Argus Biofuels Europe Conference & Exhibition

Adam Kirby

Sustainability Manager – Sustainable Fuels, ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification)

Adam Kirby is a Sustainability Manager at ISCC, specializing in the certification of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and Sustainable Marine Fuels.

Adam brings a diverse background to his role, with extensive experience in agriculture, business and IT consulting, communications, and governmental policy. He holds a B.Sc. in Agribusiness Management from the University of Missouri Columbia, a M.Sc. in Agriculture and Food Economics from the University of Bonn, Germany, and a M.Sc. in Business and Economics from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.

Driven by a passion for agriculture and sustainable systems, Adam leverages his varied expertise to develop innovative solutions with key industry stakeholders to support the renewable fuel sector on its pathway to net zero. He supports ISCC's mission to promote transparency and sustainability through third-party certification in markets worldwide.

Ahmad Adly Alias

Vice President, Refining, Marketing and Trading, Downstream Business, Petronas

With nearly 30 years in the energy sector, Adly has navigated through the evolution from traditional to diversified energy. He is actively steering PETRONAS Downstream business to a sustainable future as Vice President of Refining, Marketing & Trading (RMT), where he oversees refining operations, manages crude and product trading, and the marketing of lubricants in more than 90 countries.
Adly's career spans across the energy value chain. He began in Human Resources before transitioning to roles in Corporate Planning, Commercial Business, and Strategic Planning. He has also held various portfolios leading the LNG business as Head of Marketing division for Korea, Taiwan and China, CEO of PETRONAS LNG LTD (PLL), before his ascension to VP of LNG Marketing and Trading.
Adly holds a BSc in Business Administration and an MBA in Corporate Finance & Investment from the State University of New York at Buffalo in the United State.

André Paula Santos

Head of EU Policy, Nuseed

André is an experienced Brussels lobbyist who has worked in European affairs for a decade. Having represented the EBB since 2016, he works on EU climate and energy, trade and sustainability policies. Before this, André worked for several years as a consultant and public affairs adviser for EU associations, focusing on the challenges facing the energy sector. He is a qualified lawyer who holds a law degree and a master’s degree in administrative law and procurement. Besides his native Portuguese, André speaks fluent English and Spanish, as well as some French.

Andrew Thomas

Director, Sustainability , VistaJet

Andrew Thomas is the Director of Sustainability at Vista. Innovating the industry for 20 years through continuous investment in people, technology and infrastructure, the Group’s mission is to lead the change to provide clients with the most advanced flying services at the very best value, anytime, anywhere around the world. Andrew has been with Vista for over 10 years and has spearheaded its sustainability agenda since 2018.

During Andrew’s tenure, he has led multi-year GHG and TCFD reporting for transparent auditing, introduced a comprehensive Carbon Offset initiative and most recently introduced Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) as a business standard, culminating in the purchase of 4 million US gallons of SAF for 2023-2024.

Alexander Kueper

Vice President, Renewable Aviation Business, Neste

Alexander started his career in 1998 as a lawyer but decided to follow his passion for aviation and joined Deutsche Lufthansa AG as Manager Fuel Purchasing in 2001. He also served as Director of Lufthansa’s own fuel company, DLH Fuel Company mbH, from 2004.

He later joined Shell Aviation, where he was responsible for Shell Aviation´s airport operations in Western and Central Europe and served as a director in several airport fueling joint ventures.

Alexander was appointed Managing Director of AFS Aviation Fuel Services GmbH in 2011, which is one of the leading fuel service providers in Europe.

He worked at IATA as Director Fuel from January 2020, where he was responsible for all fuel related matters, including the ramp-up of SAF.

In early 2023, he was appointed VP Europe, Middle East and Africa for Renewable Aviation at Neste, and is now leading Neste´s global Renewable Aviation business since January 2024.

Alexander is a German national born in Colombia and is married with one son. He studied law in Mainz and London and holds a Master in European Law.

Armin Brandner

Green Chemicals and Fuels Product Director, Air Liquide Engineering & Construction

Dr. Armin Brandner is Product Director of the Green Chemicals and Fuels Product at Air Liquide Engineering & Construction. He joined Air Liquide in 2012 as a Process Engineer. Over the past 10 years within the company, he has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in process technologies for mainly fatty acids, fatty alcohols, glycerin, methyl ester, bio propylene glycol, sorbitol and new technologies such as supercritical biodiesel and soap carbonate technology solutions. Dr Brandner holds a Degree and PhD in Industrial Chemistry from Darmstadt University of Technology. In his scientific work, he has focused on glycerin chemistry.

Ashleigh McDougall

General Manager Aviation Europe & Africa, Shell

Dickon Posnett

Director of Corporate Affairs, Argent Energy

Emanuele Fratantuono

Business Development Manager, Adamant Group

Started trading biofuels (paper and physical) with Nidera, a dutch-based trading house in 2009. In 2012 moved to Asia (Hong Kong) trading biomass and bioenergy in the region. Got back to Europe in 2019 to work as waste-biodiesel trader for REG in the NL, then joined Element Alpha, a swiss-trading house as Head of Renewables. Then, between 2021-2024 worked as Head of Renewables for Crossbridge Energy Partners, an American PE fund engaged in oil refining that in 2021 took over the Fredericia Refinery, Denmark from Shell. in early 2024 have joined Adamant as Business Development Manager and as Coordinator of the Trading team.

Inmaculada Gómez Jiménez

Sustainability expert , AESA-SENASA

Dr. Inmaculada Gómez works as sustainability expert at the Spanish public company SENASA since 2007, where she supports the Spanish government on environmental issues for aviation, including local air quality, carbon markets and alternative energies, at national and international levels, focusing during last decade on SAF. She participates as Spanish expert in the ICAO, ECAC and EU groups related with aviation and environment, as part of the support provided to the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and the Civil Aviation Directorate (DGAC) at the Ministry of Transports and Sustainable Mobility.

Henrik Brodin

Head of Energy Transition, Sodra

Jan van Hengel

Sr. Business Development Manager, Port of Rotterdam

Mr. Steven Jan van Hengel (1983) holds the position of Sr. Business Development Manager Energy Transition at the Port of Rotterdam authority. His focus lies on decarbonizing the maritime sector. Steven Jan holds this position since January 2023

Prior, Steven Jan has held various commercial positions at the Port of Rotterdam authority since joining in 2015. Before joining the Port of Rotterdam authority in 2015, Mr. Van Hengel has held positions in Finance, Operations and Business Development at Royal Vopak, world’s largest independent tank terminal operator.

Steven Jan holds a Master’s Degree in Economics & Business from the Erasmus University Rotterdam.

James Iddiols

Lead Investigator, UK Trade Remedies Authority

Marco Bonvini

Fuels & Chemicals Licensing & Business Development Director, Nextchem Tech, NEXTCHEM

Born in 1963 and graduated as Nuclear Engineer in 1988 at Politecnico of Milan.
Overall international knowledge of over 35 years including 15 years’ experience in working for large international companies in the Power Sector (Ansaldo GIE, Italy and ABB/Alstom, Switzerland-USA).
Over 20 years’ experience working for small/medium size companies cumulating an extensive view of all problems effecting these organizations and developed ability to work on the internal restructuring.
Long experience in M&A activities to create synergy among companies and complete a global value proposition.
In the last 10 years, he focused on business and project developments activities in the field of green technologies for biofuels and biochemicals.
Since 2019 he joined NextChem Tech as Licensing & Business Development Fuels & Chemicals Director for the Fuels & Chemicals cluster to support our customers to develop innovative projects for the production of sustainable fuels and chemicals (either bio or synthetic).

Margaux Thoyer-Rozat

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Procurement Manager, Air France

My name is Margaux Thoyer-Rozat, I am 39 years old and I have been in the aviation industry for over 17 years now.
I graduated from the Arts et Metiers Institute as an Engineer and got a Specialized Master's degree in International Project Management at ESCP Business School.
I have been working at Air France in various positions: Engine Maintenance, Network Planning , Global Corporate Account Manager and I currently work as a Sustainable Aviation Fuel Procurement Manager. For an Airline, fleet renewal and sustainable aviation fuel are the 2 main pillars to decarbonize the aviation industry and I am convinced of the importance of the ecological transition for the next generations to come and excited to be part of this decarbonizing journey.

Mathilde Tannous

SAF & EU ETS for aviation program Manager, French Civil Aviation Authority

After my Master’s Degree in Environmental Hygiene and Safety, I spent 6 years at Signature Flight Support, the world’s largest fixed-base operation for business aviation services.

As the EMEA HSE Manager, I overlooked HS&E matters for our locations based in Europe, Middle-East and Africa, including audits and the handling of national bodies representatives.
My role within the organisation required me to understand technical topics such as fuelling or ground handling operations in relation with services provided by SFS and ASIG, its former sister company for commercial aviation.

Wanting to take my career to the next level, I joined the General Directorate for Energy and Climate Change at the Ministry of Ecological Transition in 2016, where I worked for the office of petroleum logistics and alternative fuels.
Among various responsibilities, I managed the Alternative Fuel Directive implementation within national legislation and worked on topics related to energy for the transport sectors during the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive. This assignment required me to understand the global picture of alternative fuels for various transport modes.

While that position was very fulfilling, I was still drawn to the aviation sector. I saw an opportunity to combine both experiences when I learned the French Civil Aviation Authority was looking for an expert to work on sustainable aviation fuels. I joined the Sustainable Development Department in 2020 as the SAF Program Manager, to support the development of SAF at the national, European, and international levels. I also overlook the European Emission Trading Scheme for France, a matter intrinsically linked to SAF.

Raman Ojha

President, Shell Aviation

As President of Shell Aviation, I have the privilege of leading our global network of operations, joint ventures, and sales of fuels, lubricants, and sustainable solutions to the aviation industry. Our extensive refuelling network spans over 60 countries, serving a diverse range of customers from private pilots to the world's largest airlines.

What excites me most about our customer base is the sheer variety of individuals and organisations we work with. From passionate pilots to global airlines, each one plays a vital role in creating a strong industry ecosystem that will drive a successful and sustainable future for the sector.

At Shell Aviation, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products and services while prioritising sustainability and innovation. With the support of our valued customers, we look forward to continuing to lead the way in shaping the future of aviation.

Tom Strang

Naval Architect, Carnival Corporation & plc

Tom is a chartered Naval Architect who started his career in British Shipbuilders in Barrow-in-Furness. He then joined Lloyd’s Register where he was involved in all aspects of shipbuilding and ship survey, finishing up as a Senior Passenger Ship Specialist. He joined Carnival Corporation & plc in 2000 and has had a variety of senior roles across the group, including three years as SVP Marine Operations for Costa Crociere. Tom is now SVP Maritime Affairs and is primarily engaged leading on Carnival’s decarbonisation strategy (including LNG) and ship recycling.
He chairs several industry committees including the CLIA EU Sustainability Advisory Committee, ICS Passenger Ship Panel, Royal Institution of Naval Architects Environmental Committee and UK Chamber of Shipping Safety and Environmental Committee.

Usman Ahmed

Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Gamalux Sdn. Bhd.

William Boatwright

Senior Manager-Logistics and Climate Solutions, Norden

William Boatwright is the Senior Commercial Manager for Climate Solutions at NORDEN. He has been with NORDEN for over 10 years in both operational and chartering roles. His focus over the past few years has been for long term project development and helping clients understand new and upcoming climate regulations and reduce their emission intensity. William holds a bachelor of science in Marine Transportation from the State University of New York Maritime college.

Xavier Noyon

Secretary General, European Biodiesel Board (EBB)

Brussels-based EBB is the association for companies producing biodiesel (HVO and FAME) in the EU and represents producers using all feedstocks — food/feed crops, waste, residues and other biogenic materials. Xavier has experience from previous roles at PEFC International, the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation, Logos Public Affairs and Orgalime. He holds a master’s degree in European public policy from Institut d’études politiques de Strasbourg.

Yvonne Moynihan

Corporate & ESG Officer, Wizz Air

Ms Moynihan joined Wizz Air in 2022 as Corporate Officer and in February 2023 was appointed as Corporate and ESG Officer, leading corporate, legal, regulatory and government affairs functions, including ESG & sustainability governance. The Wizz Air sustainability team is credited for helping the company win the CAPA Award for the most environmentally sustainable airline group globally in 2022 and 2023. Wizz Air also has one of the lowest carbon intensities in the industry, with a record 51.5 grams of CO2 per passenger per km in 2023. Ms Moynihan is a Barrister by background and has practiced as a litigator in the Irish Courts, she has held roles as a researcher for the Irish Superior Courts and the European Court of Justice. Ms Moynihan has been working in aviation for more than ten years and has a track record in the low-cost industry, having held legal roles in Ryanair and Vueling, where she held the position of General Counsel and Board Secretary.

Catherine Caulfield

Business Development Manager— Oil Markets, Oil Markets, Argus Media

Catherine is responsible for coordinating Argus’ business development strategy for base oils, marine fuels and bitumen. For base oils, her role involves engaging with market participants to explain the benefits of using Argus base oil spot prices to facilitate risk management. From London, she works closely with the global editorial team to develop awareness and understanding of Argus Base Oils in global markets. Prior to her current role, Catherine was responsible for European base oils market coverage at Argus: contributing spot prices, market commentary and analysis to Argus’ weekly global base oils report. Catherine holds an MSc in Petroleum Geoscience from the University of Aberdeen and a BA in Natural Sciences from Trinity College Dublin.

Alfonso Berrocal

Business Development Manager Middle Distillates & SAF, Argus

Alfonso has extensive experience working in the oil trading industry, particularly in physical trading. Before joining Argus he traded bitumen for GP Global in Europe. He is currently based in London, with bitumen and speciality products as his main focus.

Giulia Squadrin

Associate Editor, Biofuels, Argus

Giulia produces weekly assessments for hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), after having focused on the coverage of the European biodiesel market for two years, producing prices for benchmark and non-benchmark grades. As part of her role, she works on the analysis of the European biofuels market, including regulatory changes and data management. Prior to joining Argus, Giulia worked with international organisations in Geneva for a year and completed a master’s degree in International Affairs at Middle Tennessee State University.

Elena Domashenko

Senior Analyst, Argus Marine Fuels Outlook, Argus

Elena is a consultant at Argus, based in London. She is responsible for the monthly Argus Marine Fuels Outlook, a report delivering forecasts and analysis for the global conventional and alternative marine fuels markets. Elena joined Argus in 2015 and has an extensive experience in crude and products price assessments and market coverage. Elena holds an MSc in Economics from Leipzig University.

Hussein Al-Khalisy

Alternative Marine Fuels Reporter, Argus

Hussein is a Marine Fuels Reporter at Argus Media covering bunker fuels across Europe and Africa and specialising in alternative marine fuel markets. He is responsible for the development of European marine biodiesel spot price assessments and contributes to price assessments, news and analysis.