Commodities trading has always been about having an informational edge. About having better data. With digitalization, data is now produced in exponentially larger quantities and so has our capacity to process it.With digitalization, data is now produced in exponentially larger quantities and so has our capacity to process it. Traders are spending millions on collating and analyzing it. Why are they doing this? Can it lead to a lasting competitive edge? Or should we be skeptical given the monumental costs and challenges in applicability and implementation. What does this mean for the role of a commodity trader?Alex Chandy, former energy trader and now CEO of 2DA, a data analytics software firm in commodities trading, gives us his insight.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/    

Energy and commodity trading is complex (consider both its physical and financial nature), and so are the rules and regulations surrounding it. Multiple regulators, jurisdictions and standards can apply to a single trade and much is left to the judgement of the actors.But the downsides to getting it wrong just once are enormous for organisations and individuals. In this episode we address compliance in the commodities world with Frank Hayden. What it is, what it means and how digitisation is changing how organisations, and regulators, manage it. Frank is VP Compliance at Calpine, a member of CFTC’s Market Risk Advisory Committee and Chair of the Energy Compliance Discussion Group with over 60 compliance professionals as members.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Every business faces ESG risks. Those risks are heightened in a sector defined by natural resource extraction and consumption, but so are the opportunities. The key to addressing these risks is having a good plan. A good plan can lead to more – cheaper financing, better valuations, differentiation, and talent attraction. Not having a plan can lead to exclusion from markets, departing employees, and legal exposure. In this episode, we talk to Milena Lopez, CEO of Keops Consulting, which provides advisory services around sustainability - projects, origination, and financing - in the commodities sector. Lopez explores what is driving and changing the landscape, what the risks are, and how you can create a plan.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

In this episode we focus on Clean Hydrogen’s current and future role in transportation, from the aerospace industry, to shipping, to roads. What is the current state of the technology? Where will we see the biggest opportunities and change and what infrastructures will be required.Helping us to navigate the history and future of hydrogen in transportation is Cody Bateman, CEO and Founder of GenH2 (www.discoverhydrogen.com), whose technologies are revolutionizing Clean Hydrogen delivery at the retail level within transportation. Cody brings 30 years of experience in Hydrogen technologies including work with Nasa and the US Department of Energy.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

HC Insider Podcast host Paul Chapman, Managing Partner of Human Capital, looks back at this year’s episodes and discusses the key trends that were identified in 2020 in the commodities sector from a talent perspective.Looking forward, he predicts what will be the pressing themes of 2021 and who will be in demand. For more information and a detailed analysis of 2020 visit www.hcInsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

By 2030, we will have a vibrant hydrogen economy. However, much investment is required to get to that stage and businesses and entrepreneurs need to commercialize projects far sooner than that to attract investors.To that end, Calvin Johnson, Head of Commercial at Proton Technologies guides us through the various pathways available now to commercialize hydrogen along the value chain.  A unique insight and must listen for all those interested in, or contemplating investing in, the hydrogen economy. Proton Technologies is a Calgary based technology company which produces clean hydrogen directly in the hydrocarbon reservoir.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Commodities is risky business. Individual traders have lost billions, companies have been sunk by ill-timed asset investments, and sanctions and tariffs can change a market overnight. The commodity market presents some unique risks to its participants, which is also why it can be an extremely lucrative sector. Risk management is designed to protect businesses from taking on unknown or too much risk, yet unforeseen losses and scandals continue.In this episode, David Port guides us through the unique sources of risk in the commodities business, the tools used to manage them, and the factors that continue to contribute to outsized and unexpected losses. We also look at what firms can do to build more effective risk management platforms and the future of the discipline. David has a been Chief Risk Officer for Noble Group, Eon Global Commodities and Citadel, among others.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

It has been a challenging couple of years for crude oil producers. Low prices, reticent investors over the impacts of energy transition and now COVID. Nick Allen, General Manager of Global Crude and NGLs at ConocoPhillips, joins us to discuss the state of the crude oil markets and the drivers behind the current trends from acquisitions and consolidation to the surge in returns from trading books. Nick also gives insight into ConocoPhillips’ recent announcement regarding the proposed acquisition of Concho Resources and how the firm is approaching energy transition and handling the global pandemic.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Is sustainability another cost the commodity trading world must face or does it present one of the biggest opportunities for the sector over the next decade – bringing new products, new markets and new points of differentiation? And if investors, financiers and customers demand it, can participants afford to ignore it?On November 10, 2020, Paul Chapman hosted a panel at the Reuters Commodity Trading Summit focused on sustainability and profitability in commodities trading. On the panel were Matthew Chamberlain, CEO of the London Metals Exchange and Andrew Lichter, VP Corporate Development and Strategy at the Mobius Risk Group. The panel discussed whether we need new products to capture sustainability attributes, how to build trust and track these products and what are the commercial drivers, the hurdles and opportunities for the commodities sector itself.  To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Will clean hydrogen be one of the most actively traded commodities in the next decade? Already exchanges are publishing prices and trading houses, shippers, utilities, and oil and gas producers are engaged in projects and building teams and regulators are discussing market structures.In this episode our guest, Erik Rakhou of Baringa Partners, walks us through the factors and steps it will take to get there, the various initiatives underway right now, and the likely journey the market will take. This is an unmissable episode for anyone considering the commercial opportunities in clean hydrogen now and in the future.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.comTo connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/