Fatih Birol eyes top job at global energy watchdog IEA The Telegraph understands that Fatih Birol, currently chief economist at the IEA has formally registered an interest in succeeding Ms van der Hoeven next year as executive director at the Paris-based watchdog, which is responsible for helping to advise 29 major industrial nations such as the UK on energy policy. However, Mr Birol who has previously worked at Opec, could prove to be a controversial candidate with some of the IEA's governing board due to his former links with the oil producing cartel, which controls a third of the world's supply. "It will be up to the IEA governing board next year to decide on a successor; candidates have until the end of December to submit applications," Greg Frost, head of public affairs in a statement to the Telegraph. The IEA Secretariat has no information about the identities of potential candidates as this process is confidential and is directly handled by the governing board. Under its charter, all IEA countries which are net oil importers must stockpile at least 90 days" worth of the previous year's imports in order to safeguard against any sudden disruptions to world energy markets. According to the IEA, its members now hold in storage about 44 days of total global consumption. Mr Birol, who is one of the most experienced and respected figures in world energy, is in charge of the IEA major annual research document, the World Energy Outlook. This year's 726-page edition warned that major problems lay ahead if investment into new sources of hydrocarbons fell due to the current slump in oil prices. He also warned about the ongoing risk to global oil prices from the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, despite Opec's recent willingness to keep pumping crude regardless of falling prices.