SINGAPORE, Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The keynote speaker at this year's unveiling of the Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings(TM) in Singapore on October 29 will be International Energy Agency (IEA) Director for Energy Markets and Security Keisuke Sadamori.

"We're pleased to have Mr. Sadamori join us at our annual Platts Top 250 Asia Awards Dinner to share his insights on energy security in the Asia-Pacific and worldwide," said Patsy Wurster, organizer of the event and director of the strategic media division of Platts, a leading global energy, petrochemical and metals information provider. "We look forward to the unique perspective he brings, not only from his first full year as IEA energy markets and security director, but as a former Japanese government official coordinating international cooperation in the aftermath of the Fukushima-Daiichi incident and during his years with the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C."

Mr. Sadamori's keynote address will precede the unveiling of the 12(th) annual ranking of energy companies -- the Platts Top 250 -- which includes publicly listed companies with assets greater than U.S. $5.0 billion and reflects the financial performance of fiscal year 2012. The rankings are based on a combination of asset worth, revenues, profits and return on invested capital. The roster also ranks companies by industry sector and region, and names the 50 fastest-growing companies.

Since October 1, 2012, Mr. Sadamori has been the director for energy markets and security at IEA, where his team is responsible for monitoring global oil markets, providing supply/demand and trend analysis, and responding to energy-supply disruptions. His team's coverage includes natural gas, coal and power markets, oil industry and markets and renewable energy.

Prior to joining the IEA, Mr. Sadamori was deputy director general for policy coordination at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). He served in the Prime Minister's Office and spent several years in Washington, D.C., as economic counselor at the Japanese Embassy. A Japanese national, Mr. Sadamori holds a law degree from the University of Tokyo and a master's degree in public affairs from Princeton University. See his full biography here.

According to recent IEA reports on energy outlook, Asia is expected to become the world's second-largest gas market by 2015. Also, led by China, non-OECD countries are expected to account for two-thirds of the global increase in renewable power generation between now and 2018. The IEA predicts power generation from hydro, wind, solar and other renewable sources worldwide will exceed that from natural gas and be twice that of nuclear by 2016.

Hundreds of executives representing all facets of the energy industry are expected to attend the Platts Top 250 Asia Awards Dinner. For the first time in the event's history, Platts will honor an energy executive from the Asia-Pacific region for exemplary leadership, bestowing upon him or her Asia CEO of the Year. The selection will be made by an independent judges panel and will automatically place the individual among the nominees for Platts' Energy Company of the Year honors in New York in December.

The Platts Top 250 Asia Awards Dinner is once again being held in conjunction with the Singapore International Energy Week.

Attendance at the 2013 Platts Top 250 Asia Awards Dinner is open to all companies with business interests in Asia and to energy companies worldwide. Accredited media may attend as Platts' guests with advanced registration. Television cameras are welcome. Sponsorships are still available at this link: http://top250.platts.com/Sponsor.

The Platts Top 250 Global Energy Company Rankings are based on data compiled and maintained by S&P Capital IQ, which, like Platts, is a part of McGraw Hill Financial.

For more information on Platts, its events and energy, visit the website www.platts.com.

About Platts: Founded in 1909, Platts is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals, metals and agriculture information and a premier source of benchmark prices for the physical and futures markets. Platts' news, pricing, analytics, commentary and conferences help customers make better-informed trading and business decisions and help the markets operate with greater transparency and efficiency. Customers in more than 150 countries benefit from Platts' coverage of the biofuels, carbon emissions, coal, electricity, oil, natural gas, metals, nuclear power, petrochemical, shipping and sugar markets. A division of McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), Platts is headquartered in New York with approximately 900 employees in more than 15 offices worldwide. Additional information is available at http://www.platts.com.

About McGraw Hill Financial: McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), a financial intelligence company, is a leader in credit ratings, benchmarks and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. Iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power & Associates, and McGraw Hill Construction. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

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SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts