

The HC Commodities Podcast
Paul Chapman, HC Group
For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global
Each day, around the world, we have fascinating one-on-one conversations with our connections in the commodities sector. Our collaborators are uniquely informed, creative and inspirational in their fields. We want to provide our community a seat alongside us, listening in to these conversations in that special way podcasting provides as we tackle topical and people related issues with the leaders and leading minds in our sector. Visit www.hcgroup.global more information on us and our services.
To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/
Each day, around the world, we have fascinating one-on-one conversations with our connections in the commodities sector. Our collaborators are uniquely informed, creative and inspirational in their fields. We want to provide our community a seat alongside us, listening in to these conversations in that special way podcasting provides as we tackle topical and people related issues with the leaders and leading minds in our sector. Visit www.hcgroup.global more information on us and our services.
To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 17, 2020 • 34min
Hydrogen: something for everyone
Joining us to explain the why, what and how of hydrogen is Dr JJ Traynor, principal and co-founder of HydrogenOne Capital – an investment firm dedicated to the sector. JJ brings 30 years of energy and finance experience and walks us through the industry today and predictions about what (and where) it will be over the coming decades. Grey, Blue, Green and Turquoise, we cover it all.

Nov 11, 2020 • 46min
The US Natural Gas Market: The last decade and the next
Lower prices, lower volatility and increased transparency, led participants to exit and drive consolidation. Now that dynamic could be set to change as US production is under threat from low prices and weak investment and the US gas market goes global with LNG. Joining us to discuss the US Natural Gas market’s history and future is Peter Tumminello, Group President, Commercial Businesses, Southern Company Gas – a family of gas companies offering a range of products and services from storage, transmission and marketing and trading, which is a division of Southern Company, one of the US’s largest utilities.

Nov 4, 2020 • 39min
The China Gas Market
2020 saw the creation of PipeChina to further streamline the market’s transportation and distribution. It is also a unique market with differences at the political, regulatory and market structure level (LNG is trucked around the country!). Is it the next big trading opportunity in natural gas? Will it go on to dominate LNG import market? Joining us to discuss this fascinating market and its future is Mark Lay, Deputy General Manager of Derivatives Trading at ENN – the country’s largest publicly traded utility and natural gas distributor.

Oct 29, 2020 • 40min
Technology-driven change in the commodities sector
Joining us to discuss three big ways the market will change over the next 5 years is Simon Collins, CEO and Founder of TradeCloud, a Director at EdgePetrol and former Head of Bulk Trading at Trafigura. Simons uses his wealth of experience in running trading businesses and in launching, and investing in, technology centered solutions to the commodities sector to give us his take on where, how and to whom change is coming.

Oct 20, 2020 • 39min
Private Equity: The good, the bad and the ugly
It has also brought losses as investors and investments have been challenged, and even surprised, by the risks in commodities. Furthermore, it may also be facing an industry reckoning of epic proportions in the shale industry. Joining us to discuss PE is David Port, a partner at TDI Capital advisors, and commodities market veteran.

Oct 7, 2020 • 41min
Managing Climate Change Risks in the Commodities Sector
Often, energy and natural resource production is located in areas more prone to climate change, and frequently in emerging market nations, climate change risks highlight the protection/risk transfer "gap" that can lead to economic or political instability. A recent Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) report highlighted the risks posed by climate change while urging the development of new products and derivatives needed by businesses to manage the risks. In this episode, Brian Beebe, Head Origination Weather & Energy Americas, at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, gives us a guided tour of what businesses face and the innovative risk transfer tools available and in development to manage and even profit from the change.

Sep 30, 2020 • 41min
The Long Term Impacts of COVID-19 on the Commodity Markets
Will COVID-19 accelerate changes to how commodities are traded? Will we see more failures and further pull back of trade finance? Or will COVID-19 trigger a resurgence in opportunities for trading businesses with a retrenchment in globalization and a new concern of supply chain security. Craig gives us his insight and even some predictions.

Sep 23, 2020 • 33min
Making a good commodity trader
We look at the common attributes and behaviors required to be a successful trader. We examine how the environment of the trader can support or hinder performance. We look at how motivations and performance can change over time and what career paths are open to individuals. Finally, we look at how the skillset itself is changing as technology continues to evolve the role.

Sep 16, 2020 • 33min
Building a commodity trading business: rewards and risks
2020 has highlighted how trading platforms can protect natural resource producers price shocks and boost earnings through extracting more value from the products and with better reach into the market place. Those oil majors with trading groups have significantly outperformed their peers without. With producers of natural resources around the world building or retooling trading platforms in response, it is a good time to consider what a trading business is, what it can offer and what factors lead to success or disaster. Colin and his partners at Energex draw on their real world experience at the very top level in this industry to help organizations master this difficult business and he shares his insight with us.

Sep 9, 2020 • 38min
Investing in Commodities
Roy makes a compelling argument that all investors should follow the commodities sector and expands on the asset class' role in portfolio theory. Roy was involved in the creation of the first commodity index so we walk through some of the types of products available to gain exposure and express positions. We also look to the future. With COVID, Energy Transition and host of new commodities becoming ever more relevant, Roy also discusses what the future might hold for investors in the sector. We even touch on cryptos and water.


