Energy, Infrastructure Take Center Stage in Monterrey, Davos

Leaders from Mexico’s energy, financial, industrial and government sectors gathered in Monterrey for the 11th Mexico Infrastructure Projects Forum, an event focused on infrastructure development tied to electricity, hydrocarbons, natural gas and logistics across the country.

The forum opened with welcoming remarks from Jay Applewhite, chairman of Industry Exchange, who outlined an agenda centered on private investment, rising energy demand and the need for long-term infrastructure planning. The first day also featured a macroeconomic outlook presentation by Alejandro Padilla, deputy general director of economic and financial analysis at Grupo Financiero Banorte, who reviewed Mexico’s economic performance and prospects for the first half of 2026.

As discussions set the broader economic and investment context for infrastructure development, attention quickly turned to the electricity sector, where rising demand and regional planning are reshaping Mexico’s energy landscape and opening new opportunities for state-level investment. 

Representatives from state energy agencies in Campeche, Jalisco, Queretaro, Baja California, Veracruz and Nuevo Leon presented regional growth outlooks, power generation strategies and planning priorities shaped by industrial expansion and population growth.

Panels throughout the first day examined opportunities in power generation, renewable energy, transmission infrastructure and decarbonization, with a strong emphasis on environmental, social and governance, or ESG, criteria. Executives from energy companies, regulators and industry associations participated alongside senior officials from Mexico’s energy institutions.

Keynote presentations from representatives of the Energy Safety, Energy and Environment Agency (ASEA), the National Energy Control Center (CENACE) and private electricity companies complemented the panel discussions, offering perspectives on regulation, grid reliability and the evolving structure of Mexico’s power market.

Following the focus on electricity, the forum’s second day turned to natural gas and strategic infrastructure, highlighting their role in supporting industrial competitiveness and energy reliability. Sessions addressed liquefied natural gas, pipeline development, storage capacity and last-mile logistics, with participation from infrastructure operators, energy companies and sector associations.

Additional panels explored the wholesale electricity market, energy efficiency, regulatory frameworks and risk management, as well as financing mechanisms for large-scale energy infrastructure projects. National and international financial institutions took part in discussions on investment structures and long-term capital deployment.

The agenda also included dedicated sessions on the US-Mexico energy corridor, North American trade cooperation and Mexico’s 2025 Energy Reform, analyzing their legal, regulatory and commercial implications for the electricity, hydrocarbons and natural gas sectors.

With participation from government officials, developers, operators, investors and industrial energy users, the 11th Mexico Infrastructure Projects Forum offered a comprehensive snapshot of Mexico’s energy sector. Over two days, discussions underscored how investment, regulation, power generation and natural gas logistics directly influence planning, competitiveness and operational continuity across Mexico’s industrial base.

Mexico Promotes Green Agenda at Davos

While energy leaders convened in Monterrey, Mexico’s federal government delivered a parallel message on sustainability and investment at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, reported MBN.

Mexico’s delegation used the second day of meetings to promote the country’s sustainable development agenda, attract investment and position Mexico as a reference point for circular economy initiatives. Ahead of the Jan. 22 sessions, Environment Secretary Alicia Bárcena and Altagracia Gómez, coordinator of the Mexican presidency’s economic advisory group, briefed the press on Mexico’s priorities.

Bárcena said Mexico’s presence at Davos reflects the importance President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration places on direct dialogue with global business leaders and multilateral institutions. She described the forum as a key venue for addressing issues ranging from artificial intelligence to development and sustainability.

Those discussions, Bárcena said, have also served as a platform to present Plan México, the federal government’s US$277 billion development strategy unveiled in January 2025. She emphasized that the plan prioritizes sustainable development, social inclusion and shared prosperity, with a strong focus on import substitution while attracting investment in green industries and circular economy models.