Joan MacNaughton CB

Senior Research Fellow

Joan MacNaughton is Director General, International Energy Security, DTI and formerly Director General, Energy, DTI (2002 – 2006); where she was responsible for energy policy development, overseeing the development of the 2003 Energy White Paper, energy market design, regulatory policy, international energy relations, maximising the UK’s own energy resources, nuclear energy and nuclear liabilities. She oversaw relations with industry and the government-owned companies BNFL and UKAEA; and was responsible for liaison with other governments, the European Union and the International Energy Agency on energy issues. From 2004 to 2006 she was Chair of the Governing Board of the International Energy Agency. During those two years, she secured Board consensus on how to refocus the Agency’s work to address evolving energy priorities and oversaw the implementation of agreed changes. She led the energy work at the heart of the Programme of Action agreed by the G8 Gleneagles Summit, in which the IEA will play a key role. Her current research interests centre on oil and gas security concerns and their interaction with government policy approaches, including environmental issues.