History

Our Founder, Mr. Conrad Gerber

Petro-Logistics was founded over 40 years ago by Conrad Gerber. The son of a Swiss cattle rancher, Mr. Gerber was born in the savannah bushland of what was then Southern Rhodesia. He studied Economics and Comparative African Government & Law at the University of Cape Town, which grounded his understanding of African economies and the diplomacy of the day.
Conrad Gerber

Upon returning home in the mid 1960s, the country was independent but under economic sanctions by the United Nations and engaged in a civil war. With mandatory military conscription, Mr. Gerber was called to join the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) as a foreign economics analyst, reporting directly to the Prime Minister.

He was responsible for monitoring the swirling geopolitics surrounding the country as it sought to survive under strained foreign exchange and acute shortages of oil. This mandate occupied him throughout the war and into the new government under Robert Mugabe.

Lifting the Veil of Secrecy in the Oil Industry

It was in late 1980 that Mr. Gerber accepted an offer from one of the major oil traders of the day to perfect disciplines in oil market analysis and product monitoring.

Petro-Logistics was born and Mr. Gerber began collecting detailed data on the world’s oil supplies. He was soon joined by a small support staff, including Jacquie Sutter, who is still with the firm today.

Relationships were developed in key oil regions, notably the Black Sea, the Persian Gulf and West Africa. Mr. Gerber made it his mission to lift the veil on the opaque oil industry. The information that he gathered was analysed and collated in confidential reports and issued to a growing list of private clients, major oil companies and governments.

Future-Proofing the Accuracy of Our Data

Conrad Gerber remained the President of Petro-Logistics until his passing in 2009. Today, the company is managed by two of his sons alongside the core operating team who have been with the firm for over three decades.

After taking over the company in 2009, Daniel and Mark’s priority was to ensure the continued accuracy of Petro-Logistics’ data. Over the course of ten years, they developed a team of experienced analysts. Emerging technologies were integrated into the company’s processes to improve data timeliness and to respond to client demands. To this day, Petro-Logistics leverages technology in a measured way, using it in carefully defined data validation processes.

Trade Flow Intelligence for the Modern Age

Today, Petro-Logistics’ focus remains steadfastly on providing the most accurate data available, while continuing to grow its coverage organically through nurturing relationships in major oil exporting countries.

Our network has grown rapidly over the past years with the support of our representatives in Moscow, Mumbai, Tokyo, Cape Town and London. We continue to expand our analytical team, customer support personnel and technical infrastructure.

Petro-Logistics has evolved for the modern age and provides unrivalled insights on oil market fundamentals.

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