In this article, Michael Slater, Chief Business Technologist at ION Commodities, shares his perspective on how the next generation of technologists will define the future of energy and commodities markets.
The turning point:
The global energy and commodities markets are entering a new era. Traditional sectors like crude and refined products continue to dominate trade flows, while energy transition in the form of wind, solar, and biofuels has evolved from niche to mainstream. Further market innovation in carbon, hydrogen, and renewable certificates brings new layers of complexity to trading, risk, logistics, and compliance. At the same time digital twin technology, systems automation, and artificial intelligence are transforming how systems are designed, monitored, and optimised.
From our experience at the intersection of technology and commodities markets, we have seen that real innovation doesn’t come from technology alone. Rather it comes from leaders that understand how markets, systems, and data intersect and can turn that understanding into lasting impact.
For technologists, this shift presents both a huge opportunity and responsibility. The industry no longer needs isolated specialists. It needs multi-disciplined professionals who can bridge designing software and systems that connect markets, transforming data into intelligence, and applying both to the realities of global trade and energy and commodities markets.
The next generation of technologists:
The next wave of exceptional talent won’t be pigeonholed by a role — developer, analyst, or engineer — but by adaptability. Those who can learn fast, collaborate deeply, and apply new technology to evolving market realities will shape the industry’s future. To thrive, technologists must build depth across three interconnected dimensions — markets, technology, and data — each shaping how innovation and intelligence take form in the evolving energy and commodities ecosystem.
Markets: Sustainability, Regulation, and Auditability
Energy and commodities markets are evolving beyond traditional boundaries. Sustainability is no longer a parallel initiative – it’s embedded in daily operations. From emissions tracking to renewable certificate management, energy intensive firms now require system solutions that connect trading, risk, logistics, and finance for streamlined regulatory compliance reporting. For technologists, this means mastering how business operations, regulatory requirements, and system design intersect to engineer flexible platforms that enable auditability and performance.
Technology: AI, Cyber Resilience, and Ecosystem
Artificial intelligence and advanced systems automation are redefining how end-users operate. As AI advances from automation to autonomy, a new generation of agentic systems is emerging — capable of learning, adapting, and acting with minimal human input. As human involvement shifts from execution to oversight, technologists must now design and govern intelligent systems to act with ethics, intent, and accountability. Coupling the application of contemporary technologies with the growing need for stronger cybersecurity further challenges technologists to construct secure modern infrastructures and ecosystems to ensure business and operational resilience.
Data: Interoperability, Intelligence, and Integrity
Data is the connective tissue of modern energy and commodities markets. The ability to join, analyse, and act on data in real-time transforms systems from reactive to predictive, from points of capture to centres for intelligence. To build a unified, interoperable ecosystem across business functions will no longer be enough for future technologists. They will need to become custodians of data integrity, ensuring that decisions made by humans or machines are based on trusted, transparent information. To do so, the next generation of technologists will need to be proficient in complex data modelling, APIs, and digital twin technology.
Seizing the opportunity:
Renewables may power the next chapter of the energy and commodities markets, but the pace will be determined by the technologists that build the next generation of solutions. The leaders will be multi-disciplined professionals who understand evolving market dynamics, leverage modern technologies, and construct a secure network of structured data to facilitate real-time intelligence for the business.
For organisations, the message is clear: academia alone cannot produce these technologists. Companies must invest in creating cross-functional career paths, retooling with contemporary technology, and working with universities to shape the programs needed to develop these professionals.
Firms that build an environment where technologists grow across disciplines, understand the energy and commodities industry, and turn innovation into everyday practice will do more than attract top talent. They will define the digital architecture of an AI-driven, increasingly renewable-powered world, and lead the transformation of global energy and commodities for decades to come.
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