Rafael Santamaria

Rafael Santamaria has a diverse work experience in the energy sector. Rafael worked as a Commercial Lead at CEPSA, where they handled non-operated Joint Ventures and provided expert advice on managing upstream contracts. Prior to that, they served as a Senior Petroleum Economist at Quorum Software, delivering fiscal-economics and O&G business solutions to clients. Rafael also worked as a Coordinator at Enagás, managing international natural gas assets. Additionally, they were a Partner at Plata Energy LLC, where they advised financial institutions and evaluated ESG initiatives. Earlier in their career, they held various roles at Ecopetrol and TrustWorth Energy Partners, focusing on business development and operations engineering. Rafael also worked as a Professional Intern at the Department of the Interior and as a University Professor in Petroleum Engineering.

Rafael Santamaria holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Universidad Industrial de Santander, which they obtained from 1999 to 2004. Rafael also earned a Master of Science degree in Mineral & Energy Economics from the Colorado School of Mines from 2011 to 2013. In 2019 to 2020, they pursued a Master's in Energy Business with a focus on European Power & Renewables -Energy Transition- at the Club Español de la Energía. In terms of certifications, Rafael received training in Negotiate Like a Lawyer from LinkedIn in 2023, completed a course on Dan Ariely's Making Decisions from LinkedIn in 2022, achieved proficiency in the German language at the Goethe-Institut e.V. in 2020, attended an English as a Second Language program at the Manchester Academy of English in 2011, and became an Internal Auditor for Quality Management System - ISO 9001 in September 2008.