And now for something completely different..... Hardiesmill is recognised for producing some of the world's best beef. I could wax lyrical as to why, but animal welfare, pure bred and only grass fed are key.

Have you ever looked up and wondered what's out there? Well, a lot of satellites. Using these, combined with other technologies and some clever AI, RS Metrics can monitor activity at mines and any other assets, on a daily basis. "Shadow" stocks are no longer in the shadows...

Supply chains are increasingly complex and global, where do you start to try and map and categorise these risks? There are multiple types of risk; price, supply, supplier; there are also multiple sources of content about these risks. Regulatory risk is now at the top of every CEO’s mind.We are working to aggregate all these into a single workflow to allow a global corporate to get a clear picture of those risks and how to mitigate it. If you are working in supply chain risk management for a mining, industrial or automotive company, get in touch. I would love to talk about the challenges across your industries.

The first time I didn’t have metals in the job title. The role was to work with the region to create a long term growth strategy across all financial markets and to articulate Asia specific needs to our global proposition teams.• You are never too old to learn something new, and who knew FX and FI were that interesting....• It had been awhile; but I’m still able to turn up at an event knowing no one, and leaving with a bunch of new contacts.• No one has exclusive right on willful misinterpretation.

The commodities markets pivoted to Asia sometime ago, moving to Asia allowed me to experience this fast paced and rapidly changing region up close. I also became responsible for the regional strategy across the commodities asset classes.Although there are differences, it’s basically supply and demand

Our function was to redefine the long term strategy for Thomson Reuters in the global commodities markets. This was done and executed, and our commodities business continues to thrive. My key learning’s were...• Create a simple clearly differentiated strategy, if you can’t articulate it in a single sentence, start again.• You can create an understanding of your market by a detailed needs survey, the essential building block of any strategy. However, nothing is more important than going out, meeting your customers and asking them what they think. • Acquisitions; the negotiation is the easy bit, integration is far more challenging.• All large organisations are complex, if you work constructively with others it will be reciprocated and you will all achieve the desired goals.

All too brief, but it was my first exposure to a professional board, and I rapidly learnt how to effectively present my business case. Ironically, most of the board were ex Reuters. I obviously enjoyed it too much because...

And then the Internet happened.... as the only person with “electronic” in their job title, my role was to launch Metals Bulletin’s first web service. Happy memories of the legendary MB Editor Henry Cooke, after informing him of an issue, he would then look up at the wall at the last block print version of the magazine and sigh. My most important lesson was my refusal to subscribe to the then prevailing view that all content should be free. Unless there is a sustainable business plan, it won’t work. Delighted to say the site continues to prosper.Following on from the success of the web service, I then took responsibility for all of Metals Bulletin’s content sales. This is where I really acquired my love of the metals markets, and people in it.

The younger of you will have to Google this technology, but my role was to migrate Metal Bulletin’s Telex pricing service into a fax based news and pricing service. It was my first exposure to content distribution and the start of my journey within the metals markets. Carry on reading to work out it took me twenty years to get a job title that didn’t involve the word “metal”!

The Review, Worldwide Reinsurance

Money Week