"Hydrogen has a key role to play in energy security”: François Jackow shares his analysis of the industry
Published on September 21, 2026
2 minutes
François Jackow, CEO of Air Liquide and Co-Chair of the Hydrogen Council, speaks with its CEO, Ivana Jemelkova in the very first episode of the “Those Who Build” podcast from the Hydrogen Council. A frank discussion on market realities, the challenges of scaling up, and the need to act collectively in support of the energy transition.
Listen to or watch the full episode
Global hydrogen economy: a sober yet optimistic “6/10”
While acknowledging the major progress and investments made in recent years, François Jackow gives the global hydrogen economy a score of 6/10. His assessment: the industry must now accelerate to move from ambition to large-scale industrial achievements. To do so, it cannot do without an appropriate regulatory framework:
We have to work also with the government, the policy maker to frame the proper support and framework to create the demand.
Accelerating the scale-up
François Jackow also takes the opportunity in this podcast to highlight the driving role of industry leaders in propelling the scale-up and shaping the market environment:
What we need today is to accelerate the scale, but not just one element of the chain. We need to start with the demand to pull basically the full value chain and to be able to build the infrastructure, the system which is going to supply the solutions to those needs.
Energy sovereignty and security at the heart of the debate
In the face of current and past crises, hydrogen is emerging more than ever as a key driver, not only for decarbonizing sectors that are difficult to electrify, but also for strengthening resilience and energy security.
Want to learn more?
Co-founded by Air Liquide in 2017 alongside 12 pioneer companies, the Hydrogen Council is a global, CEO-led coalition of over 140 industry leaders dedicated to advancing hydrogen’s role in industrial competitiveness, energy resilience, and global decarbonization. Since December 2025, the Council has been co-chaired by François Jackow alongside Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chair Jaehoon Chang.
Drawing on real-world data from Air Liquide and other members of the Hydrogen Council, the Global Hydrogen Compass report, published annually, provides an operational framework for understanding the entire value chain. It highlights the key factors necessary to align policy ambitions, the economic viability of projects, and the creation of sustainable industrial demand.