MET Group

Natural gas will play a transition role in Europe for “10-15 years longer than people think” and it will remain important in the medium term, particularly following the buildout of regasification capacity. This is what MET Group CEO Benjamin Lakatos told Argus Media reporter Natasha Fielding in an interview. Still, the Swiss-based energy company’s CEO considers that US LNG deliveries to Europe have probably already reached their peak, because the continent is reducing its gas consumption. At the same time, natural gas demand in Asia is booming, due to economic expansion and coal-to-gas switching. Benjamin Lakatos foresees no physical supply issues in Europe this winter. “I believe that the overall gas supply security is solved for Europe,” he said. But Europe is not out of the woods from a financial perspective – “gas is a commercial issue for Europe”, with high prices meaning that industries are uncompetitive. https://lnkd.in/daxegRYC

MET Group celebrates HR Professionals Day – and Top Employers Day which, as a coincidence, is also on September 26. The two days are strongly connected: without the invaluable work of our HR professionals, MET would not have been recognized as Top Employer in Switzerland for 2024. The Top Employers Institute is an internationally acknowledged institution which independently audits companies’ people practices based on top international standards. In 2024 in Switzerland, 34 companies were distinguished as Top Employers – MET Group is the only Swiss-based energy company having received this prestigious certification. Our HR professionals managed the comprehensive evaluation process, where over 250 areas were assessed in the company’s HR policies and practices including people strategy, talent acquisition, employee development, talent management, wellbeing offerings, diversity and inclusion, as well as work environment. Let’s celebrate today this important milestone which underlines MET’s belief that employees are core to its success. #HRProfessionalsDay #TopEmployersDay #TopEmployers2024

Great news: MET Energía España is once again included in leading daily business newspaper Expansión’s “Who is Who in the Spanish Economy”, among the main companies of the Spanish energy sector. As MET Group’s local subsidiary, MET Energía España has consolidated its position as a key player in the energy market, thanks to its solid business model and the solutions it offers, responding to the needs of the present and the future.

Switzerland-based MET Group strives to become a global integrated energy company with a footprint across Europe, Asia and the US – this is how Chairman and CEO Benjamin Lakatos summarizes growth plans in an interview to Argus Media reporter Natasha Fielding. MET Group has already been buying spot LNG for 4-5 years. It has long-term regasification capacity in Germany, Spain and Croatia, and unloaded LNG in eight countries last year. In the medium term, firms can only stay competitive in the LNG market if they are involved “in all three key regions – Asia, US sourcing, Europe”, Benjamin Lakatos said. “We need to play this optimisation between the three territories.” MET is also interested in the Baltics. The company believes that the region is undervalued by international investors owing to the geopolitical situation, the CEO explained. “Investors do not consider the very stabilising factors such as the EU and NATO membership of these countries, or the euro currency.” One of the business areas MET Group will be looking at in the Baltics is fertilisers. https://lnkd.in/gYXqsJf3

“We have been successful in a turbulent market environment, providing stable supply to all our partners, supporting them in strengthening their security of supply.” This is how Attila Szaniszlo, CEO of MET Gas and Energy Marketing (MET GEM) summarizes their main achievement on the company’s 10th anniversary. MET GEM – member of Swiss-based MET Group – has been supporting Southeastern European non-EU countries on their way to become fully integrated members of the European energy markets. At present, Ukraine, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina belong to MET GEM. Attila Szaniszlo’s team, consisting of experienced market experts located in the single countries, seeks to understand local needs and then provide tailor-made solutions. “These countries have regulatory environments with totally different logics. The markets are also organised and structured in a different way,” explains the CEO what distinguishes MET GEM countries from other European markets. https://lnkd.in/dtPgqK4J

“LNG is the most interesting import fuel into the European energy mix,” MET International AG CEO György Domokos Vargha told Natural Gas World in an interview. He highlighted the crucial role that LNG plays, especially as Europe continues to transition away from coal and other high-emission energy sources. Vargha argued that any integrated energy company that is not active in LNG trading risks being out of touch with the key drivers of Europe’s energy market. Switzerland-based MET Group is very active and looks to considerably expand its LNG portfolio, building on its current capacity. MET holds long-term regasification capacity in Germany, Croatia, and Spain, and has delivered LNG cargoes to eight European countries in recent years. The company has been proactive in securing long-term LNG supply agreements as well – signing a 20-year Heads of Agreement with US-based Commonwealth LNG, and entering into a 10-year free-on-board deal with Shell to purchase US LNG. Looking ahead, György Domokos Vargha said the amount of LNG Europe will import this year will largely depend on the weather, especially during the winter months. "If there's going to be a normal cold weather over this winter, so not as warm as over the last two to three years, then substantially higher LNG imports are going to be required in order to balance the European gas markets or to come up to this 40-45% storage level that will keep the market comfortably balanced,” the CEO said. https://lnkd.in/dZvw5fMT

Will energy-intensive companies in Switzerland buy more electricity from renewable energies via free market access, including via PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements)? Here is the good news: according to MET Group’s analysis, the potential for PPAs in the Swiss market is considerable. With successful PPA projects already concluded in Spain and Italy, for example, MET Group aims to take a leading role in Switzerland as well. Ongoing national initiatives to enhance renewable energy penetration, such as the “Solarexpress” program targeting Alpine solar projects, will likely increase the market size of PPAs. https://lnkd.in/dPckUDsN

The transformation of the gas market into a hydrogen market, and the role that hydrogen can play in the energy transition – these are some of the topics Beyondgas Congress 2024 is focusing on between 17 and 19 September in Oldenburg, organised by beyondgas events GmbH. MET Group’s Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer Jörg Selbach-Röntgen will be a speaker with other renowned industry experts at one of Germany’s leading hydrogen conferences on September 18, to discuss the current status of this evolving market, its challenges, regulatory aspects and commercial comparisons to an established wholesale market like natural gas. Jörg Selbach-Röntgen and other experts will also offer advice, perspective and outlook for customers interested in hydrogen. We look forward to meeting you there! #beyondgas #H2

Reconciling decarbonization with economic competitiveness in Europe is the main challenge highlighted in the report “The Future of European Competitiveness – A Competitiveness Strategy for Europe” recently published by Mario Draghi. The report emphasizes the need for Europe to regain and sustain its competitive edge through innovation, investment, and regulatory simplification. 📊   At MET Group, we firmly believe that, if managed correctly, the transition to a low-carbon economy can become a source of competitive advantage for Europe. 🌱   However, Draghi’s report also warns of the risks posed by an uncoordinated decarbonization, particularly when reliant on technologies subsidized by third parties. This could threaten Europe’s competitiveness. Today, European companies already face significantly higher and more volatile electricity and gas prices than those in the U.S. and China.   To address these challenges, MET Group supports Draghi’s call for a comprehensive EU strategy that focuses on innovation in key areas like carbon capture, hydrogen, and renewable energies, ensuring that Europe leads in scalable and exportable technologies. This should be paired with simplifying regulatory frameworks and increasing investment in R&D, as Draghi suggests.   Our commitment is clear: to drive an energy model that not only contributes to Europe’s sustainable development but also ensures that the transition to a decarbonized future fosters economic growth, competitive prices, and tangible benefits for all. This aligns with Draghi’s vision of a Europe that is both greener and more competitive.

Engelberg in the Swiss Alps offered a breathtaking and inspiring setting for this year’s MET International AG (METI) teambuilding. METI CEO György Domokos Vargha shared valuable insights into the commercial strategy of MET Group’s trading arm. Colleagues also heard from Simone M. Turri, Head of Western Europe Gas, and Frederik Garnak, Deputy CFO on their professional journeys. As METI is a quickly growing organisation, already having more than 100 employees who represent 35 nationalities, it is all the more important that colleagues meet on a regular basis, discuss strategic topics – and have fun together. See you at the METI teambuilding 2025!