Santiago Bañales serves as the Managing Director of Iberdrola Innovation Middle East, a leading global center for digital solutions development in sustainability. He is part of Iberdrola, a Spanish multinational electric utility company recognized as a global leader in renewable energy and smart grids and one of the largest electricity firms globally based on stock market capitalization. Since 2016, Bañales has spearheaded AI-driven and other digital solutions based on cutting-edge research at the center, focusing on innovations enabling the energy transition. With a career spanning nearly 30 years in the energy sector, Bañales has held a variety of executive positions in areas such as R&D, digital product development, management consulting, mergers and acquisitions, general management, and board directorships. His leadership has consistently spurred innovation and growth in the organizations he has been part of. Before his current role, he served as the CEO of Ormazabal Current, a worldwide smart grid products manufacturer with facilities in the USA, Australia, Switzerland, and Spain. Bañales has also been a prominent speaker at major global and regional events, including the Green Hydrogen Summit, Enlit Europe, Qatar Economic Forum, World Utilities Congress, World Investment Forum, Corporate Innovation Summit (Web Summit), and Tarsheed Energy Efficiency Forum, where he has shared his insights on digital innovation,sustainability, and the future of the energy sector. He is an alumnus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he earned a Master of Science in Technology and Policy. Bañales also holds a dual Bachelor of Science in Energy Engineering from École Centrale Paris and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and Certificate in Corporate Governance – International Directors Programme from INSEAD.