Kamel Ben Naceur was born in Gafsa, Tunisia, into a family of eight children. He grew up in the highly competitive Tunisian and French education systems. He was one of the few people to be accepted into and study simultaneously at the two most coveted French engineering schools, École Polytechnique and the École Normale Supérieure, earning both an engineering degree and an agrégation de mathématiques. After graduation, Ben Naceur began his remarkable career with Schlumberger, where he held positions in R&D, operations, and economics and led various R&D initiatives in 3D model development, acid fracturing, reservoir simulation, and CO2 capture and storage. He then moved to corporate positions in SLB, heading Marketing and Technology, before becoming SLB’s group Chief Economist. In 2014, Ben Naceur became Tunisia’s Minister for Industry, Energy, and Mines. The work done by the Tunisian government at this time earned the country the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. In 2015, Ben Naceur became the International Energy Agency’s Director for Sustainability, Technology, and Outlooks, providing guidance for international climate change negotiations. Ben Naceur also created the startup DAMORPHE, which focuses on nanotechnology and sustainability. Additionally, he has found ample time to volunteer at member societies, becoming SPE President during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. His work with SPE and AIME earned him the Distinguished Membership, Distinguished Service, Charles F. Rand Memorial Gold Medal Award, and the Sustainability and Stewardship in the Oil and Gas Industry Award. He is also the recipient of the Medal of Commandeur de l'ordre de la République of Tunisia and the Medaille d’Or of the city of Saint-Étienne.