Speaker

Robert Johnston (“RJ”) is the director of Eurasia Group’s Global Energy & Natural Resources practice. He specializes in oil, gas, power generation, metals, and agriculture research as well as client relations. He received his PhD in international relations from American University in Washington, DC. A native of Canada, he also holds a master’s degree in political science from McMaster University and a bachelor’s degree in political studies from Bishop’s University.

Previously, he was a managing director of equity research at Medley Global Advisors, where he was responsible for providing political, regulatory, and strategic insights across eight sectors to clients in the institutional investment community. In addition, RJ served as the lead analyst for global energy equities and electric utilities. Prior to that, RJ was a research director at UBS Warburg Energy, working directly in support of energy trading, covering issues ranging from electricity regulation, global LNG, US/Canada macroeconomic outlook, and oil markets. Before UBS, RJ directed internal research teams supporting proprietary energy and commodity trading at Enron Global Markets. At ArmorGroup, RJ directed political risk research for corporate clients in a variety of markets including China, Russia, Colombia, and Indonesia.

Speaker

Leslie Palti-Guzman focuses on global natural gas markets, both cross-border pipeline politics and liquefied natural gas (LNG), with a particular emphasis on geopolitics, suppliers’ export strategies, pricing evolution, and regulatory framework. Her expertise is global with a strong regional focus on the EU, Eastern Mediterranean, Russia, Qatar, and North America.

Prior to joining Eurasia Group, Leslie was the senior natural gas and LNG correspondent at Energy Intelligence Group in New York. She covered LNG markets in the Atlantic Basin, European unconventional gas, and European security of gas supply. Her articles were published in the company’s several publications, including World Gas Intelligence, International Oil Daily, Petroleum Intelligence Weekly, and Energy Compass. During her graduate studies, Leslie interned in the political affairs department at the Delegation of the European Commission in Washington, DC, and at Foreign Policy as an editorial assistant. She has also worked for French broadcasting channel TV5, where she interviewed key French policymakers. Leslie appears regularly in the media as an expert commentator on global gas politics, with television appearances on networks such as BNN, and is widely cited in publications including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Reuters, Dow Jones, CNN Money, Associated Press, Platts, and Interfax. Leslie often serves as a featured speaker at energy conferences and events across the globe.

Leslie holds an MA in International Affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she studied international law and business and wrote her master’s thesis on the geopolitics of energy. Leslie also holds both an MA and BA in Political Science and International Affairs from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) in Paris, with a focus on European Studies and Security Studies. Leslie has lived in Paris, Madrid, Boston, Washington, DC, and New York. She is fluent in French and Spanish.