Staff Spotlight – Thomas Cho

 

 

In our latest installment of Sparta’s spotlight series, we turn our attention to Thomas Cho, our Senior Oil Products Analyst. Join us as we explore Thomas’s trajectory within the realm of oil product analysis, discovering what drives his passion for his role at Sparta and uncovering the unique qualities that set him apart. Let’s shine a light on Thomas’s invaluable contributions.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE COMPANY?

I have been with Sparta Commodities for around 10 months.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR ROLE?

My role is to use investigative skills, industry knowledge from market players, and financial instruments to assess oil product prices from various terminals in the East of Suez.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?/CAN YOU GIVE ME A RUNDOWN OF YOUR CAREER PATH UP UNTIL THIS POINT?

I started in this industry as the Asia Correspondent at Tradewinds China, where I visited shipyards and got onboard Very Large Crude Carriers to understand the technicalities of crude oil discharging. Then I moved to become a swap broker at Tullett Prebon Korea before branching out into price assessments with Argus Media and OPIS.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF WORKING AT SPARTA?

My favourite part of working at Sparta Commodities is the opportunity to meet industry experts and learn about the innovative refinery processing and blending of oil products.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

I am proud of my ability to gather information quickly and accurately, leveraging my network of contacts across the East of Suez.

WHAT’S THE MOST INTERESTING PROJECT YOU’VE WORKED ON HERE AT SPARTA?

That would definitely be the gasoline blending tool, where I had to understand and learn the blending components to make finished gasoline products and how different countries have different specifications for gasoline.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE OUR COMPANY CULTURE?

The company culture allows me to take ownership of my responsibilities and create my own efficient methods of completing tasks. I have the freedom to accomplish my tasks within the company framework and innovate to solve obstacles or hurdles in difficult tasks.

WHAT DO YOU THINK SETS OUR COMPANY APART FROM OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY

The company allows me to understand the complete process of Sparta Commodities’ products unlike bigger organisations, where the complexity of the company structure prohibits sharing of knowledge.

WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

Enjoy your work but remember to create a balance between work and home.

HOW HAS YOUR ROLE EVOLVED SINCE YOU’VE BEEN HERE?

I find myself analysing and assessing products across the barrel. However, the principle/technical approach remains the same in price assessment and analytical works of oil products.

WHAT’S THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON YOU HAVE LEARNED IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

Never cease to learn; that is the important part of growing up and keeping oneself intellectually active.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS/YEARS?

To build a larger network of oil market sources;

To explore new and simplified methodologies on price assessment of oil products;

To impart my networking techniques to my fellow colleagues.

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOUR JOB

The number-crunching process to derive an assessment. I wish I could simplify it for others to understand the different processes to complete a single assessment task.

CAN YOU SHARE A PARTICULAR SKILL OR EXPERTISE YOU’VE DEVELOPED IN THIS ROLE THAT YOU DIDN’T EXPECT TO ACQUIRE

I didn’t expect to acquire connectivity skills to other people while trying hard to improve my communication skills.

WHAT’S THE LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO?

That was “Fire” by Kasabian; it echoed through my body, making me feel rejuvenated.

WHAT, IF ANYTHING, ARE YOU CURRENTLY BINGE-WATCHING OR READING?

Nothing at the moment.

WHAT’S ON THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT THEY WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT

Sorry, I don’t have any secrets to share.

IF YOU HAD THREE WISHES, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

Happiness, good health, and continuous appreciation for my colleagues and friends.

WHAT’S ONE THING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST

One thing on my bucket list is to master my yoga wheel pose.

Thomas Cho our Senior Oil Products Analyst here at Sparta and can be contacted at thomas.meng@spartacommodities.com

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Sparta is a live, market intelligence and forecasting platform that enables oil traders, refiners, banks, hedge funds and wholesalers to have access to real-time and global actionable insights to capture market opportunities before others.

To find out how Sparta can allow you to make smarter trading decisions, faster, contact us for a demonstration at sales@spartacommodites.com