Alberto Xodo, Product Specialist (Steel & Nickel) at the LME, has worked on various strategic initiatives for the Exchange, including the launch of new contracts, the development of its steel futures market and the launch of the Registered Intermediating Broker membership category. He joined the London Metal Exchange in December 2014 and has been a member of the LME Nickel Committee and of the LME Steel Committee since 2015. In 2024 Alberto was appointed to sit on the Executive Committee of the International Steel Trade Association (ISTA). Previously, he was working in the Transaction Services team of PwC with focus on strategy consulting and commercial due diligence for the Financial Services industry.
Alex Gordienko was born in Russia. He graduated in economics and management from N. Novgorod University. After his graduation, he worked in banking in Russia and the UK. In 1999, he joined Stemcor. In 2009, he began working at Celsa Group where he currently continues his career as an export director.
F. D. Baysal founded SEBA’s US subsidiary in Houston, Texas, in 1982 and has served as its president and CEO ever since. Under his leadership, SEBA pioneered the import of steel products such as rebar, structural bars, pipes, and HSS tubing from Turkey, later diversifying its portfolio with additional steel products and sourcing from Italy, Spain, Romania, Poland, South Korea, China, and Russia. Today, SEBA supplies steel products to construction and energy industries across the US and globally. Prior to founding SEBA, F. D. Baysal served as regional marketing manager at Fugro McClelland, the world’s leading geotechnical engineering firm. He holds a B.S. in civil engineering from Bogazici University (1977) and an M.S. in civil engineering from Louisiana State University (1979). An engaged community leader, Mr. Baysal, has chaired the Houston Mayor’s International Trade & Development Council. He currently serves as honorary chairman of the Turkish American Association of Business (TAAB) and chairman of the board of the American Turkish Association (ATA) in Houston, Texas.
Huseyin Ocakçı, Deputy General Manager, Responsible of Turkey, Middle East Region, Europe and Africa in Hangzhou CIEC International , has 26 years of experience in foreign steel trade. Having worked as foreign trade manager at Turkish mills, Mr. Ocakçı is now responsible for business development at Hangzhou CIEC International Co. for the Middle East region.
Ioannis Manessis is a principal of Hellenic Halyvourgia S.A., a Greek steel producer established in 1963. Over the past 25 years, he has held several senior roles within the company, including Export Director, Managing Director, and Vice President of the Board of Directors. Through these positions, he has developed extensive technical and commercial expertise in the long steel products sector In addition to his work in the steel industry, Mr. Manessis is actively involved in dry bulk shipping activities. Mr. Manessis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Harvard University (1998).
Jack Laing is a technical specialist in CarbonChain’s carbon team, with a background in environmental science and experience as an environmental advisor specialising in carbon. He focuses on carbon accounting, emissions analysis, and CBAM, helping organisations navigate regulatory complexity and deliver credible, decision-ready carbon data.
Prior to joining IIMA in January 2019 John was a Director at the International Council on Mining and Metals for the past 17 years. During his time with ICMM John led the development of the Materials Stewardship concept, an integrated materials management policy that has been implemented by major mining and metals companies as well as being enshrined in national and international government policy. In addition to working on sustainability frameworks for the metals industry John has led the sector response to international regulatory affairs notably with the UN and OECD. Before joining ICMM, John was Director for Environment (Europe) at the Nickel Development Institute (NiDI) where he was responsible for the development of strategies and programmes to improve the environmental and market performance of the primary nickel industry. Prior to NiDI, John was Director of the European office at the International Cadmium Association and from 1991 to 1995 John worked within the UK Department of the Environment as a metals policy advisor.He has a PhD in earth sciences from the University of Hull and was a post-doctoral Research Associate in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge, UK.
With more than 35 years of experience in commodity risk, trading management, and investment banking, he is a dynamic and entrepreneurial executive with a distinguished track record across the global steel and commodities sectors. An accomplished strategic thinker, he holds an award-winning MBA from the University of Oxford and is also a published author in steel supply chain risk management. Over the course of his career, he has played a pioneering role in the development of global commodity markets, having architected and authored four of the world’s top ten commodity derivatives contracts, including the globally leading ShFE steel rebar contract. He has also developed several steel indices, steel swaps products, steel trade finance funds, and a long-short Shariah-compliant steel hedge fund. His professional background includes experience as a regulated broker of exchange-traded and OTC derivatives under FSA, CFTC, AMF, and DFSA frameworks. With over 15 years of experience in the physical steel sector, he has held senior leadership positions including General Manager of MENA and Global Head of Projects & Contracts at Stemcor, as well as Head of Steel Complex at Trafigura. In addition, he brings more than 20 years of expertise in steel finance, strategy, and risk, having served as Global Head of Steel at Standard Bank, Executive Director of Steel and Base Metals for the Government of Dubai, CEO of Steel Derivatives, and CEO of Boomer Commodities.
Ferrous trader and derivatives market maker with senior roles at Anglo American, Marex and Stemcor. Founder of Ferrometrics. Chair of the London Metal Exchange Steel Committee.
Patrice Ollivaud works in the Economics Department of the OECD as an economist. He held several positions in the OECD over the last 25 years. He has been for 5 years in the MPRD division (Macroeconomic Policy and Research Division) notably in charge of the OECD Economic Outlook publication, where he notably analyses economic developments regarding inflation, output and the labour market across OECD countries. He has published several papers on various topics in macroeconomics.
Mr. Yuan Wenjiong is the President of Dao Fortune Co Ltd., he has 30 years of experience in international steel trading and is an expert in economics. Dao Fortune is a leading steel trading house from China and has begun its initial steps into European markets, we believe in win-win cooperation and devote to create values to our customers.
An MBA in Marketing with over two decades of experience, Sumit Bhatia has worked across the entire steel value chain—from cost-efficient procurement of premium raw materials to production, brownfield expansions, and greenfield project execution from concept to commissioning. He began his journey in steel in 2003 as Plant In-charge at SAR Ispat, where his leadership significantly increased production output, revenue, and profitability. From 2008 to 2020, he served as Executive Director at DRA Industries, where he successfully commissioned a greenfield billet manufacturing plant with a capacity of 180,000 MT in a record 8 months with perfect precision. The facility gained recognition for producing high-quality alloy series billets, including EN 8, EN 8D, EN 45, and High Tensile grades. Currently spearheading New Business Development & Strategy at ARS Steels, Mr. Bhatia is the driving force behind the company’s Green Steel transformation. Under his leadership, ARS has developed 100 MW of captive solar and solar-wind hybrid power plants, published verified EPDs, and achieved the lowest CO₂ emissions per ton of steel in the country, positioning ARS as a national benchmark in sustainable steelmaking. His pioneering contributions to green steel were honored with the ‘Ispat Udyog Ratan Award 2024’ for Excellence in Green Steel Production, presented by the Hon’ble Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries, Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy. A visionary leader blending deep operational expertise with a strong sustainability focus, he is actively redefining the future of Indian steel.
Between 1978 and 1981, Wilhelm Alff completed his apprenticeship at Ferrostaal AG, Essen, and qualified as a businessman in wholesale and foreign trade management at the Chamber of Commerce in Essen, Germany. He subsequently worked as an administrator at Ferrostaal AG in the International Long Products Department. After 1991, he served for seven years as Director and Deputy Department Head in the International Long Products Department at Ferrostaal AG, Essen. In 1998, he was appointed Managing Director and Head of the International Long Products Department at Ferrostaal AG, a role he held until 2006. From 2007 to 2008, he served as Managing Director at SteelGate, Düsseldorf. Between late 2008 and 2014, he worked at Stemcor AG Zug as Director, as Managing Director at Stemcor Baustahl in Düsseldorf, and as Director at Stemcor London, where he was responsible for Long Products in Europe. Since 2015, he has continued his professional career as Director at Duferco Deutschland GmbH, Ratingen. Mr. Alff has been married since 1993 and has two daughters. His personal interests include skiing, sports (gym), cycling, music, reading, and traveling.
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