Energy Transition Series Kickoff: Advancing Climate Solutions

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Schedule

Thursday, June 22, 2023
6 p.m. Reception
7 p.m. Program

In partnership with ExxonMobil, Asia Society Texas is proud to launch a new, three-part Energy Transition Series to highlight the work being done across the energy industry to improve climate outcomes. Throughout this series, learn how advancing climate solutions, low carbon solutions, and product solutions play a role in the energy transition equation.

The first program in the series focuses on the advancement of innovative solutions for a lower-emission energy future, including highlighting strategic priorities for sustainable solutions to improve quality of life and meet society’s ever-evolving energy needs. Join us for a discussion with Mike Cousins, ExxonMobil’s Director of Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change; Loan Tran, ExxonMobil’s Advocacy & External Interfaces Manager; and Deborah Byers, Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies, in conversation with Edward R. Allen, co-founder and Senior Partner of Eagle Global Advisors.

About the Speakers

Mike Cousins is ExxonMobil’s Director of Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change, Mike leads the corporation’s strategy for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the energy transition. This includes ExxonMobil’s ambition to reach net zero scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions in its operated assets by 2050. He also oversees ExxonMobil’s climate policy and advocacy efforts.

Prior to his current role, Mike was Senior Vice President for Exploration and New Ventures for ExxonMobil’s Upstream Business Development Company, where he set the vision and direction of ExxonMobil’s global exploration activity. He has also been President of ExxonMobil Upstream Ventures, Executive Assistant to the Chairman of Exxon Mobil Corporation and Vice President, Asia Pacific/Middle East, ExxonMobil Exploration Company. He began his career over 40 years ago in 1982 as a field seismologist in the deserts of central Australia before joining Exxon in Australia in 1984. He then held a series of technical and managerial positions in ExxonMobil’s Exploration, Development and Production Companies and spent two years in Stavanger as the Norway Exploration Manager. He is a native of Australia and graduated in 1982 from the University of New South Wales, Sydney, with a BSc in Physical Oceanography.  Mike is married with three adult children living in NYC and London. He is also proud to be on the Board of the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Loan K. Tran is ExxonMobil’s Advocacy & External Interfaces Manager. She was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the United States in 1975. With her parents and eight siblings, Loan and her family settled in southeast Texas where she began her journey in America. Loan earned her Bachelor of Science from Southwestern University and a Master of Science in Civil/Environmental Engineering from North Carolina State University. Loan started her career in government and consulting on air compliance enforcement, permitting, regulations, policy, and community engagement.

In 1997, she joined Mobil Chemicals and since has held a number of roles in manufacturing at several refineries and chemical plants. In 2008, Loan transitioned into broader technology support roles, starting at the ExxonMobil Baytown Refinery and then in Research & Engineering through a number of roles in engineering and planning, including support of the Kearl oil sands marketing plan and operating manager for ExxonMobil’s algae pilot plant in Baytown, Texas. She then transferred to the midstream as the Fuels West Operations Manager supporting the Gulf Coast tributary on the integrated business team from 2015 to 2017.  Loan completed a short stint in central Safety Security Health and Environment (SSHE) as the Research & Engineering SSHE Manager before relocating to Irving to fill her current role as the Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change Advocacy & External Interfaces Manager.

Deborah Byers is a nonresident fellow at the Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies. She formally served as a partner at Ernst & Young LLP and retired in July of 2022 after 36 years of service in public accounting. From July 2018 to her retirement, she was EY’s America’s Industry Leader, overseeing the markets and growth strategy across its primary industry markets, including energy, industrials & automotive; consumer technology; telecom, media & entertainment; health care & life sciences; real estate; private equity and government. Byers served EY’s Houston office managing partner and U.S. energy leader from July 2013 to July 2018, and managing partner of the Southwest Region Strategy & Transactions business unit from July 2008 to July 2013. In these roles, she was a leader in global energy markets and worked with corporations and investment funds in all phases of energy investment, with a key focus on U.S. shale and global LNG export market transactions.

Byers holds a B.B.A. from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and is a certified public accountant.

About the Moderator

Edward “Eddie” R. Allen is a co-founder and Senior Partner of Eagle Global Advisors, an investment advisory firm based in Houston, Texas. In addition to serving as a co-manager of the Eagle MLP Strategy Fund, he serves on the investment committee for the Eagle Renewable Energy Infrastructure ETF (symbol: RNWZ).

Eddie received a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago and his B.S.E. in Engineering from Princeton University. Eddie holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is also a member the CFA Society of Houston. Before entering the investment advisory business, Eddie served as an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Houston.

Eddie currently serves as Treasurer of the Asia Society Texas Center and is on the board of the Asia Society Global organization. He also currently serves on the boards of the Menil Collection and the Chinquapin School.  He is a past board member of St. John’s School and past Chair and President of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. 

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About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.