International Energy Forum

What International Energy Forum does

The International Energy Forum (IEF) is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1991 and headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that serves as a neutral platform for energy dialogue among ministers from producing, consuming, and transit countries. It represents more member countries than the IEA and OPEC combined and positions itself as the largest international organization of energy ministers. The IEF operates a portfolio of programs including the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) for transparent oil, gas, and coal market data, the IEA-IEF-OPEC Trilateral Work Program on energy outlooks, the Global Energy Solutions Initiative, the Circular Carbon Economy framework, the Methane Initiative, and newly added focus areas covering Hydrogen Market Pathways, Smart Energy, Infrastructure, Power, and Transport. Its core technology is JODI, which aggregates standardized energy supply, demand, and stock data from participating countries and redistributes it through major platforms including Argus, Bloomberg, and Thomson Reuters.

The IEF does not sell products or services; all dialogue, events, reports, and data initiatives are provided at no cost to participating member countries and stakeholders. Funding is derived from member-country contributions rather than commercial revenue, and the organization is governed by an Executive Board of member-state energy ministers under the IEF Charter. Strategic partnerships span the IEA, OPEC, IGU, IRENA, GECF, KAPSARC, BCG, IHS Markit (now S&P Global Commodity Insights), OFID, the European Union, and the G20, supporting high-level ministerial meetings, annual symposia, and joint research on energy security, investment, and transitions. The current Secretary General is Joseph McMonigle; senior leadership includes Dr Leila R. Benali as Chief Economist and Christof van Agt as Director of Energy Dialogue.

Customer segments comprise energy ministers and senior government officials (primary), energy industry CEOs participating in the Industry Advisory Council, and energy analysts and policy experts engaged in IEF symposiums and research. Distribution is event-driven: ministerial meetings, symposia (e.g., the IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium on Energy Outlooks, IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum), research reports co-published with BCG and IHS Markit, free publications via the IEF website, and JODI data redistributed through Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters. Marketing relies on owned digital channels including the IEF website, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube (IEF TV), and email newsletters, combined with earned media through G20 participation and joint publications.

Name

International Energy Forum

Legal name

International Energy Forum

Website

https://ief.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Energy Forum (IEF) is a Riyadh-based intergovernmental organization that facilitates global energy dialogue among ministers from producing, consuming, and transit countries. It operates the JODI energy data initiative and partners with IEA, OPEC, IRENA, and the G20 on energy security, market transparency, and transitions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intergovernmental Energy Policy Forum

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Environment, Climate & Sustainability Congresses (THAHAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grid Interconnection, Transmission Policy & Market Rules (EUAMANAC), Energy, Utilities & Natural Resources Regulators (BPAIAOAJ), Energy Justice, Equity & Ratepayer Impact Analysis (EUAMANAN), Real Assets — Energy & Power Infrastructure (Renewables, Conventional, Storage) (FSAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Intergovernmental energy dialogue
• Energy market transparency
• Energy data initiative
• Energy policy dialogue
• Ministerial energy forums

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Intergovernmental Membership Support: The IEF is an intergovernmental organization that does not generate commercial revenue. It operates as a platform for energy dialogue among member countries, facilitating collaboration between producing and consuming nations on energy security, market transparency, and energy transitions. The organization publishes research reports and hosts events supported by member contributions and partnerships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The International Energy Forum operates a neutral intergovernmental platform that convenes energy ministers from producing, consuming, and transit countries to facilitate dialogue on global energy security, market transparency, and sustainable energy transitions. It delivers value through ministerial meetings, symposiums, research reports, and the JODI (Joint Organisations Data Initiative) energy database tracking oil, gas, and coal markets across participating countries.

Product overview

The International Energy Forum operates as a neutral intergovernmental platform for global energy dialogue, offering a unified suite of products and programs. At its core is the Global Energy Dialogue Platform, which serves as the foundational mechanism for facilitating ministerial-level discussions among energy producers, consumers, and transit countries. The platform integrates several specialized programs: JODI (Joint Organisations Data Initiative) provides energy data transparency for oil, gas, and coal; the IEA-IEF-OPEC Trilateral Work Program coordinates energy outlook analysis; and the Global Energy Solutions Initiative (GESI) explores sustainable transition pathways. The organization produces investment reports in partnership with BCG and IHS Markit, hosts IEF-TV for event content, and manages focused programs on Circular Carbon Economy, Methane Initiative, and Energy Security. The portfolio is delivered through regular ministerial meetings, symposiums, and the IEF-TV media service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Global Energy Dialogue Platform A neutral intergovernmental platform that brings together energy ministers from producing, consuming, and transit countries to engage in dialogue on global energy security, market transparency, and energy transitions across all fuels and technologies.
• JODI (Joint Organisations Data Initiative) An international initiative that improves energy data transparency by tracking oil, gas, and coal production, supply, demand, and stocks across participating countries. JODI data is distributed through Argus, Bloomberg, and Thomson Reuters.
• IEA-IEF-OPEC Trilateral Work Program An ongoing collaborative program between IEA, IEF, and OPEC covering energy outlooks and interactions between physical and financial energy markets, including annual symposia on energy, gas, and coal market outlooks.
• IEF Investment Reports

Quantifiable outcome

• Enhanced energy market transparency through JODI data covering oil, gas, and coal markets distributed globally
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• IHS Markit (now S&P Global Commodity Insights)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2021IEF partnered with IHS Markit to produce the 'Investment Crisis Threatens Energy Security' report. The partnership provides independent market analysis and data on upstream oil and gas investment trends and energy market outlooks.
• International Energy Agency (IEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2020IEF collaborates with IEA on the IEA-IEF-OPEC trilateral work program covering energy outlooks. The three organizations jointly organize the annual Symposium on Energy Outlooks and the Symposium on Gas and Coal Market Outlooks. This partnership provides a neutral platform for comparative analysis of energy projections from producer and consumer perspectives.
• Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2020IEF collaborates with OPEC on the IEA-IEF-OPEC trilateral work program. Joint activities include the annual Symposium on Energy Outlooks, Symposium on Gas and Coal Market Outlooks, and comparative analysis reports on energy market projections. The partnership bridges producer-consumer perspectives on global energy markets.
• European Union (EU)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2020IEF co-hosts annual IEF-EU Energy Day events with the EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. These events focus on cooperation regarding energy efficiency, renewable energies, and the Circular Carbon Economy platform within the G20 IEF Knowledge Sharing Framework.
• OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2019IEF and OFID co-organized the 4th IEF-OFID Symposium on Energy Poverty, held in Cape Town, South Africa. The symposium focused on energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa and options for closing the energy access gap.
• King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Centre (KAPSARC)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 February 2019KAPSARC collaborates with IEF on energy research, particularly in hosting the 1st IEF-IRENA Seminar on Renewable and Clean Energy Technology Outlooks. KAPSARC's President co-hosted this event at IEF Headquarters in Riyadh.
• International Gas Union (IGU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2018IEF and IGU co-host the biennial IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum. The forum brings together ministers, heads of international organizations, CEOs, and officials to discuss gas market technologies, demand growth, and supply security. Sessions focus on gas technologies in low-carbon energy systems, demand beyond power generation, and supply diversification.
• Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2012GECF participates in IEA-IEF-OPEC joint symposiums on energy outlooks and gas market analyses. The forum provides expertise on gas market trends and energy economics for comparative analysis.
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEF and IRENA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together and seek greater dialogue and cooperation on energy issues. IRENA's Director-General has participated in IEF events and symposiums, presenting perspectives on global energy transformation based on renewables.
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIEF partnered with BCG to produce the report 'Oil and Gas Investment in the New Risk Environment' analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on energy investment. BCG served as knowledge partner providing analytical expertise on investment trends and market risks.
• S&P Global Commodity InsightssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerS&P Global Commodity Insights serves as Chief Knowledge Partner for the Global Energy Solutions Initiative (GESI), convened by IEF. The initiative provides a neutral platform to explore sustainable energy transition approaches at lowest cost and greatest societal benefit.
• Group of 20 (G20)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerIEF is an active participant in G20 meetings and energy-related working groups. G20 Leaders have endorsed IEF to facilitate intensive dialogue between producers and consumers on energy markets. The partnership involves IEF presenting dialogue insights and reports at G20 workshops and ministerial meetings on energy security, market stability, and sustainability.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ief_dialogue
• YouTubeyoutube.com/IEFSHQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/IEFdialogue
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ief-international-energy-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Energy Forum