Praises for Energy Trading and Risk Management

In the challenging world of energy trading, fortune favours the prepared. Whether one is brave enough (or not) comes second and not having a clear strategy would be borderline foolishness. Given such a backdrop, almost inevitably, there are resources aplenty targeting those who feel the need to be better informed and equipped. Among the latest reference sources, industry veteran and academic Dr Iris Marie Mack’s book Energy Trading and Risk Management published by Wiley is a pretty compelling one.

I instantly warmed up to the book barely a chapter in, struck by its practical approach, balanced tone, contextualised narrative and a genuine desire on the author’s part to define terms and methodologies for the benefit of those with a mid-tier investment knowledge base.

Furthermore, the instructive narrative seeks to bring about a holistic understanding of how energy markets work to begin with, leading on to an adequate treatment of risk, speculation and portfolio diversity tenets. The format in which 'Energy Trading and Risk Management' is minutely sub-sectioned point to point is simply splendid. So should you wish to salami slice and pick up bits of the subject, it would serve you just as well as a cover to cover read through.

Conversely, if you are confident enough to skip the basics and go straight through to concepts and formulas, the sequential flow of text in each chapter helps you breeze through basic definitions usually quoted in boxed text on to what you are after.

Accompanying the text are charts, case studies, background briefs, notes on macro drivers and definitions at various points split into ten weighty sub-sectioned chapters in a book of around 270 pages. From contango to the modern portfolio theory, from risk management in the renewables business to mitigation in an ever changing market climate – it’s all there and duly referenced.

While I appreciated Dr Mack's work in its entirety, a chapter on exotic energy derivatives (which follows a passage on the plain vanilla variety) stood out for me. One would be happy to recommend this title to energy professionals, fellow energy analysts and those with a desire to pursue energy trading as a career pathway.

It would most definitely appeal to entrants finding their feet in the market as well as established participants wanting to refresh their thinking and methodologies. Ultimately, for every reader this title is bound to morph from being an informative and educational book at the point of first reading, to an invaluable reference source as and when subsequently needed. That makes it worthy of any energy sector professional’s bookshelf.—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes 

"Iris Mack's Energy Trading and Risk Management is built on the rare combination of decades of academic research and practical trading experience. A compelling and highly enjoyable book, this is essential reading for anyone wishing to succeed in today's increasingly complex and fast-paced trading arena where risk management clearly takes centre stage."
—Dr Guenther Dobrauz-Saldapenna, Technical & Markets Leader, R&C Services, PricewaterhouseCoopers, PwC, Zurich/Switzerland

"Iris Mack's book is a must read for those interested in the convergence of Energy and Financial Markets. View it as a short encyclopedia or a detailed navigator in this complex area. Being a strong quant and using a techno-fundamentalist approach Iris gives a clearly structured exposition understandable for beginners and catching for professionals. Be prepared for the fast-moving journey from the real-life basics and business cases to the rocket science formulas and if that’s not enough, find a reference to further reading after every topic touched."
—Dr. Alexei Kazakov, partner at AB Solutions

"Iris Mack's book Energy Trading and Risk Management is both a practical guide and a reference manual for anyone interested in investing in the rapidly developing energy trading markets. This remarkable book is a must have. It is an insightful tool that explains in detail the finer points in the use of derivatives as risk management tools. It delivers an easy to understand guideline while providing a whole vision about the industry, going through how the energy market works, who are the main players, in which kind of energy derivatives you could invest and how to create and manage risk in an energy portfolio, among many other factors."
—Eduardo Viesca Quiroz, Private Equity Investor

"Dr. Iris Mack's latest book Energy Trading and Risk Management is an ideal introduction to the topic. It helps professionals in both the energy and financial industries by providing a comprehensive overview of trading and risk management in these markets with its thorough coverage. This book includes case studies, illustrations, and trading models that make it an ideal read for trainers and professors. Clear and well-manifested graphical illustrations in the book make the toughest of concepts easier to grasp. This well-supported and structured work is for professionals who need a complete understanding of how energy markets work."
—Mohammad Asif, Director, JaZaa Financial Advisory Pvt. Ltd.

"Iris Mack's handbook serves as both gateway and reference to the complex world of energy derivatives. The theoretical foundations of every subject are treated with the utmost mathematical rigor, leading to a diligent treatment of hot topics in the energy derivatives industry. Each concept is expertly broken down and presented in an accessible manner, even to those less versed in stochastic calculus and quantitative finance. Energy Trading and Risk Management is highly valuable to all practitioners and academics seeking a one-stop reference to derivatives instruments, risk management and portfolio management in the energy industry."
—Dario Raffaele, ETRM Professional and Management Consultant, Accenture