CERAWeek in the shadow of war: How the conflict is reshaping the global energy conversation

Leading executives from the world’s most influential energy companies are gathered in Houston for CERAWeek, often described as the industry's Super Bowl, as the Iran war rattles global markets. The conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has disrupted supplies and raised concern over the stability of key routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. In this special live-recorded episode of Business Extra, host Salim A Essaid looks at how one of the most important international energy gatherings is unfolding in the shadow of war. Reinforcing a sense that this is not business as usual, major industry leaders, including Saudi Aramco chief executive Amin Nasser and the head of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Sheikh Nawaf Al Sabah, have withdrawn from in-person appearances. At the same time, oil markets are reacting sharply to developments on the ground. Prices have surged on fears of disruption, then pulled back on signals of potential de-escalation, highlighting how geopolitics is driving sentiment as much as fundamentals. In this episode Robin Mills, chief executive of Qamar Energy, The National's Kyle Fitzgerald – reporting from CERAWeek, geoeconomics editor Manus Cranny and assistant business editor Jennifer Gnana discuss what all this means for energy markets, industry decision-making and the broader global economy.