Julian Cardenas

Prof. Julian Cardenas is a professor of Transnational Petroleum Law and Diplomacy and Geopolitics of Oil and Gas at the University of Houston Law Center and Director of the Center for U.S. and Mexican Law. He is affiliated with UH Energy, where he frequently works with companies, public authorities, and governments on oil and gas law and policy through technical assistance programs. In 2018, he led a UH Energy team providing technical assistance to the Republic of Gabon’s hydrocarbons-sector legal and regulatory reform, contributing to efforts to restore the country’s attractiveness to foreign investment. Over the last seven years, he served as Director of the Ad Hoc Administrative Board of Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), recognized by the U.S. government, overseeing PDVSA assets abroad, including CITGO Petroleum Corporation, amid a $25 billion dollars litigation saga. He is a former Venezuelan career diplomat and has acted as an expert in Venezuelan Law in international arbitration, bringing together academic, governmental, diplomatic, and industry perspectives on global energy challenges.