What aspects of energy trading particularly appeal to you?
I fell into trading by accident (or was is meant to be?) and I discovered that I love the vibes of trading floors, the constant change, the need to understand what is going on across multiple dimensions, anticipate what will come, assess risks and make choices.
Every day is different and it never gets boring.
What I learnt from trading and traders is how to turn pressure into resilience and stress into a superpower.
What surprised you when you entered energy trading?
The multicultural environment as trading connects markets and people across geographies. So, people have to find a way to communicate and understand each other, recognise the value of their different perspectives to interact effectively.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise most people who know you.
I am genuinely scared of flying, still I pursued an international career and I have always travelled a fair bit for work. So sometimes I wonder why do I do that to myself? I suppose that I need a regular reminder that there are things that can not be controlled...and accepting that increases one's freedom.
What role do you envision energy traders playing in driving the transition to a more sustainable energy future?
I believe markets and traders have a key role to play in ensuring we choose the most efficient path to sustainability. Markets and price signals have the ability to constantly adjust to new information including new technological developments and new options to achieve a sustainable future. The policy framework should harness the potential of markets and trading to the benefit of society.
What’s your favourite movie?
My favourite movie is There's Still Tomorrow (Italian: C'è ancora domani) by Paola Cortellesi. It is the story of a woman, Delia, breaking traditional family patterns and aspiring to a different future in post-war 1940s Italy. I was inspired by the universal message of this movie: the need to understand one's cultural roots and the courage to make our own choices.
As a Board Member, what key responsibilities do you hold to effectively contribute to the association's success?
I have been Chair of the Energy Traders Europe Board throughout this year, our anniversary year, our special year in which we looked back, celebrated the many achievements of the association and, at the same time, we looked forward to get ourselves ready for the new policy cycle; ready to face new challenges and keen to seize new opportunities.
In this year as Board Chair, I have been amazed by Mark and his team's passion for energy markets, I have been humbled by the calibre of fellow Board members. We put all of that to good use and worked hard to renew the association's public image – we have a new name, we have a new logo.
We also improved the associations governance introducing new Byelaws and we sharpened our external communications.
What do you bring to the Board?
As a Board Member, I bring a deep understanding of European markets and the ability to link the regulatory, strategic and commercial perspectives to help the Board steer the work of the association. In my role as Chair of the Board, I bring the ability to invite different perspectives, to value the input of a diverse group of bright Board colleagues and harmonise that input to inform action.