ENERGY VETERANS TO DEAL WITH NEW CHALLENGES: DIRECTORS OF PEMEX AND CFE ANNOUNCED
On December 2, the office of President Felipe Calderón announced the appointment of the new heads of Pemex and Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE). Jesus Reyes Heroles has been named general director of Pemex and Alfredo Elias Ayub will continue serving as director of CFE.
* President Calderón opted for two political insiders with long government careers, an understanding of Mexico's energy sector, and a clear identification with the Partido Revolucionario Institutional (PRI) technocratic wing to head the key state-owned institutions.
* The political stature and high profile of both Reyes Heroles and Elias Ayub reinforce the notion that the Secretariat of Energy (SENER) is not expected to play a key role in interfacing with Congress and other political forces.
* The newly appointed heads of SENER, Pemex, and CFE bring both significant government experience and deep understanding of energy affairs, allowing them to be effective immediately. However, it is still unclear whether the new administration will pursue an energy policy designed to maximize revenues for the state or will address Mexico's increasing energy security challenges.
