LONDON OIL & ENERGY Forum 2019

Vera Blei

Global Director, Oil Markets, S&P Global Platts

As Global Director of Oil Markets, Vera is responsible for crude oil and refined product price assessments and oil market reporting around the world at S&P Global Platts. Prior to that, Vera was Content Director – Metals at Platts, responsible for ferrous and non-ferrous metals pricing, news and analysis globally. Previously, Vera launched a real-time steel news and price assessment service at Metal Bulletin and was named Steel Journalist of the Year 2016 by the World Steel Association. Earlier, Vera worked in pricing, news, marketing and business development roles across different energy markets (power, gas, LNG, coal, emissions, crude oil) for organizations including Platts, Gas Strategies and NYMEX. Vera has worked as a freelance journalist in Germany, the UK and Russia.

Chris Midgley

Head of Global Analytics, S&P Global Platts

Chris recently joined S&P Global Platts as the Head of Global Analytics and member of the Executive Committee. He has over 25 years’ experience in the oil industry starting his career engineering design and manufacturing with Exxon having gained degree in Chemical Engineering. In 1997 he joined Shell where he held a number of roles in Supply & Trading based both in Europe and Australia including heading up their Fuel Oil Trading Team. He spent five years in Strategy running Shell’s Downstream Management Consultancy and as Senior Strategy Adviser for Cost Reduction and Joint Venture Excellence.

In his most recent role before joining S&P Global Platts, he was Chief Economist to Shell Trading and Head of Oil Markets Analysis, where he advised business on short-term dynamics effecting Global Oil Markets in order to develop Trading Strategies. He led a team which model the future crude, oil products and chemicals trends in order to provide fundamentals and pricing to support strategic planning, and capital investment decisions across the Group. His most recent work included developing a Future Mobility Strategy for the Group and articulating the fundamental which will influence the Energy Transition.

Joel Hanley

Editorial Director, European & African Oil, S&P Global Platts

Joel Hanley is Senior Director, European and African Oil, responsible for Platts’ oil price assessments and market reporting in the region, including several benchmarks such as Dated Brent. Joel joined Platts in 2002, reporting on the crude oil markets of the North Sea, West Africa, Russia and the Middle East. Prior to his work at Platts, Joel wrote for Energy Risk magazine where he covered risk management and energy market deregulation. He also launched Oil & Gas Technology magazine for the Chinese market. Joel holds a degree in Russian and Information Technology from The University of Exeter.

Eleni Pittalis

Associate Editor, European & African Fuel Oil, S&P Global Platts

Eleni Pittalis is an Associate Editor for European & African Fuel Oil at S&P Global Platts. She joined Platts in March 2017 on the Commodity Associate Program and the fuel oil team permanently in September 2017. Prior to Platts Eleni graduated from Cass Business School in London with an MSc in Shipping, Trade and Finance.

Francesco Di Salvo

Team Leader, Clean Products, S&P Global Platts

Francesco Di Salvo is Managing Editor, Europe and African Middle Distillates. At Platts, he has been covering the refined product markets since 2013, focusing on gasoline and distillates in Europe and Africa.

Prior to joining Platts, Francesco analysed the upstream oil and gas markets, with field postings in Nigeria, UAE, Turkey and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where he followed the nascence and consolidation of the hydrocarbons industry.

Francesco holds a BA from the University of Bologna and an MSc from the London School of Economics (LSE).

Frank Konertz

Head of LNG Analytics, S&P Global Platts

Frank is S&P Global Platts Head of LNG Analytics, leading a global team of LNG analysts in the US, Europe and Asia focusing on fundamental analysis and forecasting. In a previous role Frank was responsible for the prompt and long term gas analysis service in Europe.

Prior to joining Platts in 2015, Frank held various analyst positions in the gas industry and as a management consultant in the energy industry.

He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Cologne, Germany and an MBA from Eastern Illinois University/USA. Frank is a certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM).

Shin Kim

Head of Supply and Production, Analytics, S&P Global Platts

Shin Kim leads the global supply and production team, which also includes political risk coverage, at S&P Global Platts. She oversees short and long term oil supply forecasts and balances, the World Oil Supply Data Portal, and high-frequency fundamental updates on supply. She also directs the Platts Analytics Political Risk Service. Shin joined PIRA, now part of S&P Global Platts, in 2014 after eight years of oil market analysis. She worked in oil and gas equity research covering Integrated Oils and Refiners, and global commodities strategy focusing on fundamental energy analysis at Merrill Lynch / Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She holds a B.A. in political science and economics from Swarthmore College.

Calvin Lee

Editorial Director, Asia Oil, S&P Global Platts

Calvin manages the market reporting team that assesses crude oil, refined products and Platts Forward Curve spot prices for the east of Suez markets.

Calvin joined Platts in October 2005, and was promoted to Managing Editor in June 2009. Calvin began to serve as Senior Writer, China in October 2010 and was responsible for overseeing Platts' coverage of all energy news across China market. In February 2012, Calvin took a leadership role to lead and coordinate the execution of Asian methodology changes and assist in the introduction of new price assessments in Asia. In June 2015, Calvin re-joined the oil team as Associate Editorial Director, Asia & Middle East oil markets, managing the crude, fuel oil, bunker and Platts Forward Curve markets coverage.

Calvin holds a degree in business administration from the National University of Singapore and a master’s degree in international business from Australia’s Curtin University.

Herman Wang

Senior Editor, Oil News, S&P Global Platts

Herman Wang is a London-based senior writer, oil news, for S&P Global Platts, reporting on OPEC. He covers OPEC’s semi-annual ministerial meetings in Vienna, and is the principal editor for Platts’ closely followed monthly OPEC production survey. Prior to this, he was a senior editor for Platts based on Washington, D.C., covering US energy policy. He was a co-creator and co-host of Platts Capitol Crude, The US Oil Policy Podcast, which won the 2015 Jesse H. Neal Award for best webcast. Herman is a Northwestern University alum and worked for daily newspapers in Tennessee, North Carolina and Pennsylvania before joining Platts in 2009.

Stuart Elliott

Senior Writer European Gas & LNG, S&P Global Platts

Stuart is S&P Global Platts' Senior Gas Writer for European gas and LNG with a focus on supply and demand market dynamics. He has been at Platts since 2003 and held previous roles in the company as the regional editor for Platts' flagship oil newsletter Oilgram News and the head of Platts' Europe & Africa oil news team.

He holds a Master's degree from the University of Bath and speaks French and German.

Paula VanLangingham

Managing Editor, EMEA Crude Oil, S&P Global Platts

Paula VanLaningham is the Managing Editor of the European, Middle East and African crude oil team at Platts in London. Her primary focus has been on the Russian, Mediterranean and Middle East crude markets, but she has also been responsible for Platts’ coverage in the North Sea and West Africa, among the most widely used price assessments globally. She began her career at Platts looking at both the European jet fuel and light ends markets. Paula graduated from the London School of Economics with a Master’s of Science degree in International Political Economy and with Latin Honors from the George Washington University in Washington DC with a degree in International Politics and European affairs.

Katherine Dunn

Editor, Light Ends, S&P Global Platts

Katherine Dunn is an associate editor covering LPG in London. Previous to Platts, she worked at the Wall Street Journal / Dow Jones and for Canadian media. She has a master’s degree in journalism from City University, London and the University of Aarhus.

Peter Norfolk

Editorial Director, Global Shipping & Freight, S&P Global Platts

Peter joined Platts in 2013 having served in a variety of roles providing research and reporting on freight markets since 1998. Prior to joining Platts, Peter was Research Director for Freight Investor Services between 2010 and 2013, where he was responsible for providing market intelligence for FIS's clients and its brokers. Peter covered dry bulk markets as a Director at SSY Consultancy & Research from 2002 to 2010, and covered freight markets for Informa Maritime & Transport and Baltic Publishing in 1998-2002. Peter has a degree in English Language & Literature from Christ Church, at the University of Oxford.

Barbara Troner

Managing Editor – Americas Tanker Markets, S&P Global Platts

Barbara manages the Houston-based shipping team covering the Americas clean and dirty tanker markets, including freight rates, news and analysis. She rejoined Platts in Houston in November 2015 after she had worked for the company first in London in the late 1980s and later in Singapore from 1993-1995, reporting on naphtha, fuel oil, and bunker spot prices and markets. From 1995-2015, Barbara directed statistical research on East of Suez refining capacities, petroleum product balances, specifications, and pricing analysis at Asia Pacific Energy Consulting. Barbara also has experience in the coordination of commercial and marketing projects in the petroleum storage industry at Oiltanking.

Pradeep Rajan

Senior Managing Editor, Asia Pacific Shipping & Freight, S&P Global Platts

Pradeep Rajan leads the team of editors based in Singapore who are responsible for Platts coverage of the Asia Pacific shipping markets. He was the first tanker market editor to join the team, and was closely involved in the launch of the Dry Freight Wire – Platts’ first publication covering Capesize, Panamax, Supramax, Handymax and Handysize segments. Pradeep has spoken extensively at Platts and international oil and shipping forums and with the media. Prior to joining Platts, Pradeep worked for Singapore’s national newspaper – The Straits Times – as a financial journalist at its Money Desk. He has a Masters in journalism and mass communication from India’s University of Mysore.

Francis Browne

Editorial Director, Price Group, S&P Global Platts

Francis joined S&P Global Platts in 2006, to head their steel initiative, ultimately launching and developing benchmarks in both steel and raw materials such as ferrous scrap, coking coal and iron ore. Now an Editorial Director in contents Price Group, he leads a global team of market & methodology specialist with responsibility for price assessment methodology development across Platts growing commodity market reporting. Francis became a standing member of the Methodology Coordination Committee in 2015 where he sits with colleagues from all commodity groups to resolve price assessment methodology issues. Prior to joining Platts, Francis spent over 20 years trading steel and raw materials, becoming a Director at Coutinho Caro & Co Ltd in 1993. He also held senior management positions at Stemcor and Ferrostaal A.G. He initially trained at Mitsui & Co in London, having graduated in 1984 with a degree in Economics from the University of Northumbria, UK.

John-Laurent Tronche

Market Engagement Manager, Europe and Africa, S&P Global Platts

John-Laurent Tronche is the market engagement manager for Europe and Africa, based in London. John-Laurent leads S&P Global Platts’ cross-commodity engagement efforts in the region. John-Laurent previously led the Americas crude oil team and Americas fuel oil and bunker fuel teams from Houston. John-Laurent joined Platts in 2010 and has also reported on refined oil products, electric power and natural gas markets.

Alex Younevitch

Managing Editor, EMEA Freight Markets, S&P Global Platts

Alex Younevitch is the managing editor for EMEA freight markets at S&P Global Platts. He Joined Platts in 2013 after previously enjoying a successful shipbroking career. Alex manages Platts' tankers, dry bulk and container teams in London, overseeing over 100 of daily freight assessments and three daily publications. He started in his current role in May 2014, having previously been an associate editor for EMEA shipping. Alex has a 1st class BA Honours degree in International Supply Chain and Shipping Management from the University of Plymouth.

John Morley

Managing Editor, EMEA Fuel Oil, S&P Global Platts

John Morley is the Managing Editor of the EMEA Fuel Oil team. Prior to that he was an editor in the European and African crude oil team for over a year, with his primary focus on the North Sea crude market. John also spent three years covering the West of Suez dirty and clean freight markets at Platts. He previously worked as a bond analyst with Informa Global Markets. John holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and an MSc in Financial Economics from University College Cork.