World Coal Leaders Network 2023
Join peers from across Europe at the region's premier coal trading event. You will make new connections, reconnect with old, and be able to negotiate deals across the three days. Experts will be on hand to share the latest supply and demand outlooks, discuss macro and regional trading dynamics, and share pricing updates to better inform your trading position. As the world transitions to Net Zero, this is your time to learn from, and share, best practice with your peers on the challenges and opportunities this transition creates.
Join the global coal supply chain
This is Europe’s largest gathering of 300+ coal decision-makers, where you can connect with peers old and new to understand where the market is going next. With hours of networking built into the agenda, you can achieve all your business objectives under one roof.
Understand the shifting energy market
2023 has seen record import levels to China and other key regions, so what does that mean for future demand? Is this re-stocking, or a sign of ongoing demand? How is Europe’s demand shaping up for 2024 and beyond?
Get ahead of phasing out timelines
As the globe moves towards Net Zero targets, where are the opportunities over the next decade? Hear insights on the policies driving this, and the transition strategies attached to them.
Speakers
Rodrigo Echeverri
Head of Research
Noble Resources
Rodrigo Echeverri
Head of Research
Noble Resources
Rodrigo Echeverri has worked in commodities for over 15 years, holding roles in Marketing and Research in South America, Europe and Asia. He has worked for the largest producers and traders in the industry, including Cerrejón (CMC), Adaro and Noble. He is currently Head of Research at Noble Resources, covering over 12 different products for five trading desks. Rodrigo is based in Singapore, where he is a permanent resident along with his family. He co-lectures the course “Commodities: Fundamentals and Modelling” at the National University of Singapore.
Lars Schernikau
Energy Economist, Shareholder
HMS Bergbau AG
Lars Schernikau
Energy Economist, Shareholder
HMS Bergbau AG
Dr. Lars Schernikau joined the commodity business in 2003 and before worked at The Boston Consulting Group in New York, USA and Munich, Germany from 1997-2003. As a co-founder, shareholder and former member of the supervisory board in the German-based, publicly listed, international commodity marketing and mining companies HMS Bergbau AG and IchorCoal NV, Lars has founded, worked for, and advised a number of companies in the global raw material sector in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. Currently, Lars focuses on further developing the companies’ global operations as well as marketing of energy and other commodities in Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Indian subcontinent. HMS has been marketing US coal and petcoke products for over a decade. Dr. Lars Schernikau – With two decades immersed in the commodity industry, his journey began at The Boston Consulting Group in the USA and Germany from 1997 to 2003, shaping his deep understanding of global markets. Lars also managed a Germany based wind farm from 2003 to 2006. As a co-founder, shareholder, and former board member of the supervisory board at both HMS Bergbau AG and IchorCoal NV – German-based, publicly listed, international commodity marketing and mining companies – Lars´ experience spans across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. He has founded, steered, and advised enterprises across the global raw material sector, leaving a lasting imprint. Currently, Lars directs his expertise towards further enhancing HMS’ global commodity operations and driving energy and commodity marketing across Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Indian subcontinent. Notably, HMS has been a key player in coal, ore, and cementitious product markets since 1995. The company develops and operates various logistics and mining assets. Beyond the commodity business, Dr. Schernikau is a renowned energy economist and keynote speaker at global energy and commodity forums world-wide. His counsel on macro and energy economics extends to governments, banks, educational institutions, and conglomerates, shaping energy policies. With published books, scientific research, and press articles on energy policy and raw materials, his insights are held in high esteem. Lars has also peer-reviewed energy related books and research paper.
Carlos Fernández Alvarez
Senior Coal Analyst
International Energy Agency (IEA)
Carlos Fernández Alvarez
Senior Coal Analyst
International Energy Agency (IEA)
Dr Michal Meidan
Head of China Energy Research
Oxford Institute of Energy Studies
Dr Michal Meidan
Head of China Energy Research
Oxford Institute of Energy Studies
Dr Michal Meidan is Head of China Energy Research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Before joining OIES in July 2019, she headed cross-commodity China research at Energy Aspects. Prior to that, she headed China Matters, an independent research consultancy providing analysis on the politics of energy in China. Michal also held senior analytical roles at Eurasia Group in New York and London, and at Asia Centre-Sciences Po, Paris. She taught undergraduate courses on China’s political economy at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and has authored numerous academic articles. Michal also regularly provides comments for a wide variety of media outlets and is featured as a speaker at industry conferences. Michal holds a PhD in Political Science and East Asian studies from Sciences Po, Paris. She is fluent in Mandarin and French.
Alexis Ellender
Lead Major Dry Bulks Analyst
Kpler
Alexis Ellender
Lead Major Dry Bulks Analyst
Kpler
Alexis Ellender is Lead Major Dry Bulks Analyst at Kpler, the foremost provider of data and analytics in commodity markets. Based in London, he has over nine years’ experience in dry bulk commodity and dry freight research. Alexis joined the Insight Team at Kpler in March 2023 where he is leading the development and expansion of the company’s dry bulks research offering. This includes analysis of coal, iron ore, grain, and dry bulk shipping markets, supporting the development of Kpler’s dry bulks data offering, and authoring publications such as the Thermal & Met Coal Monthly report. Before joining Kpler, Alexis was a Director at Simpson Spence Young (SSY), one of the world’s largest shipbroking organisations where he worked for nine years as part of the SSY Consultancy & Research team. In addition to analysing major cargo flows and fleet developments his work included presenting to SSY’s clients, speaking at industry events, writing for company publications, and supporting broking staff. Alexis graduated from the University of Manchester with a BA in Geography and a MSc in Industry Trade and Development.
Sareena Patel
Associate Director – Thermal Coal
McCloskey by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company
Sareena Patel
Associate Director – Thermal Coal
McCloskey by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company
Sareena Patel is Associate Director, Thermal Coal Research. Sareena co-heads McCloskey’s thermal coal research team and has more than 15 years’ experience in the energy sector covering gas, power, and coal. In her current role, Sareena primarily focuses on the global seaborne market for thermal coal and is responsible for producing strategic insights and outlooks for thermal coal supply, demand, and prices. She is the author of the service’s flagship publication ‘Steam Coal Forecaster’ and over her career has written reports on a vast array of topics including coal-gas competition, energy transition, and the impact of wide-ranging policy changes. Sareena joined McCloskey by OPIS, a Dow Jones Company (previously IHS Markit’s Coal, Metals and Mining team) in 2012 from IHS Markit’s European Gas team, where she focused on midstream supply and demand analysis, infrastructure development, gas storage, and gas market flexibility. Her expertise also extends to the European power sector. Sareena has a BA (Hons) in Economics with French from the University of Durham, in the United Kingdom.
Anne-Sophie Corbeau
Global Research Scholar – Centre on Global Energy Policy
Columbia University
Anne-Sophie Corbeau
Global Research Scholar – Centre on Global Energy Policy
Columbia University
Anne-Sophie Corbeau is a Global Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University and a visiting professor at Sciences Po. She leads the Center's research on hydrogen and natural gas. Anne-Sophie has over 20 years of experience in the energy industry and is a recognized expert on natural gas. She is the author of many publications focusing on gas, LNG markets, hydrogen, Asia, China, India and Africa, including the book “LNG markets in transition: the great reconfiguration” (Oxford, 2016). She is also the co-chair of Gastech's governing body. Prior to joining the Center, Mrs Corbeau was a senior Leader and head of gas analysis at bp, where she was responsible for advising the Leadership Team on gas market developments and long-term pricing assumptions. As part of the Economic and Energy Insights team, she was leading the Energy Outlook’s analysis on gas, industry, nuclear and hydrogen. She also served as a member of bp France’s Comex (board). Before joining bp, she was a Research Fellow at KAPSARC (King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center) in Riyadh where she set up and expanded the natural gas program. She also worked for the International Energy Agency (IEA) where she was responsible for managing the research on global gas markets, and for IHS CERA. She began her career as an engineer working on fuel cells and hydrogen at Peugeot and Debis Systemhaus. Anne-Sophie holds an MSc from the Ecole Centrale Paris and an MSc from the University of Stuttgart
Hugh Lee
Energy Economist
Independent
Hugh Lee
Energy Economist
Independent
Hugh Lee has over forty years’ experience in the international coal industry. From 1976 to 1984, he led the worldwide work on coal supply, transport and trade for the International Energy Agency (IEA) Coal Research office. Then he was Deputy Head of British Coal’s Strategic Planning Unit, where his responsibilities included assessing the competition from gas and imported coal during the time when the electricity and coal industries in Britain were being privatised. In 1991, he joined the WEFA Group (now IHS Markit part of S&P Global) to manage and develop their international coal and electricity consultancy work. Since 1996, he has been an independent energy consultant in the coal and electricity industries worldwide, specialising in forecasting international coal trade and prices in the short and long term, and analysing how coal production and consumption needs to change to align with the Paris Agreement. From 2004 to 2016 Hugh was also Chairman of Ebico Ltd, the not-for-profit UK energy supplier whose purpose is to help the fuel poor. He has been a speaker and a lecturer at many international coal and energy conferences and courses, and he directed the well-respected Coaltrans ‘School of Coal’ courses on negotiating international coal supply contracts and transport logistics for over twenty years. Hugh has master’s degrees in mathematics, theology and operational research from Cambridge and Brunel Universities.
Learn more about the technologies that will assist energy transition, and delve into the end user requirements for coal throughout 2024.
Plus, you’ll gain insight into the latest supply and demand dynamics, in between meetings with key voices from across the global coal supply chain.
Can you afford to miss it?
Tickets
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END USER RATE
Rate available for end users only, subject to approval. Email us at conferences@fastmarkets.com to access this. Excludes 21% Spanish VAT
Platinum Sponsor
Xcoal Energy & Resources is a leading, worldwide supplier of U.S.A. origin metallurgical and thermal coals. Xcoal supplies low, mid and high volatile hard coking coals, semi soft coking, PCI and anthracite coals to steel customers and thermal coals to electric utility and industrial customers, globally. Innovative logistical processes support Xcoal’s nearly 11 million metric tons of metallurgical and thermal coal exports; specifically, the internationally recognized ‘top off’ operation maximizes vessel efficiencies demonstrating the long term sustainability and competitiveness of U.S.A. origin coals in the global market place. We take pride in our record of providing customers with reliable service, stable quality, and consistent supply.
Bronze Sponsor
Blink: Your all-in-one platform to trade and manage seaborne dry-bulk cargos.
Blink provides a comprehensive cargo trading solution, connecting businesses with trusted partners for successful negotiations. Our platform includes a curated network of KYC-approved buyers, sellers, and traders. It provides advanced cargo management tools, enabling users to control cargos, collaborate, handle documentation, manage tasks, and track vessels in real time. From planning to delivery, it streamlines seaborne dry-bulk cargo operations. Blink also offers a range of local and international services. Our platform launched with clinker, gypsum, cement, and GBFS producers, consumers, and traders in MENA, West Africa and Atlantic Americas.
Establishment: Founded in 2022. Offices in Malta, Spain, Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya and Morocco.
Employees: 80+
Industry partners: 30+
Website: www.blinkmaterials.com
McCloskey by OPIS, a Dow Jones company, delivers essential coal, metals and mining industry capabilities to help clients understand market dynamics, inform strategic planning, and position their company for success leveraging knowledgeable insight and advisory support from McCloskey experts. Our coal services include reliable and independent market news, reporting and analysis, strategic outlooks and robust forecasting, and detailed coal price indexes, data and industry analytics. We support industry participants by helping them to: understand the context of supply and demand changes by market; identify arbitrage opportunities with analysis of coal’s economic standing against competing energy or steelmaking raw materials products; assess competitiveness of suppliers and benchmark purchasing strategy; track global trade flows by quality and final industry use to inform trading and selling strategy.
McCloskey was previously the coal, metals and mining service under IHS Markit, but was recently acquired by Dow Jones as part of its purchase of OPIS, a highly profitable and growing digital data, analytics and insights provider. For more information, and to see how we can support your business with integrated coverage across the coal, metals and mining value chain, visit: www.opisnet.com/coal-metals-mining