At the end of the last decade, Investment Banks dominated commodity trading. The best results, the biggest seats and the best paid. A few short years later and the majority had scaled back or exited. Why? What drove their success and their exit. Now, in the foothills of a commodity super-cycle and the volatility of the energy transition will we see the banks return? The 2021 results, matching the previous highs, of those few banks who stuck it out suggests so. And what will be different this time? Our guest is Kevin O'Reilly, veteran of the most successful banks in commodities, to take us on this sweep of commodity banking history. To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Trillions of dollars will be needed to transition the global industrial base away from fossil fuels. Unlike the digital revolution, this will be capital intensive and technologically diverse – many of such technologies may be transitory themselves. So, what is the role of the capital markets and the financial institutions that facilitate them? How can investors navigate such a multi-pathed journey? And what of the companies that are forging this route – what determines their valuations and access to funding? To discuss our guests are Citi’s Arash Nazhad, Managing Director of their Clean Energy Transition team and Blake Best who leads their private capital markets offering for the energy transition.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Trading is hard. Trading natural gas is trading on hard mode. The market has constantly evolved since its inception over the last twenty years ago, as regulation, transparency and market developments (e.g. shale) have changed the game. In the wake of those changes, many platforms and traders have left. So what does it take to survive and thrive as a trader in the energy markets? We turn to one of the most successful energy traders of all time to find the answers. Our guest is Bill Perkins, veteran gas trader, entrepreneur, author and founder of Skylar Capital. We discuss how the markets have evolved over the last twenty years and what it takes to be, and stay, relevant. To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

The mining sector faces powerful forces that are both disrupting it and creating opportunity. Customers are demanding greater transparency, while the energy transition continues to impact the entire supply chain. To maintain a competitive edge, mining businesses must adapt - reviewing everything from operational capability, to how they market and trade, and their culture and talent. In this episode, Oliver Wyman partner Roland Rechtsteiner takes us into the boardrooms of the world’s largest miners to evaluate their changing environment and the disruptive decisions they face. What will the miner of the future look like and what are the characteristics of the winners? To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

In this episode we talk with author Owain Johnson, on his recently published book, 40 Classic Crude Oil Trades. A unique window into the world of oil trading and the traders that drive the markets. The book is a collection of forty trades, contributed by the traders themselves,  which span the breadth and scope of oil trading. Owain walks us through four of the best stories, as well as why he decided to write the book and what he learned in the process about what makes a trader successful and common attributes they share. Owain has spent twenty years in the industry and is a Managing Director at the CME Group and heads global research. The book is published by Routledge and available in all good book retailers. To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Over the past 50 years, nuclear’s share of global power generation has consistently failed to meet predictions. Now installed capacity is declining and the fleet is aging. Why? Have we seen “peak nuclear”? And what are the consequences for the power markets? Now, many see nuclear as having a key role to play in the energy transition, especially with the concept of Small Modular Reactors. Will this too fail to meet expectations? In this episode we look at the economics, technology and policy environment that has led to the stark gap between expectations of both, industry and the public, and the reality. Our guest is Mycle Schneider, an independent nuclear policy analyst and advisor to governments, parliamentarians, think tanks, and the media. Mycle is the coordinator and publisher of the annual World Nuclear Industry Status Report  (WNISR). To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insider To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

PPAs unlocked the power of renewables leading to the sectors incredible rise over the past decade. These long term agreements, primarily selling the power to utilities, provided the foundation for a whole slate of new developers to create wind and solar farms across Europe and US. Everything worked well in a decade of low prices and low volatility. Then came 2021 and these long term PPAs created an existential risk to certain participants. Utilities have faced huge margin calls to manage their exposure to hedged PPAs warehoused on their balance sheets. What is the history of the PPA? What do the events of 2021 mean for the PPA going forwards? How will their structure and tenure change in response? And what will it do to the appetite of buyers and what will that mean for the renewable power industry? Our guest is Werner Trabesinger, Head of Quantitative Analytics at Pexapark, a software company enabling market players to sell, manage and buy renewable power. To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insider To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Fertilizers sit at the very heart of the commodities world. Their components are both mined and derived from hydrocarbons while their use underpins the agri sector. A truly global commodity but dominated by a handful of producers and traders. After a decade of low prices, last year saw prices quadrupled driven by energy price rises, shipping disruption and demand increase. What is the market structure? What does this all mean for market participants? Will fertilizers finally get a vibrant derivatives market? How will governments react to a prolonged price increase? What technologies might disrupt this sector? Our guest is Andres Santacruz, Head of Business Development for Fertilizers, Latin America and 10 year veteran in fertilizer trading. To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

In this special end of year episode, host Paul Chapman reviews some of the major themes of 2021 covered in the podcast and comments on the plans for 2022. To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Ukraine was the breadbasket and the energy engine for the Soviet Union. It was also the main energy transit route connecting the East to Europe. Now, after years of underinvestment in production it faces an energy deficit, and due to the uncertain political and security environment its role of gas transistor is rapidly disappearing. How can Ukraine meet its energy shortfall? What is the opportunity to invest in the Ukraine in this sky high energy price environment? What is the political environment inside the country and what do Ukrainians make of the Russian threat. To give us an independent overview of Ukraine and its energy sector is Robert Bensh. Robert is an independent oil and gas executive with 20 years experience operating in Ukraine.  To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/