European Conference
February 9 and 10, 2024 | Cambridge, MA

Sebastian Burduja

Minister of Energy - Government of Romania

Sebastian Ioan Burduja is a distinguished Romanian politician currently serving as the Minister of Energy. His political journey includes serving as the Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digitalization from 2022 to 2023 and being elected as a deputy of the National Party in 2020. Before entering the political arena, Burduja made significant contributions as a development specialist at the World Bank in Washington D.C. from 2012 to 2015, where he managed projects for Europe and Central Asia, particularly Romania, and authored numerous technical reports. His civic engagement is marked by his presidency of the Youth Civic Action Platform (PACT), a party he founded and led from its inception in 2016 until August 2019. Burduja was instrumental in promoting civic initiatives and was a key figure in the #diasporaacasa protest in August 2018. His academic pursuits are highlighted by his published works on topics like democracy and anti-corruption in Romania, including his book Between Hope and Disappointment. Democracy and Anti-Corruption in Post-Communist Romania, which is based on his Stanford University diploma paper. Recognized for his civic and political endeavors, Burduja was named by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation as one of six fighters for freedom in Eastern Europe in 2019 and was featured in Forbes’ “30 under 30” list in Romania. Burduja’s extensive experience and contributions across various sectors, including politics, civic engagement, academia, and finance, highlight his multifaceted impact on Romanian public life.