Introduction
Energy trading is built on risk management, strategic decision-making, and compliance expertise. Every trade influences markets, margins, and regulatory positioning. At BGN, we recognise the female leaders who drive success in this competitive field.
On International Women’s Day 2025, we highlight our female professionals shaping BGN’s trading and operations:
🔹 Demet Ozdemir, Managing Director
🔹 Alice Cao, Distillates Trader
🔹 Eveline Wallens, Compliance Manager
🔹 Camille Charon, Senior Operations Executive
🔹 Özlem Şahintaş, Global Head of Trade Finance
Meet the Leaders of BGN
Demet Ozdemir – Managing Director
A Day in the Life: Demet oversees corporate developments, including governance, systems, and risk management, to drive long-term, sustainable growth. With extensive financial expertise and international leadership experience, she plays a pivotal role in shaping BGN’s strategic direction.
How does your financial expertise enhance BGN’s trading success?
Demet: “Success in trading requires keeping pace with a fast-moving environment. My financial background allows me to implement strategic risk management and capital optimisation, ensuring BGN remains agile and competitive in global markets.”
What’s the biggest challenge in trading leadership today?
Demet: “Balancing competing priorities while ensuring efficient processes and financial sustainability. The challenge lies in maintaining operational excellence while adapting to market volatility and evolving regulations.”
What advice would you give to women in energy leadership?
Demet: “Never hold yourself back from pursuing a career in this industry. The energy sector is evolving, and women are crucial in shaping its future. Be authentic, bold, and confident—use your voice and believe in your abilities.”
Alice Cao – Distillates Trader
A Day in the Life: Alice specialises in negotiating, structuring, and executing trades across a variety of refined oil products.
What does your role as a trader involve?
Alice: “My job is to structure and execute physical deals, balancing market opportunities with logistical and financial risks. Every trade requires strategic thinking, quick decision-making, and strong relationships with both internal teams and external counterparties to ensure smooth execution.”
What’s the biggest challenge in trading distillates?
Alice: “Managing price fluctuations, logistics, and counterparty dynamics simultaneously. The key is being proactive, anticipating potential disruptions, and always having contingency plans in place.”
How do you navigate market volatility and uncertainty?
Alice: “Risk management and effective communication. I keep a close track of my positions and exposures, quantifying the impact of every decision. I utilise analytical tools for real-time insights and maintain seamless communication with the risk and operations teams. Internally, alignment is crucial to ensure everyone is working toward the same goal. Externally, I focus on problem-solving with counterparties based on mutual understanding and trust.”
What career advice do you live by?
Alice: “Sustainable trading isn’t just about short-term gains—it’s about establishing trust, aligning interests, and creating value for all parties involved. Strong relationships lead to better opportunities, smoother problem-solving, and long-term success in a constantly evolving market.
Eveline Wallens – Compliance Manager
A Day in the Life: Eveline oversees global trade compliance, corporate governance, and risk mitigation.
What are the biggest compliance risks in energy trading?
Eveline: “Sanctions, supply chain due diligence, and financial regulations constantly shift—staying ahead is key.”
How does compliance enhance BGN’s trading strength?
Eveline: “Compliance isn’t just about rules—it’s a competitive advantage. We create a resilient trading environment by embedding regulatory awareness into decision-making, ensuring long-term sustainability and risk mitigation. Robust compliance frameworks enhance trust with counterparties, regulators, and financial institutions, enabling seamless operations in an increasingly scrutinised market.”
What advice would you give to aspiring compliance professionals?
Eveline: “Leverage business experience from any field—compliance is a multidisciplinary dimension that draws from finance, law, geopolitics, risk management, and operational strategy. A continuous curiosity for evolving regulations is essential, as compliance is never static. Although often viewed as a support function, compliance is one of the strongest pillars of successful trading. Even the most profitable deals and strategic moves can falter without a solid compliance foundation. Compliance is not just about following rules but ensuring business integrity, sustainability, and long-term success.”
Camille Charon – Senior Operations Executive
A Day in the Life: Camille leads operational strategies, optimising BGN’s trading and logistics efficiency.
How does operational excellence support energy trading success?
Camille: “In trading and shipping operations, seamless contract execution, timely deliveries, and compliance with regulations are key to maximising profitability and minimising disruptions. Operational excellence helps reduce costs, mitigate risks, and enhance decision-making by optimising logistics, streamlining processes, and maintaining strong stakeholder communication. It also enables traders to respond swiftly to market fluctuations and capitalise on opportunities.”
What’s the biggest challenge in trading operations?
Camille: “The oil industry is highly dynamic, influenced by fluctuating prices, geopolitical risks, supply chain disruptions, and regulatory changes. In trading operations, ensuring smooth cargo movements while handling last-minute changes—such as weather delays, port congestion, or vessel issues—requires constant problem-solving and quick decision-making. Balancing risk management, cost control, and operational efficiency while meeting contractual obligations is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge in this fast-paced environment.”
What advice would you give to women entering trading operations?
Camille: “Success in trading and shipping operations is about knowledge, adaptability, and resilience —women can thrive by leveraging these strengths.”
Özlem Şahintaş – Global Head of Trade Finance
A Day in the Life: Özlem ensures seamless capital flow, trade finance structuring, and financial risk mitigation for global commodity transactions.
What role does trade finance play in energy trading?
Özlem: “Trade finance is the backbone of global energy trading. It ensures liquidity, helps mitigate financial risks, and facilitates seamless transactions between buyers, sellers, and financial institutions. At BGN, we structure financing solutions that optimise capital efficiency while enabling large-scale commodity transactions in a highly dynamic market, collaborating closely with our banking and financial partners.”
How do you manage financial risk in volatile markets?
Özlem: “Volatility is a constant in energy trading, making risk management essential. To safeguard transactions, we work hand in hand with our credit risk, treasury and market risk teams, and employ a combination of hedging strategies, credit insurance, and strong counterparty due diligence. Additionally, leveraging structured instruments helps us to minimise exposure while maintaining liquidity across global operations.”
What are the biggest challenges in trade finance for energy commodities?
Özlem: “Financing large-scale transactions may require balancing liquidity needs, regulatory compliance, and geopolitical risks. In recent years, shifting regulatory frameworks and evolving ESG requirements have added new complexities. Adaptability, strong partnerships with financial institutions, and diligent internal expertise are key to navigating these challenges.”
What advice would you give to professionals in trade finance?
Özlem: “The energy sector is evolving rapidly, and trade finance professionals must stay ahead of regulatory changes, digitalisation trends, and risk management strategies. My advice is to develop a strong foundation in financial structuring, cultivate global industry relationships, embrace innovation and consistently maintain a proactive approach to risk assessment.”
Final Thoughts
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Çağla Tekün, Head of HR at BGN:
Çağla: “At BGN, diversity, equity, and inclusion are strategic priorities that drive business performance. A workforce with diverse perspectives and expertise strengthens decision-making, enhances risk management, and fuels innovation in energy trading. We build a more competitive and resilient company by fostering an environment where talent thrives based on merit and opportunity.”
Energy trading demands expertise, risk management, and leadership. At BGN, women are critical in shaping strategies, ensuring compliance, and driving innovation.
On International Women’s Day, we celebrate Demet, Alice, Eveline, Özlem, Camille, Çağla and all women shaping the future of global energy markets.
Learn more about our ESG approach at BGN: Sustainability – BGN
#WomenInEnergy #EnergyTrading #IWD2025 #GlobalLPGMarketLeader #LowCarbonTransitionFuels
