Commodities People, the independent centre for commodity and energy markets, and Moonlight IQ, the financial and fintech communications specialist, announce their partnership today. The world of conferences and physical events changed dramatically last year and Commodities People’s successful move to online events and subsequently hybrid conferences has gone far beyond the initial plans. This partnership’s aim is to build on these successes in the commodity and energy trading communities, aid communication, and support the new direction for Commodities People, enhancing future events with specialised advisory on increased media profile and client relations.

With changes to global events in the last year, Commodities People has taken its physical events into a structured online format to benefit companies worldwide. The change resulted in unprecedented attendance from industry participants and an increased and growing interest in the topics discussed by industry leaders. In a survey following Commodity Trading Week, held this June, attendees were asked whether post-pandemic they expect to mainly attend events in-person, online or a mix.65% responded that they would attend a mix, with 19% preferring in person and16% online. This feedback is helping shape future events, with hybrid formats the clear choice to accommodate all preferences in future.

Moonlight IQ has been supporting the company through its change in focus and participated in its webinar, “How to build a Sales & Marketing strategy with reduced in-person events in Energy & Commodity Trading", helping companies redirect their marketing efforts online. Through working together, the partnership will provide value to event attendees, both virtual and physical, with targeted exposure of brands to press and vice-versa, and increased networking opportunities.

Alla Lapidus,Co-Founder and Director of Moonlight IQ, said: “We are very pleased to be working with Commodities People. At Moonlight, we have worked with leading companies in the commodity sector around the world for more than twenty years and understand the industry well. Now, more than ever, the value of events and communication for all involved in the production, trading and delivery of energy and commodities has taken on a new level of importance. Our partnership will bring benefits across the whole energy and commodity communities as we work with Commodities People to deliver more engagement in these specialist sectors.”

Ben Hillary, Managing Director and Founder of Commodities People, said: “We couldn’t be more delighted to partner with Moonlight IQ in helping to further establish Energy and Commodity Trading Week as the world’s leading and most significant events exclusively for the energy and commodity trading communities. The experience of the last 18 months has shown us the critical importance of meeting face to face for developing new and existing relationships, and the enormous potential and value of online events in being able to build networks, learn and benchmark globally and at scale. We look forward to working with Moonlight to drive growth of our existing events, and to fuel growth into Asia and the Americas.”

Moonlight IQ has been working in the financial sector, including commodity markets, for over 20years. Its expertise will bring increased strategy focus for Commodities People, the organisers of pillar industry events Commodity Trading Week and Energy Trading Week. The partnership ensures an open communication stream between organisers, attendees and press, forming an expanding community for first-class knowledge and relationship-building within the commodity and energy trading markets.

The next Commodities People event, Energy Trading Week, will be held in October this year in hybrid format. The in-person gathering will be at the home of current UEFA Champions Chelsea F.C., at Stamford Bridge in London on 5-6 October. The online edition will take place on 11-15October. Find out more at www.energytradingweek.com