved to Oslo to prepare for the takeover on November 1, 2016.

I would like to highlight the opportunity for members to second employees to work with us in Barcelona for a period of two years. I hope that the attractions of Barcelona, as a Mediterranean and cosmopolitan city, and the opportnity of working in the IGU Secretariat will encourage talented young professionals to join us.

IGU has arrived at its 85th anniversary with a proud record of supporting the growth of the gas industry, a growth which has made a great contribution to the economic development of the countries and societies of its members. I would like to thank the members of the Norwegian Secretariat, especially Pål Rasmussen the outgoing Secretary General, for their efforts and strong contributions. We will continue to push forward with the same spirit in Barcelona and advance their excellent work towards making IGU the most credible advocate of political, technical and economic progress of the global gas industry.

Luis Bertrán Rafecas is the Deputy Secretary General of IGU and will become Secretary General when the Secretariat transfers to Spain in November 2016.