Spotlight on core strategists in BP supply and trading
An unconventional career
Our supply and trading business works to ensure that vital products and key energy sources are available all around the world, whenever they’re needed. In this time of unprecedented global growth and societal change, those demands are increasing, fast. Throughout BP, we’re embracing new technology and innovative solutions that will enable us to keep delivering the energy the world needs to keep moving.
Our trading analytics experts will have an important role to play in that.
Our analytics network spans our four main global trading hubs, bringing together the expertise of market analysts, structuring specialists, quantitative analysts, data strategists and core strategists to deliver cross-disciplinary solutions to the most challenging commercial problems. Home to around 150 world-class analysts, it’s a hub of innovation which is shaping the future of energy and commodities trading.
Nowhere is this more true than in our recently formed core strategist team. Providing direct technology support to our analysts worldwide, they’re the technical powerhouse at the heart of creating robust analytics solutions across our business. “It’s very cutting-edge, with lots of new technology, and lots of challenging and interesting problems to solve,” says core strategist Andrey.“
BP handles a huge amount of data,” adds core data strategist Yoann, “so there’s a lot of value that can be added in managing it better. It’s not just about transforming that data. It’s about the application of the learnings. This feels like a very visible area that’s high on everyone’s agenda right now.”
A team of technical experts, these core strategists combine deep programming and software development know-how with practical experience of analytics, including data engineering and numerical algorithms. Above all, they are innovators and advocates of new thinking. “To an extent a lot of this role is greenfield,” says Andrey.
“If you weren’t willing to be innovative you couldn’t be in the role. What was normal a year ago is no longer relevant today” core data strategist Doug adds. “We’re given the freedom to explore different tech and different ways of doing things here. I’m always encouraged to experiment with new technologies.”
Collaboration and the cross-fertilization of ideas with experts from other disciplines is also at the heart of this team. Whether they’re partnering with IT to deliver strategic projects from data ontologies to new visualization technology, or working closely with market analysts to solve pressing technical issues, there’s a real spirit of co-operation.
“This is a place that’s open to research and trying new things. The trading desks want to try your ideas,” says Andrey.
“At BP, people work across disciplines to solve problems – to come up with strategic solutions that serve everyone,” adds Doug. “There’s a speak up culture that helps everyone develop.”