Rory Macdonald is Product Development Manager for Freight Investor Services (FIS), based in London. Prior to that he was Director, eMetals for Platts, based in Singapore. He started his career as an Iron Ore Analyst at The Steel Index (TSI), based in London, before moving to Shanghai as Head of Iron Ore Operations. Between TSI and Platts, he spent three years with FIS in Singapore as a commodity derivative broker.

Tariq Asghar is founding member of the Metpro Group having developed a strong finance record in the international steel industry. Tariq is a graduate of Physics from the University of Cambridge, holds a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Warwick and is an associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Covering a ten year period Tariq was Finance Controller and more recently Acting Director for an international steel projects business within Corus Group plc. In this period turnover of the business increased from US $50m to US $600m, this being successfully underpinned by equity, debt funding and appropriate trade finance facilities. During this period of rapid growth the level of complexity and management experience, in accounting regulation, reporting, control, IT, tax and risk management was high. Within the Metpro Group as Finance Director Tariq plays an active operational and strategic role in financial management and financing development across all activities of the Group.

David Howes has spent over 35 years in the domestic and international Steel Trading business. Following a recent spell with Trade Finance Partners [TFP], opening up opportunities for transactional trade finance in the steel space, he is currently consulting and lecturing on steel processes and international trade markets, whilst looking for new challenges in the steel sector. Prior to that he spent 20 years as Senior Steel Trader for Stemcor focused on bottom-line profits by building and developing long-term trading relationships with suppliers and customers. He has traded steel globally and has a long career in looking at opportunities in Africa. David is fully versed in all aspects of global trading activities including: supplier/customer negotiation, finance, shipping, logistics and documentation procedures. He is well versed in regional customs and business practices, negotiations of trades, clean execution and follow-up and has an extensive knowledge of steel-making processes and steel products. He is also a fluent French speaker.