Dr. Demetrios Papathanasiou

Global Director, Energy and Extractives World Bank

Dr Demetrios Papathanasiou leads more than 100 professionals at the Global Units of the Energy and Extractives Global Practice of the World Bank. He coordinates the overall strategic direction of the Practice, advances the knowledge and learning agenda for the Bank’s energy and extractives professionals, and oversees corporate reporting, trust funds, and partnerships for the Practice.

Demetrios has worked for more than 25 years with the World Bank Group on Energy and Infrastructure in Africa, Latin America, East Europe and the Balkans, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific Islands. He has contributed to developing energy policies in several countries and worked on power generation projects using many diverse technologies: thermal, hydropower, solar, wind, and geothermal. He has led large teams on complex utility and sector reforms, as well as sizeable public-private partnership transactions. As the Manager for the World Bank’s Energy Practice in South Asia (2016-2020), he was responsible for a portfolio of more than $10 billion and worked to increase renewable energy projects in the region, expand regional interconnections and exchanges, and modernize networks across the region.

A professional Electrical Engineer, Demetrios holds an MSc in Environmental Technology and a PhD in Energy and the Environment from Imperial College in London, UK.

2025 Agenda Sessions

Beyond Extraction: Building Infrastructure, Skills, and Value in African Mining

Explore Africa’s unique geological wealth and the transformative potential of its minerals in global value chains at this World Bank-hosted session. This dynamic event will focus on harnessing Africa's resource endowments for long-term, strategic industrial planning, value addition and infrastructure development, emphasizing the critical link between understanding resource locations and enabling strategic investments. The event will share on selective activities the World Bank is undertaking to enable the realization of a responsible mineral development that fosters value addition in Africa.

Monday 03 February 14:00 - 15:30 CTICC1

Industry Intel

Add to calendar 02/03/2025 14:00 02/03/2025 15:30 Beyond Extraction: Building Infrastructure, Skills, and Value in African Mining Explore Africa’s unique geological wealth and the transformative potential of its minerals in global value chains at this World Bank-hosted session. This dynamic event will focus on harnessing Africa's resource endowments for long-term, strategic industrial planning, value addition and infrastructure development, emphasizing the critical link between understanding resource locations and enabling strategic investments. The event will share on selective activities the World Bank is undertaking to enable the realization of a responsible mineral development that fosters value addition in Africa. CTICC1 Africa/Johannesburg

Industrialising Africa - what will it take to increase investment in midstream and downstream manufa

Why this government objective?
Unpacking enabling conditions for mining companies and international players to foray into local value addition for critical energy transition minerals
Understanding the perspectives of battery and electric vehicles manufacturers to better understand midstream opportunities and actions needed to unlock those segments
The role of private sector and state-owned enterprises in implementing the vision of governments to transform domestic mining sectors to deliver greater value addition

Tuesday 04 February 09:45 - 10:30 CTICC1

Disruptive Discussions

Add to calendar 02/04/2025 09:45 02/04/2025 10:30 Industrialising Africa - what will it take to increase investment in midstream and downstream manufa

Why this government objective?
Unpacking enabling conditions for mining companies and international players to foray into local value addition for critical energy transition minerals
Understanding the perspectives of battery and electric vehicles manufacturers to better understand midstream opportunities and actions needed to unlock those segments
The role of private sector and state-owned enterprises in implementing the vision of governments to transform domestic mining sectors to deliver greater value addition

CTICC1 Africa/Johannesburg

The symbiotic approach – strengthening global mineral supply through greater African industrialisati

What is the current state of financial mobilization available to producers, and how can additional avenues provide mutually strategic benefit?
What needs to be done to promote additional corridor development and regional market integration?
How can external partners act competitively within the African CRM space to properly deliver on Africa’s mineral potential?
Clustered development – in what ways will further industrialisation cataylse the development of connected economies & communities?

Tuesday 04 February 14:45 - 15:30 CTICC2

Intergovernmental Summit Track 1

Add to calendar 02/04/2025 14:45 02/04/2025 15:30 The symbiotic approach – strengthening global mineral supply through greater African industrialisati

What is the current state of financial mobilization available to producers, and how can additional avenues provide mutually strategic benefit?
What needs to be done to promote additional corridor development and regional market integration?
How can external partners act competitively within the African CRM space to properly deliver on Africa’s mineral potential?
Clustered development – in what ways will further industrialisation cataylse the development of connected economies & communities?

CTICC2 Africa/Johannesburg

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