Data-driven commodities digital transformation IN ASSOCIATION WITH
CRU GROUP
DIGITAL REPORT 2020
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Data-driven commodities digital transformation
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CRU GROUP
Will Blake, Director of Technology & Analytics at CRU Group, discusses how data and data analytics is driving change in commodities
T
he digital transformation of every industry sector means that an immeasurable amount of data is being generated by
businesses, industries and consumers worldwide every day. The effective harnessing and analysis of that data can generate significant value to companies through the greater understanding and insight 04
of trends, and better prediction and forecasting that allows robust strategies to be delivered. The latter is where CRU comes in. The Londonheadquartered company uses data to offer unrivalled business intelligence on the global metals, mining and fertiliser industries through market analysis, pricing assessments and consultancy services. The content and insight provided by CRU gives a complete view of the commodity market, enabling operators and industry participants to make critical business decisions. Understandably, delivering such a comprehensive suite of services requires a robust and innovative technology and analytics strategy. Will Blake is responsible for driving this strategy. Will is a highly experienced technology leader, having spent
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CRU GROUP
“ Companies are producing reams of data and, at the same time, using a lot more to improve their operations” — Will Blake, Director of Technology & Analytics, CRU Group
that exploited the value of data in this way, so that experience has certainly given me a greater understanding of
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more than 15 years at CRU and, pre-
the challenges around information and
viously, close to two years working as
data, as well as how we can effectively
a geophysicist in a seismic exploration
solve the issues our customers face.”
team. Data has been an overarching
During his 15 years at CRU, Will has
theme throughout his career, as he
witnessed data, and the effective
explains: “Geophysics is a data inten-
analysis of that data, play an increas-
sive role that requires the handling
ingly important role in the business
of large volumes of information – the
strategies of customers. “It’s been
oil industry was really one of the first
a huge transformation,” he notes. “Generally speaking, data is a lot more prevalent and is consumed from a host of different and new sources, such as increased automation and so on. Volume-wise, we’re dealing with so much more information that we analyse, so it’s a significant change.
CRU’s strategy on data gathering CLICK TO WATCH
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2:14
07 “Take the mining industry as an exam-
can they improve production rates and
ple,” Will continues. “Companies are
safety, but provide greater availability
producing reams of data and, at the
of data and information to analyse.”
same time, using a lot more to improve
CRU has been operational for just
their operations. There’s a big increase
over 50 years. And while the company
in IoT devices at mining sites and satel-
has always been at the forefront of
lite geospatial analysis for monitoring
primary research and analysis, Will
purposes, for example, which help to
explains that the exponential growth
boost productivity, eliminate unnec-
of data and innovative technology
essary costs and allow for the move
has led to the company’s own digital
towards predictive maintenance. At
transformation journey. “We started
the same time, we’re seeing an accel-
as a paper-based publisher that would
eration in the drive towards automated
publish thousands of industry reports
mining and self-driving vehicles, which
each year. And, because we have clients
can operate around the clock. Not only
in 90 countries worldwide, we’d have w w w.c rugro u p . com
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CRU GROUP
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to transport that information to them
once a year, or once a quarter, but now
by courier. Similarly, the data collec-
we’re no longer willing to wait for that
tion was also quite a manual process.
information – technology makes eve-
“What’s really changed is the acces-
rything instantaneous, so our whole
sibility of data,” he continues. “Clients
cycle has had to change in terms of
used to be happy receiving a report
what we produce and how we produce
it. It’s no longer about pulling informa-
a tendency to do. The latest tools don’t
tion together and presenting it to the
necessarily matter that much, for us
customer, people can often find that
the focus has always been the acces-
information easily elsewhere. To be
sibility of data and information,
successful, we have to add value and
the understanding of what our custom-
interpretation on top of that informa-
ers need to help them make effective
tion, which CRU is very good at.”
business decisions, and how often and
To manage this transformation
in what format do they need it. Only
and add value, Will explains that CRU
once we have the answer to those
“pulled back to the information and the
questions do we consider the technol-
content, rather than focus around the
ogy necessary to deliver on them.”
technology, which people do have
One essential implementation was 11
E X E C U T I V E P R OF IL E :
Will Blake Title: Director of Technology & Analytics Industry: Commodities research and analysis
Location: London
Will has over 12 years of experience in technology across a range of disciplines including data analytics, cybersecurity, digital product development and cloud infrastructure. He is currently Director of Technology & Analytics at CRU and has responsibility for digital development initiatives and global technology services. He is also a member of the CRU executive team and has wider responsibilities across the business including product development and compliance. Prior to CRU, he worked as a geophysicist for a seismic exploration company in the oil industry. He holds a MSc in Geophysics from Durham University and a BSc in Geology from Bristol University. w w w.c rugro u p . com
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An insight into how CRU gathers content for its consumers CLICK TO WATCH
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2:23
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“ For us the focus has always been the accessibility of data and information” — Will Blake, Director of Technology & Analytics, CRU Group
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CRU GROUP
a cloud-first strategy, he explains.
our direct business, so networking
CRU consumes content from a mul-
communications, front-end website
titude of locations globally, and by
development,� he adds.
working in the cloud the business
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CRU specialises in market-leading
is able to achieve the flexibility and
research built on robust and transpar-
technical delivery to maximise on
ent methodologies. Regardless of
any investment. Similarly, Will
specific sector or operation, its cus-
notes that the business has focused
tomers typically use the content and
on building on its core in-house
information provided to inform critical
technical and data skill sets in order
business decisions such as whether
to deliver effectively to custom-
to enter a certain commodity mar-
ers. “Data is pivotal, so we keep that
ket, for example. It also offers price
expertise within the business. We
assessments from a team of specialists
partner with other companies on
in London, Beijing, Mumbai, Pittsburgh,
things that we don’t see as core to
Shanghai, Singapore and Santiago.
An insight into how CRU efficiently dealt with the global pandemic CLICK TO WATCH
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2:42
“ We’re also looking to drive a lot of automation and to improve our range of data sources, including satellite analytics” — Will Blake, Director of Technology & Analytics, CRU Group
placed to plan for any potential disruption. On 23 March we moved the whole global business – around 300 people – to home working and it’s worked remarkably well. Our cloud strategy proved to be very resilient and was a key enabler in allowing business to carry on effectively.” The company has also been engaged in dedicated COVID-19 analysis to better understand how the virus is
Will explains that primary research in
impacting commodities. “Disruption
these areas covers supply, demand,
to supply chains has been significant,”
price and costs analysis; the content
Will states, “as well as short-term
is also used to build proprietary mod-
demand reduction. Alongside this,
els that inform CRU’s forecasting
we’ve been tracking operational status
under the strapline of ‘where com-
of mines, smelters and refineries with
modities meet economics’.
our dedicated disruption tracker ser-
Information provided by CRU helps
vice, which has been embedded in our
organisations navigate challenging market conditions. This has been evidenced most recently in the company’s work during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Like all companies, CRU faced the challenge of shifting to a remote working business model. “It’s been very challenging,” Will highlights, “but as we have offices in Beijing and Shanghai, which both enforced home working in January, we were better
DI D YO U K N OW?
• CRU sets and publishes over 500 commodity prices each week • CRU has 300 employees spread over 8 offices on 5 continents • CRU analyses over 40 different commodities
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hello.global.ntt
NTT: supporting global enterprises in “ Othe ur cloud strategy new digital era proved to be very resilient and was a We keyspeak enabler to Moin Meah, Client Partner at NTT allowing business to with 25 years experience carry effectively” in theon technology sales —environment, on the Willcompany’s Blake, partnership Director of Technology & Analytics, with CRU Group CRU Group
existing products. Our economics team has been closely analysing the Joining of NTT in disruption 2014, Mo Meah currently holds impact this on global
the position of Client Partner at the company. GDP “NTTand is aother global economic ICT providerindicators with a revenue of$11bn. As the 11th largest company in the asworld, our outlook shifts from what’s NTT’s focuses on supporting global enterprise companies that are happening now to what thelooking futureto utilise the new digital era of intelligent solutions, both looks our customers.” locallylike andfor regionally, as well as globally. NTT operates in over 50 countries, working with As to that future, Will describes customers to build very long trusted relationships as a managed service market provider,” that comments a rapidly changing is Meah.
Group’s collaboration tools, which in turn has led to NTT looking at other areas of the business such as security cloud and making use of digital events. “So the relationship is moving in the right direction to support their future business needs. One of the key areas, considering the global pandemic that we’re currently experiencing, is being able to support and work with their remote workers. We were able to put together the ability to allow employees to work from home at very short notice,” he adds.
showing the first with signs of Group stability. NTT’s relationship CRU began four years ago, originating from an event hosted Forecasting, he notes, always has by NTT. “Cloud Expo allowed CRU Group to
Meah details that NTT’s partnership with CRU Group is one where they have been able to build a strong relationship. “We have worked closely assess who they could go to market and who with them to really understand where they’re a degree of flexibility, but CRU is would support them in establishing a more agile going as a business and being able to address experiencing commodities and robust network. We actuallycustombid on XXXX at some of those issues in terms of having better the time, and as part of that we effectively communication tools and allowing them the data ers seeking answers to longer term delivered a brand new infrastructure for an and the voice to operate over one network environment to support their business and interface. Our partnership makes their job a lot questions, which demonstrates the consolidate their connectivity across the globe. easier because they can rely on their trusted response to has COVID shifting CRU, plansinfrastructure, revolve Our network enabled them tofrom communicate For partner to future worry about which more effectively with both employees and allows them to concentrate on the key areas a survival mentality to one of stratearound continuing to develop core customers,” comments Meah. of actually optimising and being more effective in their business concludes Meah. gically planning for the future. services and theroles,” implementation As a result of this initial partnership, NTT has had the opportunity to branch out and unify CRU w w w.c rugro u p . com
CRU GROUP
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of new technologies, says Will. “We still have work to do to harness the volumes of data we need and make it more accessible – it’s a never ending evolution in that respect. We have just purchased a new data platform that will drive this growth and offer a greater range of analysis. We’re also looking to drive a lot of automation and to improve our range of data sources. The latter includes satellite analytics, which provides an enormous wealth of information 21
at a global scale.” “In terms of our business, there are two big trends that will drive what we do: increasing electrification of transport and the changing structure of power generation, and carbon emissions and environmental sustainability. Both will contribute hugely to how our customers operate and they’ll form a key strategic area for us to move into.”
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