Consultancy of the year: PwC

PwC offers consulting expertise across the energy and commodities supply chains, covering areas such as strategic, technological and management affairs. As such, the firm’s consulting practice appeals to multiple industry sectors, including energy producers, refiners, manufacturers, chemicals, utilities, transportation, airlines, agricultural and other commodity-dependent industries.

Over the past year, PwC has edged more into the commodity risk management advisory sphere, capitalising on its reputation for success in the market and continuing to expand its service capabilities. In those 12 months, the firm has won several major projects in which the commodities team has launched new business units, built commodity trading and marketing organisations, selected and implemented commodity trade risk management systems and provided supply-chain management advisory services related to financial risk management and regulatory compliance.

PwC has also developed its Fit for Growth framework in the commodities arena, which encourages clients to operate in a leaner and more agile fashion in order to be ready for growth as markets improve. 

In North America, the firm has worked closely with a number of companies in the emerging LNG market, in assisting with strategy and process design, contract negotiations with tollers, compliance and governance projects, and system implementations. In the wider midstream, PwC has helped a number of clients on operational risk management, system selections and financial risk management projects, as well as assisting airlines and other transportation organisations with fuel-hedging strategies and system implementation.

The company has kept abreast of cloud and blockchain developments, providing clients with up-to-date advice on logistical and technological breakthroughs as they happen.