MEET THE TEAM
MEET THE TEAM
BEHIND SPEC
Meet Our Dedicated and Passionate Team
GERARDO URDANETA
30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Gerardo Urdaneta brings over 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, covering multiple areas of the commodities supply chain from production and manufacturing to shipping, trading and brokering.
Gerardo has held positions such as head of operations for petrochemicals plants and refineries at PDAVSA, VP of Logistic and Shipping Operations and LNG Trader for Citigroup. Subsequently Gerardo has also worked at GFI, a leading brokering house in the UK, establishing their physical LNG trading platform for spot markets and mid to long-term deal structures.
Further, Gerardo has worked in multiple countries, covering commodities such as petrochemical, coal, natural gas, crude oil, oil products and iron ore in a multicultural and diverse work environment.
ZAVIER FRANCIS
2 DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY
Zavier Francis is an energy markets professional with extensive experience across LNG marketing, trading, and commercial structuring, built through years working within global energy majors and international trading environments. Her career has focused on the practical realities of moving energy across borders — from pricing and contract structuring to shipping, logistics, and risk management — with a particular emphasis on delivered LNG economics rather than headline prices.
Drawing on this foundation, Zavier founded the Solomon Peter Energy Connect (SPEC), a platform focused on applying institutional-grade trading discipline to emerging and frontier markets across Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Through its activities, SPEC bridges the gap between global LNG markets and local demand by combining commercial insight, infrastructure development, and data-driven tools to support real execution.
Zavier’s work is rooted in a practitioner’s mindset: understanding how price risk, freight, credit, FX exposure, and operational constraints interact in live transactions. He is particularly focused on LNG supply into power and industry, fuel switching, and the development of scalable energy solutions that reflect the realities of markets where energy security, cost, and reliability are paramount.
ALAIN KOFFI
2 DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN TRADE FINANCE, STRUCTURED TRANSACTIONS & CROSS-BORDER RISK MANAGEMENT
Alain Koffi is an international commercial lawyer with over 20 years of experience in trade finance, structured transactions, and cross-border risk management. His background spans commodity trading operations, investment banking, and institutional finance, including advisory work at the African Development Bank on treasury, derivatives, and private-sector transactions. Alain brings a commercially grounded approach to legal advisory in energy and commodities, with particular strength in trading structures, credit risk, and financing in emerging markets.