“I envision MET Group continuing its growth trajectory as a leading player in Europe’s gas and power sector,” says Federico Vassallo, Market Risk Manager at MET International, who recently received the MET Excellence Award for his outstanding performance in 2024.
What was your first thought when you heard your name announced as one of the winners of the 2024 MET Excellence Awards?
I was certainly not expecting it. As Antoine Servais, Group Head of Risk Management started dropping hints, it became clear that the description was pointing towards me. I felt genuinely happy, not just for myself, but also because this recognition highlighted the hard work and dedication of the whole Market Risk Team over the years.
What do you think is your greatest professional achievement?
At MET Group, I am particularly proud of building a strong bridge of market risk topics between the Swiss headquarters and our sales subsidiaries in different European countries. We are now much better equipped to stay informed about activities in each country, enabling us to monitor exposures, risks, and new engagements with greater accuracy. My team has also developed tools that help us to track risks and communicate effectively in case of any concerns. We now have a much clearer and more immediate understanding of each country’s operations and business drivers.
Importantly, this connection works both ways – through our efforts, we have empowered the subsidiaries to have a stronger voice, enabling them to convey their needs and business cases directly to top management. This has facilitated their ability to seize new business opportunities.
Where do you see MET Group – and yourself – in five years?
I envision MET Group continuing its growth trajectory as a leading player in Europe’s gas and power sector. With our expanding presence, the intensification of LNG activities, and our investments in renewables and flexibility assets (crucial for the stability of the electrical grid) we are well-positioned for further development. Our growing interest in energy-intensive industries, like agrochemicals, also adds momentum to this expansion.
A key challenge ahead will be establishing MET as a well-recognized name amongst existing and potential customers, which should provide us with a competitive edge. At this moment, expanding our sales portfolio is essential to drive sustained growth in the upcoming years.
How do you ‘recharge your batteries’ outside of working hours?
I love to travel and hike, and I always have a history book with me, I am fascinated by the subject. I also enjoy going to the theatre, opera, concerts and movies. Recently I rediscovered a passion for Origami during my trip to Japan – it is wonderfully calming and a great way to enhance patience and focus.