Argus Bitumen & Roads Asia Conference

Welcome refreshments and registrations open

Closed doors discussion on the impact of the Middle East/West Asia conflict and wider geopolitical instability on Asia’s bitumen supply chain

Chairperson's opening remarks

Asia in focus: What changed in the last 6–12 months in Middle East and APAC and why it matters?

- How have shifts in regional supply and demand across key markets reshaped trade flows in the past year?
- Where are new pricing mechanisms and benchmarks emerging, and what do they mean for transparency, contract structures, and trading strategies?

Speaker:

Chloe Choo

Senior Reporter, Bitumen and Oil Products

Argus

Claire Ng

Senior Reporter

Argus

Sathya Narayanan

Associate Editor

Argus

India market: To what extent are domestic refiners able to meet demand, and how reliant is India on imports to bridge supply gaps?

- What are the drivers for bitumen growth in the Indian market?
- What is the outlook for road construction demand over the next 3–5 years, and how will project pipelines translate into bitumen consumption?
- How are pricing dynamics in India responding to global volatility, and what does this mean for contractors and procurement strategies?

Speakers:

Dipak Kr Basu

Vice President (Business Development)

Shell

Morning networking and refreshments break

Asia and Middle East role: How are geopolitics, arbitrage and trade flows reshaping Asia’s supply?

- Where are the key arbitrage opportunities emerging, and how are traders exploiting price dislocations between the Middle East, Central Asia, and Asian demand centres?
- How are sanctions, trade restrictions, and shifting alliances impacting supply reliability, payment structures, and trade routes?
- What role will Central Asia and the Middle East play in balancing Asia’s supply-demand gap as volatility persists, and how sustainable is this position long term?

Speakers:

Dhruv Nanda

Trading Manager

Sapco Global

Prateek Jhajharia

Managing Director

Madhusudan Organics Pvt. Ltd.

Presentation by Chambroad

Speakers Include:

Joseph Gan

Trader

Sunshine Oil

Where is liquidity in SE Asia’s bitumen market today?

- Southeast Asia and re‑export dynamics
- China’s role in absorbing sanctioned heavy crude
- Who is still trading and who is sitting out?
- Indonesia infrastructure demand and import dynamics

Speakers Include:

Gede Wahyudi Mahendra Putra

Senior Account Manager Bitumen

PT Pertamina

G.K. Goyal

CEO

Bright Fortune Singapore

Networking lunch

Global pricing and arbitrages and pricing developments

Speakers Include:

Jonathan Weston

Europe & Asia Bitumen Lead

Argus

Traders into shipping: A new venture

- Does owning logistics fundamentally change how traders approach arbitrage, pricing strategies, and market positioning?
- What are the real cost advantages of vertical integration into shipping, and where can traders gain the most control over freight exposure?
- How do case studies of traders entering shipping demonstrate success in reducing costs, improving margins, and securing supply reliability?

Evening networking and coffee break

Curate meetings and match making: Pre‑scheduled, short one‑to‑one meetings tailored to your trading, sourcing or partnership priorities — ensuring you meet the right people.

Construction: What mix designs and grades will dominate in Asia?

- Contractor priorities under tight budgets
- Conventional bitumen vs PMB under rising costs
- Quality, consistency and supply reliability
- What road authorities expect from suppliers in 2026

Speaker:

Pankaj S. Chaudhari

DGM Bitumen

Hindustan Petroleum

Indra Maizir

VP Operations

DMK Group

Closing Reflections: Key Takeaways from Day One

Sathya Narayanan

Associate Editor

Argus

Morning registration and networking breakfast

Setting the Stage: Day Two Kick-Off

Speaker:

Sathya Narayanan

Associate Editor

Argus

Interactive Q&A and Audience Polling: Anonymous check on the trajectory for the next 6-12 months

Anonymous, live market polling that captures what participants really think about risk, strategy, and the outlook — creating instant talking points and honest debate.

- “Do you feel more exposed to downside risk today than this time last year?”
- “If market conditions worsen, which would you cut first?”
- “Are you more cautious signing term deals for 2026 than you were for 2025?”
- "Is your Asia strategy too dependent on one country, would you prefer to expand?”
- “Is PMB being adopted because it’s technically superior, or because nothing else works at current prices?”
- “If margins remain thin, will you still be actively trading bitumen in 2027?”
- “What’s the one route you’re quietly avoiding?”

Crude oil and feedstock focus: How upstream shifts are reshaping bitumen supply?

- Heavy crude availability and refinery optimisation
- New entrants: What traders from LPG and oil products must learn fast?
- What upstream disruption means for downstream bitumen output?

Speaker:

Nur Azlin Ahmad

Vice President, Business Development, Crude

Argus

Argus Consulting overview:

Speakers Include:

Irina Vinogradova

Senior Manager - Consulting

Argus

Morning networking and refreshments break

Shipping and freight market workshop session: How does freight costs affect commodities?

- How has the US-Iran war altered shipping dynamics, and how has the market sought to adapt to constantly-evolving conditions?
- How will shifting regional crude trade flows and vessel availability impact freight pricing?

Speakers Include:

Sean Liu

Deputy Editor, Freight

Argus

Regional roulette networking:

Format
Structured networking rounds (10–12 minutes each)
Each round focuses on one region
Bell rings → rotate

Regions:
China & re‑exports, Southeast Asia demand, Malaysia, Central Asia routes, Middle East supply reality, Africa as a demand outlet, Australia and New Zealand

Rules
One question per table, e.g. “What’s the one thing people misunderstand about this region?”

Chairperson's closing remarks and day two concludes

Networking lunch