Marcel is the founder and Managing Director of Laplace Conseil, an independent management consultancy firm he created in 1995, specialised in international strategy consulting for the metals, minerals and recycling industries. He has conducted numerous missions for the iron and steel industries as well as non-ferrous, scrap, and mineral companies, in Europe and abroad, in the areas of globalisation, merger and acquisition, restructuring, risk management and performance improvement. In most of his work, Marcel helps CEO’s and top executives anticipate, react to, and deal with the evolutions of the global scene such as technology innovation, China emergence, international competitiveness, prices and profits volatility. Today, Marcel is particularly helping his clients to assess the impact and opportunities for the steel and metal industries created by Climate Change and its necessary adaptations. Prior to Laplace Conseil, Marcel was a consultant for 15 years with McKinsey & Company where he became the senior partner in charge of the Firm’s worldwide steel practice. Marcel holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MSc in electrical engineering from the University of Liège.

Laurent is Head of Operational Marketing in the team of CMO Flat Products at ArcelorMittal Europe. Operational marketing includes the following areas of responsibility: market intelligence, demand planning, price policy, commercial steering, value recovery team (non-prime) and trade defence. Laurent joined the Group with Wire Solutions in 1996 as Area Sales Manager Northern Europe and became Commercial Director of Wire & Strands until 2006. He moved to Mittal Steel Europe in Rotterdam as Product Manager Wire Rods, before joining the Corporate Marketing team in Luxembourg shortly after the merger. Since 2012, Laurent was in charge of corporate Group CCM (Commercial Coordination & Marketing) focusing on global market and price intelligence, export coordination, and global trade policy. Laurent holds a Master Degree in Applied Economics at the Faculty of University Antwerp, Belgium, as well as a Master in Business Administration specialising in Marketing at the Vlerick Business School, Belgium.

A former professional rugby player, Iain joined the energy supply chain industry in 2002 as Commercial Projects Manager at Murray International Metals.  Iain developed detailed knowledge and understanding of international energy projects and associated supply chains, working on global projects with Supermajors, Operators, EPIC's and the major fabricators throughout EMEA. His innovative approach to supply solutions and business turnaround, saw him progress quickly to senior management roles and in 2010 he became Managing Director of 5 of the Murray International Metals independent business units. In 2014 he established the groups international energy business supplying to offshore energy projects. His experience in offshore wind incorporates an extensive international network of supply chain partners. In 2016 Iain joined the Liberty House Group, where he assumes the role of Chief Business Development Officer, supporting the GREENSTEEL vision of international industrialist and owner, Sanjeev Gupta.

Gorkem received his master's degree in Management of Business Administration in 2002 from La Salle University, Philadelphia, USA. He started his career in the US, working in multinational companies such as Saint Gobain. Later, he went on to work in the stock market fortune 500 company SEI Investments as a mutual fund trader in the US. In 2005, he took a challenge in the steel industry and started to work for steel producers as an executive for export markets. Then, he was appointed as a director of the steel desk of LN metals, a commodity trading company in London. In 2012, Gorkem founded Galex Steel International -- a trading house mainly focused on flat steel products and exports to Europe, Turkey, South America, Middle East and Far East. Galex represents reputable government and private mills from China, India and Turkey on regional or project basis. The company covers global markets through its offices in Turkey, China, India and Russia.

Roger has 25 years experience in the ferrous sector. He has specialised in steel end use markets and is skilled at using and interpreting trade data as part of market studies. He is a vetted Expert on steel on the UK Register of Expert Witnesses. He has extensive knowledge of the world's steel producers, EAF and integrated routes, and their raw materials requirements, downstream assets and markets. He has performed due diligence on many international steel firms, and ferrous scrap re-processors. Recent work has included flat products, automotive steels including AHSS and UHSS, plate markets, cold rolled, galvanised and pre-painted steels. He has also performed work on long products, electrical steels and tinplate. Since 1993, he has been a close observer of the steel sector in China and its impact on the world.

Karl has been Director at the European steel association EUROFER (Brussels), responsible for international relations since April 2007. Prior to joining EUROFER, Karl worked for Arcelor Corporate (Luxembourg) in the International Affairs department (2001). Karl worked in Central sales organization of Sidstahl in Ghent (1997- Flat carbon steel Sector of Arbed) and then joined the Marketing Services in 1999. In 1994, Karl was in charge of the sales coordination for cold-reduced sheets in Central sales organization TradeARBED (Luxembourg). In 1989, Karl was employed in the legal service at steel producer Sidmar - Arbed group (Ghent). Karl has a Law degree from the University of Louvain (1987) and from the College of Europe, Bruges (1988).

Dan is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - the birthplace of the US steel industry - and he started in the industry in 2009 with the original Steel Business Briefing. Prior to that, Dan covered police and military affairs in Beaufort, South Carolina, and spot news for the Valley News Dispatch in Tarentum, PA. As part of the North American Kallanish team, Dan covers flats, tubular products and specialty steel products. 

As Director General of UK Steel, Gareth ensures that the organisation plays a key role in promoting the future success of steel in the UK, as well as highlighting the significant challenges that the sector currently faces. UK Steel is at the heart of the steel sector debate, as the key unified voice of the industry. Gareth began his career in manufacturing before, first representing the milk processing industry on environment and climate change and then joining EEF in 2007, as Head of Climate & Environment Policy. Gareth led EEF’s work on a broad range of environment policies that affect the UK manufacturing sector, with a clear focus on the steel sector. Gareth is also the Executive Director of ISSB (International Steel Statistical Bureau). Gareth graduated from Kings College London with a degree in Environmental Science and is a Fellow of both the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining.

Tommaso graduated in mechanical engineering from Università degli Studi di Parma in 1996. He started his career as a designer in the agricultural business for Landini spa, and then he moved to Germany in the automotive business working for Victor Reinz Gmbh, Dana Corp. In 2000, after attaining a Master in Business Administration in SDA Bocconi, he joined McKinsey & Co handling projects in utilities, banking and insurance sectors. Later he joined the Allianz Group as a marketing manager and then he became the credit manager of AllianzBank. Tommaso entered the steel industry with S.Polo Lamiere spa becoming General Manager in 2008 and CEO in 2012, currently holding this position, at the same time he was appointed Vice-President of Assofermet, the Italian association of steel distributors, and in 2015 he became President of the Steel Division of Assofermet. Since January 2017 he is member of the board of Tecnopali, the Italian leading company in lighting and TLC poles and electricity transmission systems.

Ersun is the Marketing and Strategy Manager at Borcelik, which is a joint venture of Borusan Holding of Turkey and ArcelorMittal. Borcelik is a re-roller specialized in giving service to automotive, white (consumer) goods, panel radiator, hvac, industrial packaging and construction sectors. We are one of the biggest exporters of Cold Rolled (CR) and Hot-dip Galvanized (HDG) flat steel, mainly to European Union, Middle East, North America and CIS countries. Ersun has more than 15 years of experience in flat steel; in purchasing, export sales and marketing & strategy divisions.

Gilles is Managing Director and founder of SteelConsult International, based in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), where he is responsible for conducting strategy projects, market studies, economics analysis and training for the iron & steel industry and raw materials markets. Gilles has over 20 years’ experience working as a consultant to the iron and steel industry. Prior to SteelConsult, he worked with Tata Steel/Corus Consulting in IJmuiden (The Netherlands), and with CRU International and Hatch Beddows in London (UK). Gilles is a frequent speaker at leading industry events, and a regular trainer at public and in-house training courses on steel and raw materials. In the course of his career, Gilles worked for many of the world’s main steel mills, iron ore suppliers, traders and distributors, covering markets for steelmaking raw materials, semis, sheet, plate and longs in countries around the world. Gilles holds a MSc. in Business Economics at the Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Christian works for Bronk & Company, a consultancy firm specialized in the optimization of supply chain in the metals industry, since 2014. His experience in management consulting started in 2009 with positions in the Metals Practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and in the consulting department of Dr. Schönheit & Partner. As key account manager and industry expert with Bronk & Company, Christian realized transformation projects with his teams, focusing on supply chain design, process efficiency and cost optimization. He is working with clients, mainly steel producers and processing companies in the ferrous and non-ferrous industries, to find ways and means to improve supply chains in all areas from raw material supply to finished goods delivery.

Sonja joined Euroports as CCO in January 2018, and is responsible for all Commercial activities on a global and country level as well as for Marketing & Communications. Prior to joining Euroports Sonja was with Hellmann Worldwide Logistics where she was Managing Director for Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. She has over 20 years of commercial and entrepreneurial experience in the logistics and freight forwarding industry. Sonja’s previous leadership roles include Managing Director (Belgium, Netherlands, France) at UTi Worldwide where she was responsible for the Freight Forwarding and Logistics operation. She has also held the position of Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing for Europe, Middle East & North Africa responsible for Global & Local Sales, Marketing & Communication, Tender Management & Solutions Design. Sonja holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration & Economics from the University of Hagen, Germany.

As from 1992, Ann started working in commercial positions for SME’s, mainly in the textile industry. Since 2001, she took on a new challenge at the Antwerp Port Authority’s promotion department.  Driven by a profound interest in the maritime industry, she evolved to take on the role of customer service officer of the commercial department. Her interest and knowledge grew even deeper for the breakbulk industry and since many years she has been a driving force in the breakbulk team. In her current role as a business development manager responsible for breakbulk, it is Ann’s ambition to make sure the port stays on its current growth path by attracting new business and safeguard the existing flows. Ann is also a member of maritime clubs of WISTA and is member of the board of the Propeller Club of the United States (International – Port of Antwerp). Ann is married to Geert and has 1 teenage daughter.

Derek is the Head of Research at Simpson Spence Young (SSY), one of the largest shipbroking organisations in the world, which has specialist teams working in 18 offices across the globe. Derek coordinates SSY’s analysis of the shipping markets and, in addition to staff based in SSY’s London office, is also responsible for research staff in Singapore. The focus of Derek’s analysis is the dry bulk shipping sector, where he specialises in trade flow analysis and fleet developments.

Wibo Feijen BSc (1972) was born and raised in the steel industry, learning the ins and outs of the sector in his father’s European steel business. In 2012, he founded Steel Solutions, which now provides logistics solutions in a network of companies that produce, process, market and transport steel in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Based in the Netherlands, Steel Solutions takes care of the entire logistics process that connects European and non-European steel suppliers to steel processors and users in the heart of the steel industry in Europe. Wibo Feijen is better placed than most to assess the impact of changing requirements in the sector. In his presentation during the session on supply chain management, Feijen will offer accessible, creative and realistic solutions to the transport, handling and logistics challenges in the steel supply chain.

Darren is the Stemcor Director of the joint venture with Ansteel one of China's biggest steel companies and a world­-class steel producer; responsibly exporting quality products globally. Since joining Stemcor in 1997, he moved quickly up the ranks increasing his responsibilities through a series of top­-management assignments as the group opened new trading and distribution offices and increased its turnover and tonnages based out of Germany, UK, Italy, and then Spain. Prior to Stemcor he spent 9 years working in the UK carbon and stainless steel retail stockholding sector. He has been in the steel industry since 1988.

Daniela started her professional training with an apprenticeship at Deutsche Bank AG, followed by studies of Economics at the Universities of Stuttgart and Passau. After her degree in Business Administration, Daniela completed a trainee programme at Klöckner & Co AG, Duisburg, in the Raw Materials, Energy and Recycling Division with focus on trading and recycling of raw materials. In 1992 she moved on to Klöckner’s Munich recycling facility (Shredder). Her responsibilities included the operational management of the facility. As Emission Protection Officer she was also responsible for the environmentally sound operation oft the scrap yard. Daniela is currently working as a consultant for business economics and markets at the German Steel Recycling Association, BDSV in Düsseldorf. She specializes on national and international ferrous markets and publishes on a regular basis in industry magazines. With her family, Daniela lived for several years in Asia (China and Thailand). She is married and has two children.

Joeri is a multilingual senior sales and marketing executive with over 25 years’ experience in industrial shipping and logistics. He started his career in 1993, by joining the Antwerp Port Authority (APA). In 1995, he was appointed Commercial Advisor for the Port Authority, where he was instrumental in the transformation of APA from a landlord port to a commercially focused service company. From 2010 until 2012, he was appointed Commercial Director of Zeebrugge Breakbulk Terminal. In October 2016, Joeri joined Euroports as Commercial Director for Belgium. Since May 2018, Joeri Tielemans operates as an independent maritime consultant. Joeri serves as a Member of the Board of the National Defense Transportation Association, Benelux Chapter.  In 2004, he became a Member of the Board of The Propeller Club of the United States, International Antwerp. From September 2009 until August 2013, he served as President. He has a Masters’ Degree in Applied Economics, Transport Economics, University of Antwerp

Georges started a steel business career in Luxembourg in the financial department of ARBED. Afterwards, he joined TRADEARBED, the Sales Company of ARBED Group. Next, he was in charge for the development of steel distribution in ARBED Group. In 1995, Mr Kirps entered the Management Board of PROFILARBED, ARBED’s Long Products producing units, with responsibility for Steel Distribution and Marketing. At the merger of ARBED, ACERALIA and USINOR into ARCELOR in 2002, he  got put in charge as Executive Vice President Strategy, Logistics and Synergies for ARCELOR Distribution, Trading and Transformation. Since 2005, he is the Director General for EUROMETAL, the European Federation of Steel , Tubes and Metal distribution and trading. EUROMETAL gathers 18 national steel distribution federations representing 1 600 European steel distributors, steel service centers and steel traders, to a large extent mostly independent and family owned small and medium sized enterprises.

Klaus Heller worked in Lugano with the Evraz Group in 2008 and was in charge of all their plate activities for the following steel mills: Vitkovice in the Czech Republic; Palini & Bertoli in Italy; and Highveld Steel in South Africa. In March 2011, Mr Heller started his independent consulting business as a steel analyst, specializing in plate developments from integrated and re-rolling mills.  In his current role as a consultant, Mr Heller often creates new commercial strategies for steel/plate companies. Additionally, he participates as a presenter at steel industry conferences.