We were delighted to host Paul Chapman, Managing Partner of HC Group and host of The HC Commodities Podcast, for a speaker event on careers in commodities. Paul leads HC Group, a global search firm dedicated to the commodities sector, and has placed the C-suite of some of the largest energy trading houses in the world.

He also hosts a weekly podcast with experts from across the industry, which has more than 15,000 unique listeners a month. His guests have included CEOs, hedge fund founders and traders, covering gold, oil, copper, geopolitical risk and much more.

Drawing on this unique view of the market, Paul gave a broad overview of the commodities industry, outlined the range of careers available within it, and explained how compensation compares across the sector. It was a great introduction for newcomers. The talk was followed by an open Q&A.

We’re pleased to welcome Pranay Thapliyal, Lead LNG Trader at ExxonMobil in London, for a speaker event on physical LNG trading and careers in the industry. Pranay previously served as ExxonMobil’s Global Physical LNG Trading Lead in Singapore, and his career spans the Merchant Navy, LNG chartering at Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and co-founding his own trading firm.

Pranay will talk about what physical trading at a major corporation looks like, how the LNG industry works, and what it takes to build a career in it. The talk will be followed by an open Q&A focused on the industry, how it works and career aspirations. Please note that Pranay will not be sharing market views or forecasts.

We were delighted to welcome Philip Lindop, Managing Director and Global Head of Metals and Mining at Santander Corporate and Investment Banking, for a speaker event on metals and mining finance. Previously Co-Head of Global Metals and Mining at Barclays Investment Bank, Philip brings over three decades of experience at the intersection of capital markets and the global commodities industry.

Over a career spanning more than four decades, Mark has held senior leadership roles across the global mining sector, including as CEO of AngloGold Ashanti and, most recently, Chair of Vale Base Metals.

During his nine-year tenure at Anglo American, Mark led one of the most significant turnarounds in the mining industry, transforming the company from a sector laggard into one of the industry’s strongest performers through major operational restructuring, portfolio simplification, and cultural change. Under his leadership, Anglo streamlined its global operations, improved productivity and safety standards, and repositioned itself for long-term sustainable growth.

We were delighted to host Max Cole, Head of the Mediterranean Crude Trading Desk at Glencore, for a speaker event on oil trading, global energy markets, and careers in commodities. With over 15 years of experience in global oil markets, Max has built extensive expertise across crude trading, market analysis, and physical oil flows, with a particular focus on Mediterranean and international energy markets. At Glencore, he plays a leading role in trading and optimising crude flows across one of the world’s most strategically important oil trading hubs.

The session took the form of a fireside chat, covering Max’s career journey into commodity trading, the day-to-day life of a physical oil trader, and the evolving dynamics of global energy markets. He also discussed broader industry trends and how modern crude trading desks operate, and offered advice for students interested in careers in commodities and energy trading.

We were delighted to host Doug Gilbert-Smith, Head of US Power at Gunvor Group, for a speaker event on commodity trading, power markets, and careers in the energy sector. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Doug has built extensive experience across North American power, natural gas, and commodities markets, holding senior trading and leadership roles at firms including Gunvor, Trafigura, Citi, JP Morgan, Société Générale, UBS Energy, and Koch Industries. He is widely recognised for his expertise in ERCOT power markets, risk management, structured transactions, and energy trading strategy.

We were delighted to host Adam Leetham, Director at Czarnikow Group, for a speaker event on global sugar markets and commodity trade flows. With over three decades of experience in sugar trading, Adam has worked across major trading hubs including Moscow, Singapore, London, and São Paulo, developing deep expertise in international commodities markets.

We were delighted to host Ian Hannam, founder of Hannam & Partners and former Vice-Chairman of JPMorgan, for a speaker event on global capital markets and the mining and resources sector. Over a career spanning more than three decades, Ian became one of the most influential figures in equity and debt capital markets, earning the moniker “King of Mining” for his role in advising and executing many of the industry’s most significant transactions.

Mercuria, one of the world’s top five independent energy and commodities trading groups operating across oil, gas, power, metals and agriculture, recruited Oxford students through OCS for its Data Science & Data Intelligence Summer Internship 2026. The highly selective programme offered hands-on experience applying data science to live trading problems within a global markets environment.

The internship carried £10,000 in compensation and was open to STEM students in all years of study. Following initial screening, 10–15 candidates were shortlisted for in-person case interviews in Oxford, with same-day offers.

Giles Plumb is Head of Base Metals Trading at StoneX Group Inc., with over 25 years of experience in commodities trading. He previously spent more than 16 years at MF Global as a commodities trader specialising in copper and has built a long career across metals markets and derivatives trading.

Joachim Emanuelsson is CEO of Energy and Commodities at TP ICAP, with more than 30 years of experience across commodity trading, brokerage and market infrastructure. Previously Co-CEO and COO at SCB Group, he has also held commodity trading roles at Credit Suisse and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

Paul Horsnell is Chairperson of the Board at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and an independent energy analyst. He is a former Head of Commodities Research at Standard Chartered and Barclays, and was previously Head of Energy Research at J.P. Morgan.

Rimshah Javed is a Senior Originator at Danske Commodities, where she leads battery storage route-to-market origination across Europe and covers the UK power market for both upstream and downstream opportunities within one of Europe’s largest power and gas trading houses.

Hamesh Mehta is a Global Energy Portfolio Manager at Point72, where he has worked since 2008. With deep experience translating fundamental research and market signals into real-world trading decisions, he brings a practitioner’s perspective on where alpha still exists in today’s commodities landscape.

We were delighted to host Onyx Capital Group, a leading global energy trading firm and major market maker in oil and energy derivatives, for a recruitment-focused careers event. The session explored how energy markets operate in practice, from real-time trading to risk management.

William Husband is a Managing Director at Citi and Global Head of Metals and Mining within Industrials Corporate Banking. He has over 25 years of experience advising natural resources companies on capital structuring, acquisition financing, and debt transactions across developed and emerging markets.

Ronan Julien is the co-founder and CEO of DeCoFi, a London-based fintech modernising commodity trade finance through regulated stablecoin settlement. He brings nearly 20 years of experience in commodity derivatives and structured solutions, spanning global banks and trading firms.

Jack Barrett is a senior aluminium trader at Trafigura, where he has worked since 2016. Before joining Trafigura, he traded aluminium at Glencore and previously worked in financial markets at Merrill Lynch and Macquarie. His background spans both physical metals trading and global financial markets.

Thomas Lord is a senior consultant at Linklaters advising on commodity markets, regulatory change and risk management. He previously held senior leadership roles across the energy and commodities sector, including President of Dynamic Commodity Management and CEO of PDF Commodity Solutions.

Rajeev Madhavan is the Managing Director of Lambert Energy Advisory (LEA), a leading oil & gas strategy and consultancy firm. With over a decade of experience guiding upstream business models across energy transition scenarios, Rajeev has specialised in helping global clients optimise trading flows.

Helima Croft is Managing Director and Head of Global Commodity Strategy at RBC Capital Markets. A former CIA analyst and leading authority on energy geopolitics, she advises global investors and policymakers on oil markets and geopolitical risk, and is a frequent commentator in major financial media.

Jay Hambro is CEO of Verdigris Strategic, a London-based energy and resources investment group. A former Chief Investment Officer at GFG Alliance, he has over two decades of experience leading global projects in mining, metals and energy, with previous roles at NM Rothschild, HSBC and Peter Hambro Mining.