Join the 2026 Astana Market Briefing!
We are pleased to invite you to the S&P Global Energy Astana Market Briefing 2026, returning to Astana, Kazakhstan on 20th May for an in‑person gathering of senior energy leaders and market experts.
This complimentary briefing will deliver timely insights into the forces shaping energy markets across the region and beyond. Join S&P Global Energy’s thought leaders as they share their latest analysis, explore emerging trends, and engage in discussions on the issues most relevant to the market.
Key topics will include:
- Explore the dynamics of changing oil trade flows
- The global outlook for crude and refined products
- Kazakhstan’s National Energy Report: overview and key findings
- Trends shaping the petrochemical landscape
- Global upstream dynamics and investment outlook
- Agriculture and fertilizer developments
Places are limited, and early registration is encouraged to secure your attendance.
Please note: All sessions will be conducted in English, with Russian translation available. We kindly ask that registration forms are completed in English.
Agenda
*Agenda is subject to change*
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Plenary Sessions
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Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Speakers
Bolat Achulakov
Chairman of KazEnergy Association
Chairman of KazEnergy Association
Zhandos Nurmanganbetov
Executive Director of KazEnergy Association
Executive Director of KazEnergy Association
S&P Global Energy
Jeffrey McDonald
Manager, Price Reporting, Minerals & Fertilizer
Jeffrey McDonald is Manager, Price Reporting, Minerals & Fertilizer at S&P Global Energy. With extensive experience in market reporting and price assessments, Jeffrey currently leads the EMEA fertilizers and minerals price reporting team, driving benchmark development and transparency in globally traded fertilizer markets. Throughout his career at Platts, Jeffrey has covered a range of commodity markets, including coal and petcoke, and has played a key role in launching hydrogen price assessments. Based in London, he is committed to fostering robust methodology and reliable market reporting to empower stakeholders in the evolving fertilizer landscape.
S&P Global Energy
Tanya Stepanova
Associate Director, Oil Markets, Midstream, and Downstream
Tanya leads a dedicated team responsible for research on Russia and CIS downstream value chain from refining and refined product markets through fuel retail. Prior to joining S&P Global, Tanya served as an executive in the International Financial Policy Department of the Ministry of Finance in Riga, Latvia.
Tanya holds a bachelor's degree from the International University Audentes, Estonia and a master's degree from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po). She speaks English, Russian, French, and Latvian and is based in S&P Global Paris office.
S&P Global Energy
Francesco Di Salvo
Global Director, Price Reporting-Clean Refined Products
Global Director, Clean Refined Oil Products Pricing
S&P Global Energy
Paulina Mirenkova
Director
Paulina focuses on the political and investment climate and energy markets of Russia and Central Asia. She was an author and project manager of Kazakhstan's 2015, 2017 and 2019 National Energy Strategy Reports steered by KazEnergy. The reports provide comprehensive coverage of all sectors across the energy industry, discuss environmental and energy efficiency issues, and analyze important global trends in the energy sphere. Paulina is an author and editor of the annual Caspian Energy Watch, covering regional developments in the oil and gas sectors. Her latest research reports covered Azerbaijan's gas prospects beyond Shah Deniz, Kazakhstan's gas exports to China, the importance of small and medium size oil producers to the overall oil profile of Kazakhstan 's oil production, and the impact of the Eurasian Economic Union integration process on Kazakhstan's domestic energy market. Prior to joining S&P Global Energy, Paulina was a quantitative analyst with an asset management firm in Boston.
Paulina holds bachelor's degrees (with honors) from Northeastern University and a Master of Arts degree in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University.
S&P Global Energy
Matt Sagers
Vice President, Eurasian Energy Research
Vice President, Eurasian Energy Research
S&P Global Energy
Ian Conway
Executive Director, Upstream Research
Ian joined IHS Markit in 2017 and has worked extensively since then on advising Upstream Clients in the areas of Global Exploration, Supply and Upstream Thought Leadership. He has both led and participated in numerous Executive Briefings and Challenge Sessions for Global International Oil Companies.
Ian joined the oil industry in 1985 as a graduate petroleum engineer / reservoir engineer working for BP Exploration, primarily on UK North Sea new oil and gas field development projects. Subseqently he has also held international technical and management roles with ExxonMobil, Maersk Oil and Gas, and Centrica, covering Exploration, New Business, Asset Management and Production roles. Prior to joining S&P Global, he held the positions of Chief Operating Officer and Technical Director at UK AIM-listed E&P company Gulfsands Petroleum plc, where he held a position on the Board, and was heavily involved in the highly successful development of the company's oil fields in the Middle East.
He holds a B.A. and M.A. in Physics from Oxford University, and also an M.Sc. in Finance from London Business School.
S&P Global Energy
Basel Asmar, Ph.D.
Head of Innovation – Costs & Supply Chain, Upstream Solutions
Dr. Asmar is an expert in oil and gas fundamentals, cpsts and a dynamic simulation expert with extensive computer, modeling, and simulation skills. He is part of the Upstream Capital and Operating Costs Service team working on consulting assignments, multi-client studies and core research. He leads the Upstream Innovaion Index (UII) service. In prior roles, he led international cost estimating and performance improvement consulting activities. Dr. Asmar has worked with major engineering companies concerned with large LNG regasification and liquefaction terminals, natural gas compression stations, and offshore oil and gas production platforms. Formerly, he was as a senior process engineer and dynamic simulation specialist with CB&I, Mott MacDonald, and IMEG, and a lead consultant with Trident Consultants Ltd, London. Dr. Asmar has published more than 40 articles in international journals, conference proceedings, and newspapers. He has authored two books, "Fossil Fuels in the Arab World: Facts and Fiction" and "Fossil Fuels in the Arab World: Seasons Reversed."
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan, plus a Master of Science in Project and Process Engineering and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Nottingham, UK, as well as a doctorate from Free University Berlin, Germany in Geoscience. He is a Chartered Engineer, a member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers and a senior member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
S&P Global Energy
Sergey Chetvertakov, Ph.D.
Principal Analyst, Biofuels Research and Analytics.
Sergey has 10+ years' experience researching and analyzing agricultural markets. He is responsible for price forecasts, fundamental and technical analysis. Also, he develops short (up to 12 months) and long-term (up to 5 years) price forecasting models applying machine-learning. He identifies and communicates potential risks to aid clients' business decision process.
Based in Ratzeburg (Germany), Sergey is a regular speaker at conferences and is frequently cited by major media publications.
Sergey holds a Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Sciences at the University of Göttingen (Germany) and a Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Economics at the Voronezh State Agrarian University (Russia).
S&P Global Energy
Emma Kettley
Associate Editorial Director, Crude and Fuel Oil
S&P Global Energy
Malick Diallo
VP, EMEA Sales
S&P Global Energy
William Bland
Associate Director, Price Reporting - Agriculture And Food
William Bland is responsible for Platts Agriculture & Food coverage in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a reporter be covered the Black Sea grains and crude oil. He has worked in Moscow and Beijing and now talk regularly to governments and private companies about pricing benchmarks and changes in trade flows.
S&P Global Energy
Dr. Luca Raffellini
Executive Director, Chemical Consulting
With 28 years' experience in the chemical industry, both as a company executive and as a management consultant, Dr. Luca has advised major corporations, SMEs, private equity firms, investment banks, and government, typically on growth and innovation issues.
His subject matter expertise is primarily in specialty chemicals and polymers: in particular lubricants and lubricant additives, fuel additives, elastomers, synthetic latex, and composite materials. His functional experience covers mergers & acquisitions, corporate strategy, R&D management, and commercial excellence.
Dr. Luca held international positions in UK, Italy, France, and US with ENI (now Versalis), Arthur D Little, Kline Inc., Booz & Company; he was the Global Marketing Manager of Infineum (Shell-ExxonMobil JV) and a Vice President with Frost & Sullivan leading the Private Equity practice. He serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, was on the Business plan Judging Panel of Oxford University, and lectured at the Dartmouth College School of Management.
Dr. Luca is a Doctor of Chemistry and has an MBA from Cranfield.
S&P Global Energy
Yernar Akhmettayev
Senior Research Analyst
Yernar Akhmettayev is a senior research analyst with the Russian and Caspian energy team at S&P Global Energy and currently focuses on oil and gas markets in Central Asia, specifically Kazakhstan. Prior to joining S&P Global, Yernar was a financial analyst with the major oil and gas projects team at KazMunayGaz (KMG), the national oil and gas company in Kazakhstan, specializing in providing financial analysis and economic modelling for expansion projects.
Yernar holds a Bachelor of Science in economics from the Kazakh Economic University, Almaty, Kazakhstan and a Master of Science in economics from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.
S&P Global Energy
Dinara Daribayeva
Research Analyst, RACE
Dinara is part of the Russian and Caspian Energy team, specializing in oil and gas markets in Central Asia, Russia, and the Baltic states. Prior to joining IHS Markit, Ms. Daribayeva worked in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry as a finance and project manager for a local drilling company. She coordinated and managed work processes for joint projects with international oil service companies. Ms. Daribayeva also supported a business development team on projects with the international majors in Kazakhstan. She holds a bachelor's degree in finance with honors from Zhangir Khan West Kazakhstan Agrarian-Technical University, and a master's degree in risk management with honors from Glasgow Caledonian University, United Kingdom.
Michael Liesfeldt
ME & Africa Olefins Lead
Michael is the ME & Africa Olefins Lead for the S&P Global Energy CERA. Residing in Abu Dhabi, he joined the Dubai S&P Global office in 2023 and focuses on the markets in the region.
Michael formerly worked for the UAE based ADNOC group (polyolefins Borouge) before joining S&P Global. With a focus on ethylene, propylene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and elastomers he acquired extensive experience living in North America, Asia, and Europe in a variety of commercial, manufacturing, and supply chain roles for i.e. ARLANXEO (Saudi Aramco company), LANXESS, a German specialty chemical company, and US based Dow Chemical Company.
S&P Global Energy
Nick Trickett
Associate Director
Nick Trickett is an associate director with the Energy Capital Insights team covering mining & metals, cross-commodity and macroeconomic dynamics within energy expansion, and cleantech value chains. A Russianist and political economy specialist by training, his work touches on most of S&P Global Energy's research lines, providing multi-disciplinary thematic insights with a focus on financial clients and the intersection of geopolitics, macroeconomics, and commodity markets. Nick holds an MA in Russian studies from the European University in St. Petersburg where he focused on energy politics and an MSc in international political economy from the London School of Economics. He holds a broad range of professional experience following several years in the D.C. policy world, including extensive consulting work on Russia and Eurasia, relevant briefing workshops for the State Department, National Intelligence Council, and the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office in the UK, a stint as an oil & gas consultant with Wood Mackenzie, a mining & metals analyst with Fitch Solutions, and the global BD lead for mining & metals at White & Case prior to joining S&P. He is the author of the forthcoming book Empire of Austerity: Russia and the Breaking of Eurasia with Hurst Publishers.
S&P Global Energy
Wesley Monteiro
Middle East Market Engagement Lead
Wesley is the Middle East Market Engagement Lead at S&P Global Energy (Platts).
He has developed strong relationships with numerous international organizations and led strategic engagements with key players across the commodity industry, including producers, traders, investors, consumers, and technology providers. Wesley has been instrumental in educating the market on Platts’ pricing methodology, offering valuable market insights and intelligence, and fostering commercial collaboration.
With over 15 years of experience, Wesley spent 12 years in the energy sector at Petrobras, a leading national oil and gas company, and one year as a Consultant at Bain & Company, a globally renowned strategy consulting firm, before joining S&P Global.
Wesley has delivered presentations at major international conferences, engaging senior and executive audiences in countries such as Colombia, Switzerland, Brazil, Paraguay, the Bahamas, Chile, India, the Netherlands, Bahrain, and Singapore.
Currently based in the UAE, Wesley is an international professional with experience in Brazil and Switzerland. He holds an MBA from IMD – International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from IFBA.