Agenda 2020

Senior Cost Economist,  CRU
Ross Cunningham joined CRU as a Cost Economist in early 2018, bringing technical experience from the oil and gas industry to this critical role. He manages CRU’s macroeconomic cost platform which covers 31 countries in-depth and is utilized in all of the cost models and cost curves that CRU provides to its clients across the metals, mining and fertilizer sectors. Prior to joining CRU in early 2018, Mr Cunningham worked as a Subsurface Consultant advising multinational oil companies on geological processes using advanced modelling software. He has also worked as a Geologist for an oil and gas operator, focussing on development geology. Mr Cunningham has an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and a BSc with Hons in Geosciences from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Senior Vice President,  CRU
Jorn P. de Linde was appointed to his current position following the merger between Resource Strategies Inc. and CRU International in April 1996. Based in the United States, he specialises in ferroalloys-related research, with particular emphasis on silicon-based alloys and electric power, drawing on 30 years of experience. In addition to the manganese ferroalloy cost data service, Mr de Linde is the principal author of CRU's silicon metal market outlook and silicon cost data service reports. Mr de Linde also is a contributor to other CRU ferroalloy-related reports, including the Bulk Ferroalloys Monitor. He earned an MSc Degree in Mineral Economics from the Pennsylvania State University in the USA and holds an MBA (Siviløkonom) from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen, Norway.

Senior Cost Economist,  CRU
Ross Cunningham joined CRU as a Cost Economist in early 2018, bringing technical experience from the oil and gas industry to this critical role. He manages CRU’s macroeconomic cost platform which covers 31 countries in-depth and is utilized in all of the cost models and cost curves that CRU provides to its clients across the metals, mining and fertilizer sectors. Prior to joining CRU in early 2018, Mr Cunningham worked as a Subsurface Consultant advising multinational oil companies on geological processes using advanced modelling software. He has also worked as a Geologist for an oil and gas operator, focussing on development geology. Mr Cunningham has an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland and a BSc with Hons in Geosciences from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Chief Secretary,  China Si Metal Association

Senior Analyst,  CRU
Li Wang is a senior analyst based in CRU Beijing covering Si metal and steel. Ms Wang holds a MSc in metallurgical engineering and has 15 years’ experience dedicating to industrial metal market analysis. She joined CRU in 2013 after seven years’ steel consulting work in HATCH Beddows. Ms Wang also worked on strategy development and risk management at Ping An bank in China. The rich work experience as well as technical education background enabled her to interpret Chinese market pertinently, precisely and predicatively.

Chief Secretary,  China Si Metal Association

Senior Analyst,  CRU
Li Wang is a senior analyst based in CRU Beijing covering Si metal and steel. Ms Wang holds a MSc in metallurgical engineering and has 15 years’ experience dedicating to industrial metal market analysis. She joined CRU in 2013 after seven years’ steel consulting work in HATCH Beddows. Ms Wang also worked on strategy development and risk management at Ping An bank in China. The rich work experience as well as technical education background enabled her to interpret Chinese market pertinently, precisely and predicatively.

Senior Analyst,  CRU
Greg Wittbecker is based in Pittsburgh. In this capacity he supports North American and Global fundamental aluminum analysis. Mr Wittbecker joined CRU in January 2018, following his retirement as Vice President, Industry Analysis, Alcoa. During his 14 years at Alcoa, he held director roles in analysis, logistics, recycling policy and corporate strategy. During 2016-2017, Mr Wittbecker was Managing Director of Alcoa China, Shanghai, where he led Alcoa’s comprehensive analysis of the Chinese upstream markets. Before joining Alcoa in 2003, he was Global Manager of Physical Metal Trading for Koch Supply & Trading. From 1988-2001, Mr Wittbecker served as Vice President, Wise Metals Group, responsible for risk management and primary metal trading. He began his career with Cargill Inc, holding a progression of operational and trading roles within grains, metals and ocean freight.

Partner,  Sidley Austin LLP
Arnoud R. Willems leads the EU trade and customs team and co-founded Sidley’s office in Brussels. Mr Willems represents the interests of companies in high-profile trade matters and advises clients on strategies for solving market access problems and resolving other disputes that affect their business. With respect to the latter, he is a leading advocate of companies challenging EU anti-dumping regulations, with an exceptional success rate in such cases before the national and European Courts. Since 2000, Mr Willems has been continuously involved in anti-dumping cases concerning ferroalloys like silicon, ferrosilicon, ferrochrome and silicon manganese.

Partner,  Sidley Austin LLP
Arnoud R. Willems leads the EU trade and customs team and co-founded Sidley’s office in Brussels. Mr Willems represents the interests of companies in high-profile trade matters and advises clients on strategies for solving market access problems and resolving other disputes that affect their business. With respect to the latter, he is a leading advocate of companies challenging EU anti-dumping regulations, with an exceptional success rate in such cases before the national and European Courts. Since 2000, Mr Willems has been continuously involved in anti-dumping cases concerning ferroalloys like silicon, ferrosilicon, ferrochrome and silicon manganese.

Senior Analyst,  CRU
Greg Wittbecker is based in Pittsburgh. In this capacity he supports North American and Global fundamental aluminum analysis. Mr Wittbecker joined CRU in January 2018, following his retirement as Vice President, Industry Analysis, Alcoa. During his 14 years at Alcoa, he held director roles in analysis, logistics, recycling policy and corporate strategy. During 2016-2017, Mr Wittbecker was Managing Director of Alcoa China, Shanghai, where he led Alcoa’s comprehensive analysis of the Chinese upstream markets. Before joining Alcoa in 2003, he was Global Manager of Physical Metal Trading for Koch Supply & Trading. From 1988-2001, Mr Wittbecker served as Vice President, Wise Metals Group, responsible for risk management and primary metal trading. He began his career with Cargill Inc, holding a progression of operational and trading roles within grains, metals and ocean freight.

Senior Business Analyst,  Landsvirkjun
Sveinbjörn Finnsson is a Senior Business Analyst at Landsvirkjun, the National Power Company of Iceland. Mr. Finnsson is responsible for monitoring and analyzing medium- to long-term trends in markets relevant to Landsvirkjun as well as supporting business development and PPA negotiations. Among the markets he focuses on are international power markets and markets in which the company’s international power intensive clients operate (e.g. silicon metal and aluminium producers). Landsvirkjun follows renewable trends and low-carbon policies in order to identify opportunities as a 100% renewable power company. Mr. Finnsson is an Engineer by training and earned an M.Sc. degree in Energy Science and Technology from ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

Director EHS, Energy & Climate,  Euroalliages
Since 2006, in charge of EHS (Chemical Regulations, Industrial Emission Directive, transport regulations, …). Since October 2019, in charge of Energy & Climate. Between 2012 and 2016, Chair of a CEN ferro-alloys sub-group on "Greenhouse gas emissions in energy-intensive industries”.

Previously, 17 years’ experience in waste management, with 3 years at the European Commission, and 11 years at FOST Plus (Belgian Green Dot system on packaging wastes). Consultant for UNEP to draft a technical guideline on hazardous wastes.

Bio-Engineer with an additional Master in Biotechnology.

Senior Vice President,  CRU
Jorn P. de Linde was appointed to his current position following the merger between Resource Strategies Inc. and CRU International in April 1996. Based in the United States, he specialises in ferroalloys-related research, with particular emphasis on silicon-based alloys and electric power, drawing on 30 years of experience. In addition to the manganese ferroalloy cost data service, Mr de Linde is the principal author of CRU's silicon metal market outlook and silicon cost data service reports. Mr de Linde also is a contributor to other CRU ferroalloy-related reports, including the Bulk Ferroalloys Monitor. He earned an MSc Degree in Mineral Economics from the Pennsylvania State University in the USA and holds an MBA (Siviløkonom) from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen, Norway.

Senior Business Analyst,  Landsvirkjun
Sveinbjörn Finnsson is a Senior Business Analyst at Landsvirkjun, the National Power Company of Iceland. Mr. Finnsson is responsible for monitoring and analyzing medium- to long-term trends in markets relevant to Landsvirkjun as well as supporting business development and PPA negotiations. Among the markets he focuses on are international power markets and markets in which the company’s international power intensive clients operate (e.g. silicon metal and aluminium producers). Landsvirkjun follows renewable trends and low-carbon policies in order to identify opportunities as a 100% renewable power company. Mr. Finnsson is an Engineer by training and earned an M.Sc. degree in Energy Science and Technology from ETH Zurich in Switzerland.

Director EHS, Energy & Climate,  Euroalliages
Since 2006, in charge of EHS (Chemical Regulations, Industrial Emission Directive, transport regulations, …). Since October 2019, in charge of Energy & Climate. Between 2012 and 2016, Chair of a CEN ferro-alloys sub-group on "Greenhouse gas emissions in energy-intensive industries”.

Previously, 17 years’ experience in waste management, with 3 years at the European Commission, and 11 years at FOST Plus (Belgian Green Dot system on packaging wastes). Consultant for UNEP to draft a technical guideline on hazardous wastes.

Bio-Engineer with an additional Master in Biotechnology.

Senior Vice President,  CRU
Jorn P. de Linde was appointed to his current position following the merger between Resource Strategies Inc. and CRU International in April 1996. Based in the United States, he specialises in ferroalloys-related research, with particular emphasis on silicon-based alloys and electric power, drawing on 30 years of experience. In addition to the manganese ferroalloy cost data service, Mr de Linde is the principal author of CRU's silicon metal market outlook and silicon cost data service reports. Mr de Linde also is a contributor to other CRU ferroalloy-related reports, including the Bulk Ferroalloys Monitor. He earned an MSc Degree in Mineral Economics from the Pennsylvania State University in the USA and holds an MBA (Siviløkonom) from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration in Bergen, Norway.

Principal,  Silicon & Ferroalloy Consulting
After working as Commissioning Manager in the Submerged Arc Furnace Division of Mannesmann Demag for a number of years, Jim Brosnan joined SIMCOA Operations in 1990 after overseeing the commissioning of the silicon furnaces. Mr Brosnan held a number of roles at SIMCOA up until the end of 2012, including Smelter Manager, Technical Manager, General Manager Operations and Vice President. Since 2013, he has been working as an independent consultant, providing advisory services to existing producers and new projects in the silicon industry. These services include troubleshooting/ process optimisation for existing operations and project support from prefeasibility through to commissioning for new projects.

Owner,  Alan Crawford Consulting LLC
Alan Crawford is a chemical engineer who has focused 30+ years of his career on technology and operations for conversion of metallurgical grade silicon to methylchlorosilanes and trichlorosilane for production of silicones and polycrystalline silicon. One specific area of expertise is the safe design and operation of metallurgical grade silicon grinding plants. He excels in root cause identification of complex commercial problems and implementation of improved process technology focused on reduction of operating costs. Alan has worked as an independent chemical engineering consultant since late 2008 in the global silicone and polycrystalline silicon industries with clients in Asia, Europe, Middle East and the United States. He formerly worked for REC Silicon (2004-2008) and began his career with General Electric in a wide range of jobs at three GE businesses including GE Silicones (1989 – 2004). Alan is a motivated, detail oriented engineer of high integrity who is not afraid to challenge the status quo of existing technology in order to drive innovation.

President,  Polchar
Alex Nielsen has since 1996 been the CEO & President of the Polchar group of Companies with factories in Poland producing specialized chemical carbon reductants (char) for the alloy industries, mainly FeSi & SiMetal. He has through this job obtained extensive knowledge on coal and coke uses worldwide, both in specialized niches and generally for power generation. He also has considerable knowledge on the various production processes for alloys.

Founder, Chief Operating Officer,  Hi Test Sand Inc
EDUCATION- BS/MS Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science Univ. of Michigan. MBA Sloan School of Business. WORK BACKGROUND – 10 years in GM cast iron foundries – metallurgist, supervision. 5 years with Foote Mineral in ferroalloys production – superintendent, plant manager. 20 years with Dow Corning – Silicon Tech. Director, Procurement Director, General Manager silicon businesses. CURRENT WORK since 2003 – Owner and operator of Midand Silicon Co., LLC, May Global Business Group INC., Midland Silicon Shanghai Trading Company (China) – Silicon and ferroalloys process technology., operations, sales and procurement. Founder and Chief Operating Officer of HiTest Sand Inc. - quartz mining, silicon plant development.

Global Sales Director Electrodes & Corporate Marketing,  Tokai Cobex
Natalia Yaremenko is the Global Sales Director Electrodes & Corporate Marketing at Tokai Cobex, responsible for Group Marketing and Global sales of Carbon Electrodes. She has 20 years of experience in World carbon and graphite industry in the areas of Sales, Marketing, PR and Product Development with expertise in carbon, graphite electrodes, cathode blocks and pastes. Holds an MBA Strategic Management Degree from Cal State East Bay University.

Senior Analyst,  CRU
Dmitry Popov has worked in the commodities research and analysis at CRU for the past seven years. During this time, he has been responsible for the analysis and forecasting of the market fundamentals, prices and production costs for the steel and steel raw materials markets, and for the past two years he has been focusing on the thermal coal market.

Professor,  Materials Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Prof. Merete Tangstad took her MSc and PhD at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and has since 2004 been a professor at the same university. Previously she worked at Elkem and Eramet mainly focusing on Mn-ferroalloy production. Her main areas are silicon and ferroalloy production in Submerged Arc Furnaces ranging from raw materials, furnace operation and tapping. She has been co-authoring a number of books including Production of manganese ferroalloys (2007).

Professor,  Materials Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Prof. Merete Tangstad took her MSc and PhD at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and has since 2004 been a professor at the same university. Previously she worked at Elkem and Eramet mainly focusing on Mn-ferroalloy production. Her main areas are silicon and ferroalloy production in Submerged Arc Furnaces ranging from raw materials, furnace operation and tapping. She has been co-authoring a number of books including Production of manganese ferroalloys (2007).

Steel Prices Analyst,  CRU
Estelle Tran joined CRU as a steel and ferroalloy prices analyst in October 2017. Based in Pittsburgh, Estelle covers the US bulk ferroalloys market and is also the main contact for the data providers who contribute to the CRU Midwest flat roll indices. She started covering the US steel industry as an editor for S&P Global Platts in 2011, and over the years has covered the flat rolled steel, long steel, and primary aluminum markets as well as trade issues. Estelle has served as the president of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries since 2017. She earned a B.A. in English writing and history from the University of Pittsburgh.

Ferroalloys Prices Editor,  CRU
Greg Smart manages the CRU ferroalloys pricing team and ensures that CRUs pricing service is reflective of the market, and as robust as possible. Before joining CRU, he worked in the pricing and analysis of various metal markets at S&P Global Platts, and Argus Media. Greg also worked in the research and trading of cobalt and cadmium metal at SFP Metals.