In this article, I explore how Morocco’s success on the international sporting stage has the potential to deliver lasting economic benefits beyond football. I examine how events such as the Africa Cup of Nations can strengthen the country’s global brand, attract higher-value tourism, and reinforce investor confidence. While sporting success can act as a powerful…

As global energy markets become increasingly fragmented, Morocco is emerging as a potential strategic bridge between Europe and Africa. Drawing on my experience in international commodities trading, I examine whether the country’s geographic position, infrastructure ambitions and renewable energy investments are enough to establish it as a genuine regional energy hub. The article explores the…

At first glance, oil trading and technology startups have little in common. Yet both operate in environments defined by uncertainty, rapid decision-making and asymmetric risk. Drawing on more than two decades in global commodities trading. I explore the surprising lessons each industry can learn from the other, from capital discipline and optionality to innovation, data-driven…

Introduction: More Than Just a Railway Beneath the surface of Southern Africa runs a vein of immense wealth — copper, cobalt, and other minerals critical to powering the modern world. For decades, getting these resources to global markets has been a slow, costly journey over tangled and congested routes. Today, a century-old railway is being…

As the global community intensifies its efforts to combat climate change, the imperative to transition from fossil fuels to renewable, green energy sources has never been clearer. The scientific consensus — articulated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and reinforced by worsening extreme weather events — underscores the urgency of decarbonizing our economies.…

In the evolving geopolitical landscape of the South Caucasus, few issues carry as much strategic weight, and contention, as the proposed Zangezur Corridor. Envisioned as a transport and economic link connecting Azerbaijan’s mainland to its exclave of Nakhchivan through southern Armenia, the corridor has emerged as a cornerstone of regional connectivity, a symbol of post-conflict…

For many institutional investors, Africa still sits in a predefined mental bucket. High risk. Hard to model. Difficult to exit. It is often treated as a single category, rather than a set of diverse and highly differentiated markets within the broader world of global commodities trading, oil, and fuel oil trading. That framing is convenient.…

Ownership has always been central to how investors think about value. Control the asset, and you control the outcome. It is a simple and intuitive idea, and in stable environments, it generally holds across the global commodities trading industry. In volatile markets, the picture is less straightforward. Owning an asset does not guarantee control over…

In many developed markets, deal sourcing follows a familiar pattern. Opportunities are intermediated, processes are competitive, and information is broadly distributed. Access is not the primary challenge. Differentiation comes later, through price, structure, and speed. In large parts of the energy sector across Africa and the Middle East, the dynamic is different. The most attractive…

Most investment discussions in energy start with the asset. What it produces, what it costs to run, what multiple it trades at, and what it might be worth on exit. It is a logical approach and, in many cases, a necessary one. But it often misses the point. In practice, assets do not generate returns…