Indjikian Conference Activity

In the period between end of March and end of June 2016, Dr. Rouben Indjikian, adjunct faculty in the School of Business and Technology, spoke, moderated and chaired at four conferences. In March and April he spoke on trade finance at a conference devoted to global energy and moderated a session on global energy at a conference devoted to commodity finance. In June he chaired at a conference on structured commodity finance and finally moderated at a shipping and finance conference a session on oil in a quite unique way: asking 10 questions on crude oil and oil products markets to two experts representing perspectives of a bull and a bear.

The Session on Trade Finance of Global Energy held on 23-24 March 2016 in Hotel President Wilson Geneva was moderated by Nicolette de Joncaire, editor-in-chief AGEFI, and the distinguished panel apart from Dr. Indjikian included Anthony Ford, Group Head of Credit and Trade Finance at Mercuria Energy Trading S.A., John MacNamara, Global Head of Structured Commodity Trade Finance at Deutsche Bank and Jean-François Lambert, Founder of Lambert Commodities and former Global Head of Commodity and Structured Trade at HSBC. An article of Agefi devoted to this session highlighted, in particular, the panelists’ discussion of restrictive for trade finance banking regulatory framework, the new role of big traders as financiers of smaller ones, and the importance of China and renminbi in energy trade finance. Read more here.

At the Session on Oil and the Global Energy Economy of Structured Commodity Finance Conference held by IIR and IBC Financial Events of Informa in London on 26-27 April in London, Dr. Indjikian was himself the moderator. He asked authoritative members of his panel, including Gavin Reid, Head of Trade Finance BP, Mehmet Saydam, Head of Investments-Natural Resources, Reuben Brothers, and Peter Hendry Head of Trading, Nekton, their views on the situation of low prices, high stocks and outlook on supply and demand and their implications on prices and financing. Among others, panelists gave their views on the reasons of recent decline in oil prices and their outlook on their future dynamics, whether it is a time to buy assets, and how due to banking regulations major traders and alternative sources of financing are becoming more important sources of energy trade finance.

On June 8th Dr. Indjikian chaired at the afternoon session of the Euromoney Global Commodity Finance Conference in Geneva over debates on such topics as: how supply chain finance providers are bringing down costs and improving access to working capital for mid-sized corporates, how to develop solutions to achieve positive results through restructuring, and how banks and trading companies can tap new activities and grow despite challenging conditions.

And finally at the Marine Money Geneva Forum on June 29 Dr. Indjikian accepted an innovative approach as a moderator-interviewer at a session entitled “Oil: A tête-à-tête with opposing views”, interviewing with his 10 questions Jean-Matthieu Sternberg, Consulting Senior Advisor, Pira Energy Group, representing a bull’s views, and Peter Hendry, Head of Trading, Nekton, expressing views of a bear. Questions asked included: whether crude oil is still a buyer’s market, what are driving forces behind the supply and demand, what are the opportunities for investment, how energy balance will change due to innovation, and finally what are the bear’s and bull’s outlook for prices and their instability and volatility in short-middle term.

For further information please contact Dr. Indjikian at: rindjikian31@webster.edu

Photo: Courtesy of L. Piaget