2026 Fuel Brief: Macro Intelligence & Operational Adaptation
Date: Wednesday, April 15th, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET
Cost: $125
$45 for CITT members, affiliate members, and students
Register here
The global fuel market is in an unprecedented state of turmoil and unpredictability. Supply chain logistics professionals are faced with an array of complex problems, effecting their profitability, operations, partner relationships and beyond.
In this special, extra-length seminar, attendees will get detailed insights into the current fuel market environment, predictions, analysis, and tangible, deployment-ready advice for staying competitive and managing margins.
In Part 1, Heather Exner-Pirot, Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute will discuss the geopolitics as it pertains to the current fuel/energy situation, including possible outcomes and contingencies, and what Canada and other nations could and are doing in response to the volatility.
In Part 2, Portland Fuel will zoom in to look more specifically at the fuel markets in Canada and globally. You'll get specific and detailed information and insights with respect to the fuel markets and how the various stakeholders are behaving. Various forecasts will be modelled and you'll also learn about fuel hedging and other strategies for mitigating risk.
In Part 3, Thomas Allen, Director, Yield Management at Challenger Motor Freight and Robin Zhu, Director, Corporate Service at Bison Transport will give both carriers and shippers practical strategies, advice, and actionable ideas for navigating the present turmoil - and how to be better prepared for similar disruptions in the future. You'll hear how to maintain margins and remain competitive using smart strategy, technology, and more.
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About the Speakers
Part 1
Heather Exner-Pirot
Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment
Macdonald-Laurier Institute
Heather Exner-Pirot has twenty years of experience in Indigenous and Arctic economic development and governance. She has published on Indigenous economic and resource development, energy security and politics, Arctic human security, regional Arctic governance and the Arctic Council, Arctic innovation, urban reserves, telehealth, Indigenous workforce development, First Nations equity and own source revenues, distributed & distance education, and Indigenous health care.
She obtained a PhD in Political Science from the University of Calgary in 2011 and is a Senior Fellow and Director of Energy, Natural Resources and Environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, Special Advisor to the Business Council of Canada, Research Advisor to the Indigenous Resource Network, and Global Fellow at the Wilson Centre in Washington D.C.
She has published over 45 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and edited volumes, and presented at over 100 conferences and events nationally and internationally.
Part 2
Portland Fuel is a leading expert in traditional and alternative fuels, delivering stability in volatile markets. We offer services like fuel hedging, energy consultancy, and carbon compensation. Our goal is to simplify oil and energy markets for our customers.
Part 3
Thomas Allen
Director, Yield Management
Challenger Motor Freight
Thomas Allan serves as the Director of Yield Management at Challenger Motor Freight, one of Canada’s largest and most diversified asset-based transportation providers. With a primary focus on network optimization and commercial strategy, Thomas is responsible for balancing fleet capacity with market demand to drive long-term profitability and operational excellence.
At the core of his expertise is the ability to translate volatile market variables such as fluctuating fuel costs and capacity crunches into sustainable yield strategies.
Robin Zhu
Director, Corporate Service
Bison Transport Inc.
Robin Zhu is the Director of Corporate Services at Bison Transport, where he leads the company’s fuel management programs and drives cross functional initiatives that support Bison’s enterprise wide strategy. His expertise spans market intelligence, supplier management, and strategy development—capabilities that have been essential as carriers navigate the recent surge in fuel prices.