The HC Commodities Podcast

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-insider

To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

Investment capital flows into the commodities sector have slowed despite rising returns and opportunity. Volatility, geopolitical risk and uncertainty over energy transition have impacted the rate of investment while increasing the need. In this episode, we discuss the cause and impact of this funding gap and what the role of banks is in supporting investment and managing the risks. Our guest is Nick O’Kane, Global Head of Commodities and Global Markets at Macquarie Group. Nick gives us his thoughts behind the current trends in the commodities space, the need to be responsive to the changing environment and what the future might hold.

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/

Blessed by geography and abundant oil and gas, the UAE is adding targeted legal, tax and infrastructure policies to create a commodity trading hubs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai that rivals Singapore, London and Geneva. Timed with the release of HC Group’s editorial on this subject in our quarterly review (available at www.hcgroup.global) , we dig into the rise of the UAE as a commodities hub. What is the background to the strategy. What specific policies are targeting commodity traders and what could it mean for the sector. How is the UAE tackling the leading edge in commodities of energy transition and digitization. What does it mean for individuals thinking of relocating... Our guest is Bhaskar Dasgupta, an independent board executive and long-time UAE operator.

A hundred or more years ago, the oil business was vertically integrated and companies, often back by governmental support, scrambled to secure untapped reserves. So it is with Lithium at the dawn of the battery age. The parallels do not stop there as this episode uncovers. Access to Lithium is becoming the crucial bottleneck for battery companies, OEMs and countries alike – and a combination of prescient policy and aggressive entrepreneurs has put China way ahead. Can the West ever recover? What is the future of the Lithium market...will it evolve into a traded market? What is the role of commodity traders now and in the future and how to position for it? Our guest is Lukasz Bednarski, author of the book, Lithium: The Global Race for Battery Dominance and the New Energy Revolution. Lukasz is a former rare metals commodity trader and now a battery metals analyst.

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/

Gas stations have played a pivotal role in civil infrastructure for over a century. The pump has served as a proxy for a country’s development status and a polity’s health. Over time its role has developed. As fuel margins tightened, companies reimagined themselves as roadside retailers. Others have backward integrated into supply and trading firms. However, what does the energy transition hold for this ubiquitous sector? How will EVs transform the market and how can retailers adapt? Our guest is Dan Munford, Managing Director of consultancy Insight Research and media platform for the sector Global Convenience Store Focus.

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/