The Price Of Everything

General Index

Welcome to The Price of Everything, a podcast that aims to shine a light on pricing. The cost of commodities – energy, food, etc. – play such an important role in our lives: accounting for around $5trillion worth of worldwide trade. But how are those prices actually calculated? Why do they move up and down so much? And what’s next? The Price of Everything is the first podcast dedicated purely to how pricing works. Introduced by Neil Bradford, Founder & CEO of General Index (GX), and hosted by David Elward, Senior Pricing Analyst at GX, The Price of Everything takes listeners through how the world’s commodities are priced and what the future looks like for them in the age of climate change and the energy transition. In this second series, we’re exploring the new markets coming to prominence, and how commoditisation in those sectors – hydrogen, voluntary carbon, sustainable aviation fuel and others – is often elusive; pricing and standards far less well defined; and value derived by their capacity to help combat climate change.

  1. 06/25/2024

    SAF revisited: Views from a world leading project financer

    In this episode of The Price of Everything, we're returning to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The SAF landscape is very fresh and emerging as a real focal point in the energy transition space, so there are various ways to look at the SAF market.    Our guest for this episode is going to help us view SAF from a project finance side. John May, Managing Director at Hamilton Clark Sustainable Capital, Inc. is known as perhaps known as the world's leading project financier for SAF project development.    John gives us some fantastic insight into the role investment banking plays in SAF markets, how "hot" SAF is right now globally, the costs associated with commercial scale, and much more.   This episode of The Price of Everything was introduced and presented by David Elward. It was produced by Andrew Wheeler at General Index, in collaboration with Sassy Clyde and Fraser Heanue of Janno Media.   If you’ve enjoyed this episode, or if you have any ideas and would like to be involved in future episodes, then please get in touch.   Learn more about GX and how we’re bringing robust, reliable price transparency to the world’s commodity markets.   About Hamilton Clark Sustainable Capital, Inc.  Throughout the past 30 years, Hamilton Clark Sustainable Capital, Inc. have assisted public and private companies that are overlooked by large Wall Street firms and by regional investment banking firms that had merged into larger financial institutions.    Typically, their financing transactions are sourced from institutional private equity, venture capital or strategic corporate investors who were looking to extend their R&D and project activities by investing in promising new projects or technologies.    They also assist private companies in selling their business, as well as helping large companies divest of non-core operations, and they advise on shareholder value enhancement engagements.    Based on the prior banking and investment banking experience of their Managing Directors, they have been sought out by companies that want Wall Street experience but without the cost, complexity, or attitude of a Wall Street investment banking engagement.

    49 min
  2. 06/11/2024

    Middle East crude: Views from an exchange

    For the carbon-intensive energy sources being transitioned away from, commoditisation is far more advanced. But pricing and standards rarely stand still for long and the era of energy transition will challenge existing norms like never before.   Oil markets have long been at the vanguard of pricing evolution, and from time to time, we’ll delve into these markets to learn how they may evolve over the transition and ask if they can offer any lessons to those vying to replace them.   Producing and transporting nearly a quarter of the worlds crude oil, no discussion on fossil fuel or environmental policy is complete without a deep dive into understanding the workings of the Middle East crude market.   To help guide us through this terrain, David is joined by Russell Robertson, Chief Commercial Officer at the Dubai Mercantile Exchange (DME). Also on the episode, and joining David as co-host is Aabha Gandhi, Pricing Director at General Index.   This episode of The Price of Everything was introduced and presented by David Elward. It was produced by Andrew Wheeler at General Index, in collaboration with Sassy Clyde and Fraser Heanue of Janno Media.   If you’ve enjoyed this episode, or if you have any ideas and would like to be involved in future episodes, then please get in touch.   Learn more about GX and how we’re bringing robust, reliable price transparency to the world’s commodity markets.   About DME   DME is the premier international energy futures and commodities exchange in the Middle East, home to the world’s third crude benchmark.   Launched in 2007, DME brings fair and transparent price discovery and efficient risk management to the East of Suez. The DME lists the Oman Crude Oil Futures contract (DME Oman) as its flagship contract, providing the most fair and transparent crude oil benchmarks for the region. DME Oman is the explicit and sole benchmark for Oman and Dubai crude oil Official Selling Prices (OSPs) – historically established markers for Middle Eastern crude oil exports to Asia.

    37 min
  3. 03/12/2024

    Voluntary Carbon

    Across the energy transition landscape, few markets have attracted as much fanfare and derision in recent years as Voluntary Carbon. “The VCM” as it’s commonly known, has been on a rollercoaster ride.   Carbon markets and emissions offsetting which have been around for decades have exploded onto the scene as a way for seemingly anyone and everyone wanting to reduce their carbon footprint.   One firm looking to help VCM turn this corner and encourage better standards is BeZero Carbon.   GX and BeZero recently announced a partnership to establish clearer links between carbon credit quality and price. And BeZero’s Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer Sebastien Cross joined us for the first episode of the new series.   This episode of The Price of Everything was introduced and presented by Neil Bradford and David Elward. It was produced by Andrew Wheeler at General Index, in collaboration with Sassy Clyde and Fraser Heanue of Janno Media. The guest was Sebastien Cross.   If you’ve enjoyed this episode, or if you have any ideas and would like to be involved in future episodes, then please get in touch.   Learn more about GX and how we’re bringing robust, reliable price transparency to the world’s commodity markets.   About BeZero Carbon   BeZero is the carbon ratings agency. Its ratings and risk products equip world-leading organisations with the knowledge, tools and confidence to make better climate decisions. Its aim is to scale investment in environmental markets that deliver a sustainable future.

    43 min
  4. 01/13/2023

    Brent: Episode 5, Part 2 - Dr. Adi Imsirovic, Saket Vemprala

    In the fifth episode of a brand-new podcast from General Index, we discuss the future of the Brent benchmarks.    Missed part 1? Listen on SpotifyListen on Apple Part 2: In the second of a two-parter, we continue to discuss the proposals to reform Dated Brent, ponder what lies beyond Brent, and, as we reach the end of the series, ask has it been an effective pricing tool?   This episode of The Price of Everything is introduced by Neil Bradford and presented by David Elward. The guests were Dr. Adi Imsirovic and Saket Vemprala. It was produced by Andrew Wheeler in collaboration with Sassy Clyde of Janno Media.    Adi has over 30 years of experience in oil trading, having held a number of senior positions, including global head of oil at Gazprom Marketing & Trading, director of Petraco and head of its Singapore office, and the regional manager of Texaco Oil Trading for Asia. Adi is a Fulbright scholar and has a PhD in Economics and a master’s degree in Energy Economics. Currently, he is a Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, and a director of Surrey Clean Energy, a consultancy.   His most recent book – Trading and Price Discovery for Crude Oils: Growth and Development of international Oil Markets – delves deep into how the international oil market became what it is today.    You can pick up a copy here   Adi has written extensively on Brent, including several articles via the OIES:   -          CIF Brent Benchmark? (March 2021) -          Benchmarks: Brent (May 2021) -          The Future of the Brent Oil Benchmark A Radical Makeover (April 2022) -          The Brent Benchmark - Where Do We Stand? (July 2022)   Adi is currently editing his next book – ‘Brent Crude Oil: Genesis and Development of the World Most Important Oil Benchmark - In the Words of Those Who Shaped It’ – which will be published by McGraw Hill / Palgrave summer 2023.   Saket Vemprala is a pricing director at General Index in London, where he overseas European crude oil and products benchmarks. He previously led the European oil products team at Argus Media, with primary responsibility for the Eurobob gasoline benchmark, having earlier covered Europe and Africa crude markets. He has also worked at risk consultancy Business Monitor International and oil tanker operator Navig8 Group.   If you’ve enjoyed this episode or if you have ideas and would like to be involved in future episodes of The Price of Everything, then please get in touch.   Learn more about General Index and how we’re bringing robust, reliable price transparency to the world’s global commodity markets.

    35 min
  5. 01/13/2023

    Brent: Episode 5, Part 1 – Dr. Adi Imsirovic, Saket Vemprala

    In the fifth episode of a brand-new podcast from General Index, we discuss the future of the Brent benchmarks. Part 1: In the first of a two-parter, we unpack the galaxy of Brent prices, explore the impact of declining North Sea oil production, and consider the latest proposals to reform the Dated Brent benchmark. This episode of The Price of Everything is introduced by Neil Bradford and presented by David Elward. The guests were Dr. Adi Imsirovic and Saket Vemprala. It was produced by Andrew Wheeler in collaboration with Sassy Clyde of Janno Media.    Adi has over 30 years of experience in oil trading, having held a number of senior positions, including global head of oil at Gazprom Marketing & Trading, director of Petraco and head of its Singapore office, and the regional manager of Texaco Oil Trading for Asia. Adi is a Fulbright scholar and has a PhD in Economics and a master’s degree in Energy Economics. Currently, he is a Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, and a director of Surrey Clean Energy, a consultancy.   His most recent book – Trading and Price Discovery for Crude Oils: Growth and Development of international Oil Markets – delves deep into how the international oil market became what it is today.    You can pick up a copy here   Adi has written extensively on Brent, including several articles via the OIES:   -          CIF Brent Benchmark? (March 2021) -          Benchmarks: Brent (May 2021) -          The Future of the Brent Oil Benchmark A Radical Makeover (April 2022) -          The Brent Benchmark - Where Do We Stand? (July 2022)   Adi is currently editing his next book – ‘Brent Crude Oil: Genesis and Development of the World Most Important Oil Benchmark - In the Words of Those Who Shaped It’ – which will be published by McGraw Hill / Palgrave summer 2023.   Saket Vemprala is a pricing director at General Index in London, where he overseas European crude oil and products benchmarks. He previously led the European oil products team at Argus Media, with primary responsibility for the Eurobob gasoline benchmark, having earlier covered Europe and Africa crude markets. He has also worked at risk consultancy Business Monitor International and oil tanker operator Navig8 Group.   If you’ve enjoyed this episode or if you have ideas and would like to be involved in future episodes of The Price of Everything, then please get in touch.   Learn more about General Index and how we’re bringing robust, reliable price transparency to the world’s global commodity markets.

    33 min

About

Welcome to The Price of Everything, a podcast that aims to shine a light on pricing. The cost of commodities – energy, food, etc. – play such an important role in our lives: accounting for around $5trillion worth of worldwide trade. But how are those prices actually calculated? Why do they move up and down so much? And what’s next? The Price of Everything is the first podcast dedicated purely to how pricing works. Introduced by Neil Bradford, Founder & CEO of General Index (GX), and hosted by David Elward, Senior Pricing Analyst at GX, The Price of Everything takes listeners through how the world’s commodities are priced and what the future looks like for them in the age of climate change and the energy transition. In this second series, we’re exploring the new markets coming to prominence, and how commoditisation in those sectors – hydrogen, voluntary carbon, sustainable aviation fuel and others – is often elusive; pricing and standards far less well defined; and value derived by their capacity to help combat climate change.