International Tar Association

Siew Hua Seah is the Senior Editor for Ferrous Markets at Argus Media. She oversees a team that spans Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas covering the iron ore, met coal, steel and metallics markets. In her 18 years reporting on commodities, she has covered the thermal coal, bitumen, LNG, freight, fertilizers, iron ore and met coal markets. In addition to her time at Argus, Siew Hua was a research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies-Saudi Aramco in 2014, researching Indonesia’s natural gas policies.

Andrew Jones is an independent analyst and researcher on the mineral commodity markets. He established Resource-Net in Brussels, Belgium in 1999. Resource-Net's main interest lies in metallurgical reductants, producing regular research on the global markets for:

• Metallurgical and foundry coke
• Anthracite for reduction applications, metallurgical coke replacements
• Metallurgical coals (coking, PCI)

Andrew has more than 20 years' professional experience, including periods of employment at Metal Bulletin Research (London) and Standard Bank (Johannesburg). Professional qualifications include an honours degree in metallurgy from the University of Sheffield and a masters degree in multinational commerce from Boston University Brussels.

Shi Yanfeng, Senior Engineer, graduated from Dalian University of Technology in 1991 and majored in Coal Chemical.
1991-2005: Worked in Beijing Coking Chemical Works, engaged in Coking Technology, Environmental Protection, Foreign Trade and Company Strategic Planning.
2006-2012: Worked in Sinochem International Corporation, engaged in Coke Trading, Project Investment Management, Overseas Minerals Investment, and Safety Environmental Control. In Dec 2007, he has been hired as a committee member in Expert Consultation Committee of China Coking Industry Association.
2012-now: Have been working in China Coking Industry Association, as Deputy Secretary General, Secretary General, and President. Editor of “Guideline of Entering Coking Industry” (2014) and “Compliance Conditions of Coking Industry” (2020); involved in amendments of industry standards and regulations, including “Index of Industrial Structure Adjustment Guideline”, “Pollutant Emission Standards of Coking Chemical Industry”, “Energy Comsuption Limits for Specific Coking Products”, and “Index of National Hazardous Waste” etc.; led the promotion of system optimization services for full coking process; organized the compilation of series of group standards basis public interests - “Technological Procedures of Coking Process”.

• Pushpa Ambrose holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering, an MBA in Finance, and a PG Diploma in Industrial Safety and Fire Safety.
• Currently serving as the General Manager Safety at the new Steel Melting Shop-3 of Bhilai Steel Plant, a part of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
• With expertise in managing thermal and hydraulic regimes of 7m tall Coke Oven Batteries, she has also led the construction and rebuilding of battery complexes.
• Pushpa’s strategies have ensured 100% safety in gas line network maintenance through introducing U seals and in steel melting shops through innovative approaches.
• Recognized with numerous awards including the National Young Women Trainer Award 1998, IIM’s MECON Award 2007, Best paper award in 77^th Annual Technical Meeting of The Indian Institute of Metals and International Conference on Metals 2023, CEO Trophy for most innovative manager in 2015 and Best Safety Officer Award at BSP 2021 and 2023, her contributions extend to numerous paper presentation on coke making improvements, decarbonisation strategies, and steel safety.
• As a distinguished faculty, Pushpa imparts knowledge on management, technical, and safety topics at BSP.
• She is a qualified and certified Independent Director aspiring to get on to the board of any renowned organisation as Independent Director.

Mr. Tim Bart is the owner of Carbon Management International, a consulting company formed in 1999. Since 2017, Mr. Bart has been working with Mr. Guercio reporting on carbon black feedstock through the CBO Monitor publication. Prior to 2017, Carbon Management was primarily involved in global coal tar and coal tar distillation, consulting and sourcing distillation products for related downstream industries. Mr. Bart is also involved with the management of the International Tar Association, serving as the association’s president since 2014. Mr. Bart received degrees in Environmental Science, Masters of Business Administration, Masters of Communications and Masters of International Relations from Rutgers University, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Seton Hall University.

Vince Guercio has a chemical engineering degree and over 50 years’ experience in the international petrochemical, petroleum and natural gas businesses. For the past 40 years, he has been an independent consultant providing commercial and technical advice about the interactions that occur at the refinery/LPG/petrochemical interfaces. He specializes in the utilization of steam cracker byproducts such as butadiene, C5s and carbon black oil (CBO). Due to his ethylene byproduct experience, in 1982 Vince became heavily involved in carbon black feedstock from naphtha crackers, FCCs and coal tar. Since then, he has offered consulting services in the pricing, marketing, evaluation and acquisition of CBO. Since 1988, he has published the CBO MONITOR which provides reliable market intelligence about worldwide CBO and carbon black. Vince was educated by Catholic University of America, Princeton University and the U.S. Army. His corporate experience includes Mobil Oil, Lummus and Foster Wheeler.

Dr. Fengqin Liu is a Professor of Engineering and recipient of various government subsidies as well as the National Technical Talent award. She is the Technical Manager at the China Non-Ferrous Metal Mining (Group) Co. Ltd.; Deputy Director of China Non-Ferrous Metals Institute Light Metal Academic Committee; Director of Aluminum-used Carbon Research Committee; and is a member of the China Non-Ferrous Metals Association Expert Committee.
As the well-known expert in aluminum smelting and aluminum-used carbon fields, Dr. Liu was in charge of setting up technological development planning and standards for relative industries. She led dozens of major scientific and technical projects at both provincial and national levels, solving a series of technical problems in the aluminum smelting industry. She hosted three international aluminum-used carbon conferences. As a scientist and expert in her field, she was invited to visit and conduct collaborative research in Australia, the U.S. and Switzerland, and gave large-scale presentations at several international metallurgy conferences.
Some of Dr. Liu’s published achievements include: “The Key Technology of Quality Carbon Anode for Aluminum Smelting”, “The Integrated Technologies to Improve the Life Span of Aluminum Smelting Cell”, “The Technology of New Structure for Aluminum Smelting Cell”, and “The New Technology of Wettable Cathode Production”. She is the recipient of the National Science & Technology Progress Award, has won the Provincial & Ministerial Award three times, and many other awards in recognition of her technological contributions and she has designed 50 national patents.
Dr. Liu is published in English as well: “Chinese Raw Materials for Anode Manufacturing”, “Production Technology of Aluminum Smelting" and “Production Technology of Aluminum-used Carbon” under the series of China Non-Ferrous Metals book selection. She is also the main author of the Carbon Volume for the “Encyclopedia of Metallurgy”, “Manual of Aluminum Production Technology" and “Advances of Nonferrous Metals” and has delivered over 40 papers on the importance of technical conferences and journals both at home and abroad.

Ravindra works as an Analyst at CRU Group in the Aluminum team focusing on the carbon products market. He is responsible for global market analysis of carbon products (excluding China) and price assessments of coal tar, coal pitch & calcined coke. He has five years of work experience in commodity research with a focus on the energy and metals sectors. He holds a BSc in Science from HNBG University and an MBA in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Petroleum and Energy Studies.

Mr. Vikram Handa is a pioneering entrepreneur and global leader in the chemical and energy transition industry. He founded Epsilon Group in 2010, which has become a key player in the carbon black and battery materials sector. Under his leadership, Epsilon Carbon commissioned a state-of-the-art 320,000 tons specialty carbon facility in Bellary, Karnataka in 2017 and entered the carbon black business with a capacity of 115,000 tons/year thereafter. This Integrated Carbon Complex boasts a 10% lower carbon footprint compared to its global peers and is a zero-water discharge facility. With expansion plans, Epsilon Carbon aims to be India’s 3rd largest carbon black producer with 215,000 tons/year by 2024. Through carbon black and specialty carbon products, it caters to industries such as aluminum, carbon black, tires, mechanical rubber goods, graphite, specialty and construction chemicals, dyes, and pigments. The company takes pride in its workforce of over 700 employees and its extensive global reach, exporting products to more than 29 countries.
Mr. Handa's leadership also extends to a committed corporate social responsibility through Epsilon Foundation which is transforming the lives of over 500,000 people across India through impacting projects.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering and Mathematics degree from Tufts University, USA and an OPM degree from Harvard Business School.
With a legacy of exceptional achievements and a dedication to driving positive change, Mr. Vikram Handa continues to be a guiding force in the industry, shaping its future and leading Epsilon Carbon towards unprecedented success.

Mr. Tim Bart is the owner of Carbon Management International, a consulting company formed in 1999. Since 2017, Mr. Bart has been working with Mr. Guercio reporting on carbon black feedstock through the CBO Monitor publication. Prior to 2017, Carbon Management was primarily involved in global coal tar and coal tar distillation, consulting and sourcing distillation products for related downstream industries. Mr. Bart is also involved with the management of the International Tar Association, serving as the association’s president since 2014. Mr. Bart received degrees in Environmental Science, Masters of Business Administration, Masters of Communications and Masters of International Relations from Rutgers University, Fairleigh Dickinson University and Seton Hall University.

Vince Guercio has a chemical engineering degree and over 50 years’ experience in the international petrochemical, petroleum and natural gas businesses. For the past 40 years, he has been an independent consultant providing commercial and technical advice about the interactions that occur at the refinery/LPG/petrochemical interfaces. He specializes in the utilization of steam cracker byproducts such as butadiene, C5s and carbon black oil (CBO). Due to his ethylene byproduct experience, in 1982 Vince became heavily involved in carbon black feedstock from naphtha crackers, FCCs and coal tar. Since then, he has offered consulting services in the pricing, marketing, evaluation and acquisition of CBO. Since 1988, he has published the CBO MONITOR which provides reliable market intelligence about worldwide CBO and carbon black. Vince was educated by Catholic University of America, Princeton University and the U.S. Army. His corporate experience includes Mobil Oil, Lummus and Foster Wheeler.

Ir. Kris Truyens holds a MSc in bioscience engineering - chemical engineering from University of Leuven. He joined Rain Carbon in 2010 and is heading Rain Carbon’s Chemical Intermediates business unit.

Dr. Zygmunt Stompel received his MSc diploma in coal science from Silesian Technical University in Gliwice, and immediately after joined the Institute for Chemical Processing of Coal in Zabrze, where he spent the next 20 years. In the Research & Development sector Dr. Stompel specialized in processing of coal tar, with particular attention paid to pitch and pitch coke. His PhD thesis (in 1978) was devoted to the subject of manufacturing of pitch coke of improved graphitizability.
In 1991 Dr. Stompel left the Institute and has established a private company Coal-Chem Engineers & Consultants. As a consultant he participated in several international projects aimed at improving efficiency of coal tar industry in Poland and abroad.
Dr Stompel taught coal tar science at Silesian Technical University in Gliwice and Academy of Mining and Metallurgy in Krakow. He is active as a consultant on coal tar matters for various Polish and international organizations.

Graduated from Tianjin Foreign Languages Institute and majored in International Trade. 1994 – 2002, worked in a famous international trading house named Nichimen Corporation in Tianjin, China and deeply engaged in international business, including machinery, auto parts, bearings, electric appliances and chemical products.
1992 – 2006, worked in JECT Corporation Beijing office, mainly working for all kinds of carbon business, including Needle Coke, Graphite Electrode, Green Petroleum Coke, Calcined Petroleum Coke, Metallurgical Coke, Foundry Coke, Coal Tar Pitch and recarb etc. Heavily provided raw materials to steel, aluminum and chemical industries with rich experience and technical knowledge.
Since 2007, worked in East River Asia Limited as consultant to provide professional services to the customers all over the word with Chinese carbon and chemical industries.

Deng Xiaoxing graduated from China Foreign Affairs College, majoring in Business English. He has twenty years experiences of all kinds of carbon business, including Met Coke, Foundry Coke, Green Coke, Calcined Coke, Coal Tar Pitch, Anode, Cathode, Needle Coke, Graphite Electrode and recarb etc. He is heavily involved in steel, coke, aluminum, and chemicals industries and possesses a tremendous understanding and technical knowledge of carbon industry and also has vast experiences in logistics. 1992 - 2005, he was a key staff member in Nichimen and JECT Corporation, a Japan based trading company, and positioned as General Manager of the Beijing Office 2002-2005. He also set-up a J/V tar distillation plant in China for JECT in 2003, and worked as V.P. responsible for Pitch sales for both domestic and export markets. 2005, he set up own company, focusing on consulting services for the carbon and chemical industries.

A production engineer by qualification, Soumyodeep Bhattacharya has more than three decades of rich and diverse experience of working in the engineering, energy, and speciality chemical sectors across Indian and global markets. Starting his career in the engineering projects industry, he moved to the energy and lubricants business with BP/Castrol where he worked in both the B2B and B2C domains across diverse businesses in the group including leading a startup business in the renewable energy space. He held various leadership roles during his sixteen-year tenure with BP. He then led the Primary Metals business for Quaker Chemicals India. During this tenure , he served the Indian and Global Steel and Aluminum customers with Quaker’s speciality chemical and lubricant solutions. Prior to joining Himadri Specialty Chemical Ltd as the Business Head for the Coal Tar Distillation business, he led Zavenir Daubert India in delivering customized chemical and packaging solutions for metal protection applications. He also has experience of working in the carbon black and flexible packaging industrial segments. In his current role, he is responsible for managing the complete value chain of the CTD business and is also a member of the senior management team of Himadri. Soumyodeep is a sports enthusiast with soccer and running being among his favorites. He has been an active participant of various industry associations and looks forward to working with the ITA.