Argus Biofuels 2018

Dr Pierre Dechamps holds an electro-mechanical engineering degree from Liège University, a Master of Science from Cranfield University and a PhD from Liège University. He worked for 5 years as an assistant in Liège University, in the power generation department. He then joined the industry, CMI, Cockerill Mechanical Industries, one of the world leading heat recovery boiler manufacturers for power stations, where he quickly became the Head of the R&D Engineering Department. From 1998 to the end of 2007, he worked for 10 years for the European Commission Directorate General for Research as Project Officer for clean coal technologies and later on for CO2 capture and sequestration. From 2008 and the end of 2014, he was the Member for energy, climate change and the environment of the Bureau of European Policy Advisers to President Barroso. In January 2015, Pierre joined the Directorate General for Research and Innovation, as Policy Officer for climate action and more specifically for long term decarbonisation. Read less

Pharoah Le Feuvre is based in the Renewables Energy Division of the International Energy Agency (IEA), and carries out analysis of bioenergy for heat and power and transport biofuel markets. Originally from Scotland, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management and Technology from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, and a master’s in Energy Systems and the Environment from Glasgow’s Strathclyde University. He has worked in the field of renewable energy in local government, as well as for an energy consultancy and an energy utility, and has also managed renewable power and heat subsidy schemes for UK energy regulator Ofgem. Pharoah joined the IEA in 2015 and is based in Paris. Read less

Sari Mannonen is Vice-President with responsibility for the UPM Biofuels Strategic Business Unit based in Helsinki, Finland. She was previously Director for Sales and Marketing at UPM Biofuels, responsible for commercial strategy and product launches in the biofuels business. She was also Director for Business Relations, where her contact groups included technology, suppliers in the biofuels sector, investors, reporters, EU and national decision-makers, NGOs and financial audiences. Sari has more than 15 years’ experience in leading global sales and marketing, customer management, customer strategy and business relations, as well as business development in different global businesses. She has a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Helsinki and diplomas in business management and leadership from business schools at Henley, IMD and the Helsinki School of Economics. Read less

Currently is the Chief Executive Officer of SCA Trading, provides brokerage services for ethanol and sugar for more than 60 Mills; He has experience in the commercialization of renewable and fossil fuels, with passages by Esso, Copersucar and Ale. Read less

Dr Chiew Wei Puah is the European Regional Manager of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board based at the Embassy of Malaysia in Brussels, Belgium. Chiew Wei has 15 years of experience in the oil palm industry. She obtained her BSc in Applied Chemistry and Statistics and her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. Her areas of expertise include the sustainability of the Malaysian oil palm industry including palm biodiesel; life cycle assessment of palm oil and palm biodiesel; and the production of palm phytonutrients using supercritical fluid extraction and short path distillation. Read less

Ewa Abramiuk-Lété is the Secretary General of the European Fuel Oxygenates Association (EFOA), a Sector Group of Cefic’s Petrochemicals Europe, which represents the voice of European producers of clean and efficient blending components of fuel ethers. Fuel ethers, including bio-MTBE, bio-ETBE, bio-TAME and bio-TAEE, are key components for producing high-octane fuels. They increase petrol’s performance, while reducing the emissions of air pollutants. Before joining EFOA, Ewa was an adviser to a wide range of corporate clients in the energy and transport sectors for public affairs agencies. Ewa also worked for many non-governmental organisations and think-tanks in Warsaw and Belgium as well as for the European Commission’s DG Transport and Energy (TRAN) and the Polish economy ministry. A Polish national, Ewa has a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy and a post-graduate diploma in economics and social studies. Ewa studied at Collegium Civitas and Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) in Poland, as well as Uppsala University in Sweden. Read less

Victor is a physical biodiesel and feedstock broker covering and developing European (Mediterranean and eastern European countries) and South American markets. He started his career in investment banking and asset management. Victor holds a double degree — a Master’s in Management and an MSc in Financial Markets from EDHEC Business School. His working languages are French, English, Spanish and Portuguese. Read less

Angel Alvarez Alberdi has been Secretary General of European waste-to-advanced biofuels association EWABA since its creation in 2013. EWABA is a Brussels-based trade association defending the interests of waste-based biofuel producers using feedstocks such as used cooking oil (UCO), tallow and other wastes to produce sustainable biofuels with greenhouse gas savings ranking among the highest available on the market. Angel has been working in EU government and institutional affairs in Brussels for the past decade, with a particular focus on energy matters and on EU legislative procedures. He started his career in Brussels with a stint at the European Commission’s Secretariat General, then worked for an international public affairs consultancy, the trade association European Biodiesel Board and a global law firm. A lawyer by training, Angel has an MA in European interdisciplinary studies with a major in EU governance from the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. Read less

Ylwa holds an MSc in Chemical Engineering and has worked in the bio-based economy her whole carrier. She spent 20 years in the pulp and paper industry in leading positions, from research to sales and marketing. For two years in a row, web-based magazine Il Bioeconomista has paid tribute to her as one of the women who has made the bioeconomy happen — “the stars of the world bioeconomy”. She joined Sweden-based Sekab 17 years ago and has been responsible for developing the biofuel market and bio-based chemicals, as well as the sourcing of bioethanol, sales, distribution and logistics. She specialises in regulations and directives regarding ethanol, biofuels and bio-based chemicals. Ylwa is a member of the European Commission’s Expert Group for Bio-based Products. Read less

Katharina Andres is a Business Developer for Biomass and Energy Efficiency at Dutch technological institute TNO. TNO carries out research on the thermochemical conversion of diverse biomass feedstocks into chemicals, materials, fuels and energy. The institute’s service portfolio ranges from technology development and contract R&D to consultancy, always in close co-operation with the private sector. In her role as Business Developer at TNO, Katharina is always looking for companies that can benefit from the knowledge and expertise of TNO about the smart and efficient use of biomass. Katharina is driven to bring people and companies together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy. She has extensive work experience in consultancy and lobbying in the context of agrofood and sustainability. Katharina studied environmental sciences and marine sciences in Bayreuth, Germany, and Bordeaux, France. Read less

Elmar Baumann is a degreed engineer in biotechnology (focus: process engineering) and a Master of Industrial Engineering with advanced training in investment/financing, logistics and innovation management. Baumann has been working for the German Biofuel Industry Association (VDB) since 2007. He originally served as a specialist for technology, economics and sustainability. Baumann served as a guest lecturer at the Coburg University of Applied Sciences during the 2009 summer semester. Starting in 2009, Baumann has been the managing director of the VDB, where he has been representing the interests of the member companies in their dealings with the spheres of politics and administration. As the debate on the adjustment of EU biofuel policy has intensified in the course of the iLUC-debate, the European level, particularly the Commission, the Parliament and the Council in Brussels, has represented a focus of his activity. At present, the Recast of the Renewable Energy-Directive (RED II) of the EU, its national transposition and the advancement of the German GHG-mandate are the core topics of his work. Read less

Andreas Bodenmüller has a degree in mechanical engineering. He spent 12 years working for the mineral oil industry in various senior management positions. During that time he was responsible for supply, trading and sales, overseeing several European countries. Andreas joined Verbio in 2006 and is responsible for supply and trading of biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane, pharmaglycerine, quota, vegoils and components. Read less

Industry and policy analyst with Pannonia Bio. One of Europe’s largest and most innovative producers of bioethanol for the fuel sector, Pannonia Bio makes over 500 million litres of climate friendly fuel annually at its refinery in Hungary. The plant feedstock is maize, assuring well over a hundred million euros per year in income to the farm community and the same again in economic activity generated by the refinery. Pannonia’s ethanol yields 70% greenhouse gas savings compared to fossil oil with no adverse side effects and no cost to governments. It is the safest, most effective and scalable climate solution for the petrol sector. James Cogan qualified as an electronics engineer and later took an MBA. His professional interests span energy, nutrition, materials, construction and IT. Read less

Emmanuel leads the ePURE team, which he first joined in 2013 as Director of Government Affairs responsible for energy and environmental affairs. Before coming to ePURE, Emmanuel was Senior Manager for Public Affairs with Novozymes. His career in public affairs and advocacy also includes positions with UNICA, the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, and the Industrial Ethanol Association. He holds a Master's Degree from the Institute of Political Studies of Bordeaux and an LL.M in European Law from the University Carlos III of Madrid. A French citizen, Emmanuel also speaks English and Spanish. Read less

Hendrik Fischer manages the advocacy and association activities of C4 chemistry as part of Evonik Performance Materials’ Product Stewardship organisation. This includes activities for the fuel ether MTBE, plasticisers, alcohol and other Evonik chemicals in Germany, Europe and globally. Hendrik is a member of various industry associations including AGPU, European Plasticisers and ACFA and chairs the EFOA’s Communication Working Group. Before joining Evonik, Hendrik was responsible for EU compliance management at 3M Deutschland, taking care of regulatory affairs, life cycle management and sustainability. He has a diploma and PhD in inorganic chemistry from the University of Cologne in Germany, as well as Environmental Manager and Quality Auditor certificates. Read less

Kona Haque joined ED&F Man in May 2014 as Group Head of Research, responsible for the company’s commodity and macro-economic research team (including Volcafe coffee, Man Sugar, and grains). She joined from Macquarie Bank where she was responsible for agriculture and soft commodities research for 7 years. Previously, Kona spent 4 years as Senior Commodities Editor at the Economist Group. She has also worked for a shipping consultancy as Director of Bulk Commodities and spent 4 years at Metal Bulletin Research, specialising in base metals. Other experience includes working as an Economist for a grains market information provider and with the United Nations in Rome, Italy. Kona has an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and a BSc in Agricultural Economics from Reading University. Read less

Jan Henke has studied International Economics at the University of Tübingen in Germany. He has worked for four years at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy in the research area of environmental and resource economics. During that time he also acquired his PhD from the University of Potsdam in Germany. After that he joined Meo Carbon Solutions, a management consultancy focussing on sustainability, climate change and renewable resources. While working with Meo, Jan was involved from the beginning in the development of GRAS Global Risk Assessment Services and ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification). Jan is working on topics of renewable resources, sustainability, renewable energies, climate change, land use and land use change, GHG calculations and certification. The regional focus of Jan’s work is Europe, the Americas and South East Asia. Read less

Timo Huhtisaari is the Sustainability Director at North European Oil Trade (NEOT), a Finnish Fuel procurement company which is also operating in Sweden. Although Timo has been fully working at NEOT for a two and a half years, oil – and later biofuels – industry can be said to be for him in the milk. Only at the age of 15 he started as a summer helper for Esso Finland and has been in the industry ever since in various different tasks learning the characteristics of the whole fuel products supply chain. Through his Bachelor in Environmental engineering and later on Masters of Corporate Environmental Management he developed a deeper interest in environmental topics, renewable energy and specifically Biofuels. Now at NEOT Timo focuses on the Regulatory Affairs on Nordic and European. This is accompanied by leading the NEOT’s Corporate Responsibility team that looks after NEOT’s Advanced ethanol production projects in Gothenburg, Sweden and Kajaani, Finland. Read less

Anders Kleve Svela has worked for Circle K — formerly Statoil Fuel and Retail — since 2009. In his position as Senior Manager Category Fuel, he has developed Circle K’s position as the leading fuel retail provider of alternative fuel in the Norwegian market. He has also taken the lead on Circle K’s implementation of fast chargers for electrical cars, implementing the first fast charger as early as 2010. Anders is now focused on future transport energy mix and Circle Ks position within this fast-developing market. Read less

Jakob Lagercrantz is an economist by training, having started his professional career with Greenpeace Sweden in 1984. Jakob stayed with the group for 11 years, leaving as the Director of Greenpeace Sweden, after which he founded a consultancy firm. Jakob was appointed the Chairman of the Swedish Organisation of Green Motorists and went on to co-found the 2030 secretariat, an industrial non-governmental organisation devoted to achieving a transport sector free of fossil fuels in Sweden by 2030. Jakob has experience throughout the biofuels sector and has advised the Swedish government on decarbonisation policies. Read less

Fabio Nehme is the Chief Executive Officer of Nehme Commodities, an international trading company solely focused on climate change commodities – the financial and physical commodities that help mitigate or adapt to climate change. Such commodities include biodiesel, wood pellets, biochemicals, carbon credits, green certificates, and climate risk management products, among others. The firm has offices in London and Houston, and additional commercial presence across the Americas, Africa and Asia. Prior to Nehme Commodities, Mr. Nehme was a Senior Vice President and the Head for the Americas for the Environmental Commodities Division of EDF Trading, the EUR 150 billion-turnover global energy trading group affiliated to Electricité de France. In such capacity, he built since its inception one of the largest trading groups of environmental commodities, with a leading presence in emissions (CDM, California-Quebec, RGGI and VERs), renewable energy credits, biofuels and weather derivatives. Prior to that, Mr. Nehme held positions at the Environmental Finance Division of the IFC (World Bank Group) developing and financing a range of clean energy and energy efficiency opportunities in Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, and at the energy-services arm of the global aluminum group Alcoa, developing energy infrastructure and energy efficiency projects around the world. He holds a MBA from IMD (Switzerland), a MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University/SAIS (USA), and a B.A. in Economics from the Universidade de Sao Paulo (Brazil). Read less

Carlos Ocampo is in charge of sales and business development activities for starch-based and cellulosic biofuels for Novozymes in EMEA. He was previously the Director of Marketing for the cellulosic biofuels business. Carlos joined Novozymes after gaining 12 years of experience in strategy and on-the-ground execution work, both as VP of Business Development at an agriculture company and as a Senior Manager at McKinsey. Read less

Dickon has been working in the biodiesel industry since 2004. Initially the Development Director for Argent Energy in the UK, he has managed the marketing for Argent and is now focused on advocacy and the relevant legislative and regulatory instruments that affect biodiesel markets in Europe and around the world. Argent specialises in the production of waste-based biodiesel and has recently constructed a second plant in the UK able to handle very low-grade waste feedstocks. Dickon was involved in setting up the supply chain for high blends of waste-based biodiesel into London buses, works closely with the UK’s Department of Transport on policy and is Vice-President of the European Biodiesel Board, where he has chaired the Advanced Biodiesel sector group for a number of years. Read less

Max Pyziur is EPRINC's Director for Downstream, Transportation Fuels, and Natural Gas Projects. At EPRINC he has written and produced extensive reports on condensates, gasoline blending, the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard, California transportation fuel regulations, octane, and prospects for U.S. LNG exports. Previously he has held senior analytical roles at PIRA Energy and CPM Group, both commodities market consultancies. He received his MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, and his BA from St. Louis University. Read less

Anders Röj joined Volvo Technology Corporation in 1989. After being manager of the Fuels & Lubricants group for many years, as well as coordinating fuels activities within the Volvo Group, Anders now serves as Senior Adviser on fuels within the Volvo Group. Anders has more than 35 years of experience in the field of refining and fuel quality. Previously he worked on FCC refinery catalyst development from 1980 to 1984 (EKA-Katalistiks bv.) and on performance additives for fuels and lubricants from 1984 to 1989 (ExxonChemical, Paramins). Since many years Anders is heavily engaged in industry activities related to fuels and lubricants. These include ACEA Fuels & Lubricants Group (Chairman 2001-2017), CEN TC19 (European Fuel Standardisation) and CEC (Development of performance tests for fuels and lubricants). He was the CEC Chairman in 2012-2014. Anders also served as Chairman of the EU initiated BIOFRAC (Biofuels Research Advisory Council) in 2004-2006. This work subsequently initiated the creation of EU Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP) in June 2006. Anders has been Vice Chair of the EBTP and he is still a member of the ETIP Bioenergy Steering Committee. Anders has M.Sc. degree in Chemical Engineering from Åbo Akademi, Finland (1979). Read less

Ralf is Managing Director of Bioeton Deutschland and Chief Executive of Pureton. He is responsible for the core business of both companies. He joined Bioeton in January 2012. Prior to Bioeton, Ralf spent six years in the German biodiesel industry as Sales and General Manager. His main task during that period was positioning a new entity in the market, the successful restructuring of an existing unit and the implementation of a risk management system. Before that he worked for four years as Export Manager in the environment industry developing among others waste collection projects for developing countries. Ralf has a degree in economics and marketing. Read less

Rachel’s career has focused on energy and environment policy development. Most of her work has been with the UK civil service, but she has also worked in the corporate affairs team at Tesco and for a year as interim Managing Director at Sandbag, a UK climate think-tank. Highlights of Rachel’s career have included piloting the UK Climate Change Bill through parliament and overseeing a major review of the Feed-in Tariffs Scheme. Read less

David Sudolsky is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Anellotech, which is developing the Bio-TCat™ process to produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicals (benzene, toluene and xylenes, "BTX") from non-food biomass for use in making plastics such as polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation fuels. Anellotech is currently evaluating loblolly pine and eventually other sustainable bio-feedstocks at its seven-story tall TCat-8® pilot plant. Anellotech complements its world-class R&D team with in-depth, long-term alliances with leaders to leverage decades of successful experience in developing and commercializing process technology. IFPEN is Anellotech's process development and scale-up partner, Johnson Matthey is the company's catalyst development partner, and Axens is Anellotech's partner for commercialization, global licensing and technical support. Industry-leading strategic partners in the BTX supply chain, including Suntory and Toyota Tsusho, as well as other confidential strategic investors, have provided funding to Anellotech. Prior to founding Anellotech, Sudolsky was a business officer or CEO of five biotechnology, specialty pharmaceutical and bioprocessing start-ups, one of which (Dura Pharmaceuticals) was sold for $1.8 billion. Sudolsky has hands-on chemical engineering experience in process design and refinery plant startups with Union Carbide, and work at Booz, Allen & Hamilton. He is a firm believer in environmental education and co-led a successful five-year effort ending in 2011 to build a multi-faceted Eco Center on the roof of a public school in the middle of New York City. David attended Columbia University where he earned an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University's Business School and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Read less

James Standage is a Biodiesel Physical Broker at London-based energy brokerage OTC Europe. James joined the company in 2014, bringing the team he had established in his previous role at Oil Brokerage, specialising in swaps and physical products. James joined Oil Brokerage in 2008, after three years at HBI in Paris, where he sold market reports, brokered castor oil derivatives and started in an emergent biodiesel market. James graduated from St Andrews University in Scotland in 2005. Read less

Born in 1981, Warsaw, Poland. Graduate zootechnical faculty at University of Life Sciences (SGGW) in Warsaw and postgraduate studies in functioning of the European Union and Political Sciences. In the beginning of his career associated with agricultural organizations. In 2008-2010 he was a representative of the National Council of Agricultural Chambers at the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organizations COPA in Brussels, Belgium. In 2010 he awarded the honorary badge by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development "Distinguished for agriculture". Since 2011 he has been the Director General of the Polish Chamber of Biofuels (KIB)and since March 2011 is also a Member of the Board of KIB. Since June 2015 he is also Director General of the Polish Association of Oil Producers (PSPO). Vice chair of the Working Group “Bioenergy/biotechnology” at COPA-COGECA Committees in Brussels. From 2015 on behalf of PSPO Member of the Executive Board of European Association of Oil Producers FEDIOL. Author of numerous publications and articles in the field of agriculture, renewable energy and transport biofuels. Read less

Max Thomasson is Director of International Trading for CHS. He oversees the company’s global renewable fuels trading operations, with staff in Geneva, Sao Paulo, Singapore and Minneapolis. He worked for BP in London in a variety of trading roles before moving to Chicago to head up the global derivatives desk, then moved on to lead the global gasoline trading desk. He moved from there to Cargill, where he ran the light ends trading book for the Americas. He graduated in biochemistry from the UK’s Manchester University in 1986. Max has four children. He enjoys skiing, running, golf, theatre, family dinners and a good book. Read less

Marcel is a Brazilian born, Dutch national with over 25 years experience in private and public financing of various Intellectual Property (IP) related ventures. Marcel has an Economics degree from the University of Groningen, and is an ESCP Europe MBA graduate from Paris, Oxford and Berlin. In 2012 Marcel founded Investancia Holding in the Netherlands and its local operation company Investancia Paraguay. Investancia has secured the world's best genetics and import authorisations from the Ministry of Agriculture to propagate and enhance elite Pongamia trees in Paraguay. To date Investancia has a production capacity of over 300,000 elite trees/yr at its propagation site on the Rio Paraguay. Investancia delivers elite trees, plantation maintenance services and offtake agreement with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) refineries to plantation owners, which are often dedicated investment structures for volume production of HVO feedstock. Read less

Wim graduated in civil engineering from the University of Ghent in 1994, before taking a PhD in III-V nitrides for blue light emitting diodes and laser diodes. He joined Sidmar — now ArcelorMittal — as an Operations Research Specialist in 2000. He was part of the Controlling Department of the ArcelorMittal Ghent plant in 2007-09, and then moved to ArcelorMittal FCE in Luxembourg where he headed the Management Information Services team. In 2013 he joined the AM Europe Innovation team to manage the financial co-ordination and funding of projects of the ArcelorMittal group within AM Europe Innovation. He is currently the CO2 expert in the corporate technology strategy team, responsible for developing and managing innovative projects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and the circular economy. Read less

Stephen Walsh is an Ethanol Broker at Star Supply. Stephen has worked in the biofuels industry since 2008, covering physical and derivative markets on biodiesel and ethanol. Stephen has extensive working knowledge of European, US and Asian biofuel markets, with a recent focus on European ethanol. Prior to joining Star Supply, Stephen worked as Manager of the International Ethanol desk at SCB and as a client director with IBM Ireland. Stephan is the founding director of the Institute of Business and Technology (IBAT) in Dublin. Read less

Dr Melanie Williams is an expert in sustainability and supply chain traceability. She has been an independent consultant for the past five years working with both companies producing biofuels and bio-based chemicals plus EU approved Voluntary Sustainability Schemes. Melanie started her career with BP. She spent ten years developing new processes for the chemicals and refining businesses. She led the work to develop and implement new BP processes for the production of both bulk chemical and speciality products. Melanie then worked for SERCO, leading the Environmental Measurements Group at the National Physical Laboratory in the UK for over seven years. The Group provided high quality, accredited, environmental monitoring and instrumentation certification services to government and industry customers worldwide. She has a MA in Natural Sciences and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge. Read less

Prior to joining Argus, Josefine spent nine years with Shell Downstream in the strategy, marketing and sales departments. She has a master’s degree in economics from Lund University, Sweden, and is now Vice-President at Argus leading Business Development in Europe. Read less

Zander Capozzola oversees Argus Media's US and South American biofuels coverage as editor of the Argus Americas Biofuels report. Zander has over ten years of experience in market reporting and analysis covering crude, refined products and biofuels markets along with a background in risk management and operations. Argus is the world's largest independently-held price reporting agency with 700 staff across 23 countries responsible for publishing more than 8,000 daily commodity price assessments. Zander holds a Bachelor of Science degree of international relations from Seton Hall University. Read less

John Houghton-Brown is Acting Editor of the Argus European Biofuels report, covering biodiesel, ethanol and feedstock markets. Prior to joining Argus in early 2016, John worked as a journalist for an oil business intelligence firm, writing about oil and gas supply chain investments on a country-by-country basis across four continents. Read less

Chris Judge is Vice President for crude and products at the head office of Argus in London. He is responsible for the development of market appropriate price assessments, methodologies and editorial training and development. Chris was previously editor of the daily Argus European Product report, which publishes price assessments used in physical and derivative indexation for the European gasoline markets, among others. Chris graduated in English Literature at the University of Kent. Before joining Argus, Chris worked for other media organisations, including energy price reporting service Platts, where he headed up the European products team in London, before moving to New York to manage the coverage of US product markets. Read less

Ammo Parmar has over eight years price reporting experience with Argus Media and previously ICIS, with more than five of those covering biofuels across Europe and Asia. Read less

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