Global Energy Profs, October 2013
OnTheJob Interview - Okan YARDIMCI
1. What’s your name and where have you been living so far?
I’m Okan YARDIMCI and I have been living in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. Currently, I’m preparing to move to the U.S. to study law till 2016.
2. Where do you currently work?
I’m working for the National Energy Agency of Turkey, Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA). EMRA is financially and administratively autonomous public institution that regulates the electricity, natural gas and oil markets, headquartered in Ankara. I’m working for the tariff department and especially dealing with the natural gas tariffs.
3. What are you working on this and next week?
“Regulatory Authorities” is relatively a new concept for Turkey that brings a heavy duty for the professionals working on this issue. It is a difficult task to move from state-dominated energy market to the liberal energy market. Adaptation process has been challenging for all parties; government, public administration, private entrepreneurs, citizens and the judicial system. After the privatisation process and licensing duties, EMRA started to focus on the tariff system. First implications of the regulated tariff system for the private companies showed us the biggest challenge is on the legal system. Nowadays I am dealing with the legal cases, like most of my colleagues, arising from tariff regulations. Regulatory authorities should be the part of the legal system in order to avoid this complexity. This is one of my main reasons to go for law education.
4. What is the biggest challenge in your job or working field?
There is a nice saying about our job; “if nobody hates you, you’re doing something wrong”. All parties must hate us in an equal intensity. This is the biggest challenge in my job.
5. What do you like most of working in the energy field?
After having Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering degree, I started to work for an international oil company, Perenco, as a Petroleum Engineer. Afterwards, I strengthened my academic qualifications in social science. I have continued with MBA and Ph.D. on finance. Parallel to this shift, I started to work for the Regulatory Authority, so moved away from “Actual Field Experience”. After the years, I can say the best of working in the energy field is “Smell of the Oil and the Sound of Drilling Wells”, that I miss a lot.
6. With whom (in or outside the energy field) would you like to have dinner? Where would you eat and about what would you like to talk?
I’d like to have dinner with a person who will be a billionaire in the coming years. I’d like to eat in the fantastic view of Bosphorus, Istanbul and talk about his/her offer for our joint venture.
7. The website www.globalenergyprofs.com is a platform for the global community of energy professionals. What do you expect from such a platform?
I expect that such platforms to provide me dynamic, original content and connection opportunities for the global energy industry.
Okan YARDIMCI is Senior Energy Expert at the National Energy Market Regulatory Authority of Turkey, EMRA, headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. Moreover, he gives lectures at some universities and participates in many conferences. He is publishing his articles and materials on the web: www.enerjiuzmani.blogspot.com.
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