02/07/2026
🌍⚓i-MBA Energy Conference: Hormuz Strait and Middle East Disruptions
On Thursday 25/06/2026, the i-MBA Energy & Sustainable Development Club in collaboration with the MBA International hosted an engaging online energy conference focused on the “Hormuz Strait and Middle East Disruptions in Times of the Sustainability Transition: Energy and Maritime Implications”
Our distinguished panel brought together their perspective on three topics.
🔸Dr. Michalis Mathioulakis, Energy Strategy Analyst & Academic Director of the Greek Energy Forum, explored "The Paradox of Hormuz," examining whether repeated crises have built genuine market resilience or simply conditioned us to absorb shocks—and whether stronger energy security policies might inadvertently slow the transition. He emphasized that the change of gravity in global oil production will have an increasing potential to mitigate the disruptions caused by conflicts in the Middle East and Gulf region.
🔸Dr. Valentina Dedi, Associate Director, Economics, KBR Consulting & Founder of energV, challenged assumptions about how markets actually price geopolitical risk versus perceived risk, and whether current diversification efforts represent structural transformation or scaled-up existing strategies. She recalled the numerous crises that have occurred in the region, but that the current one has been unusually long and therefore has created larger uncertainty and volatility in supply and prices.
🔸Vasileios Petousis, Energy & Sustainability Manager at Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp. offered the maritime industry's view on balancing geopolitical risk with operational continuity, and how shipping companies navigate the tension between long-term sustainability goals and immediate security needs. Resilience, flexibility, and operational excellence are the cornerstones in shipping companies to cope with conflicts like the one we have witnessed since February 28.
🙏Special thanks to Professor Eric Soderquist, Director, MBA International, AUEB for the welcome remarks, to Xeni Petrogianni, IR & Communications Associate, Seanergy Maritime Holdings Corp., Head of the Energy & Sustainable Development Club for the moderation of the event, and to Professor Stella Tsani for making this collaboration possible.
