About Kurush Mistry

Kurush Mistry is a seasoned specialist in commodity analysis, specifically in Crude Oil, Refined Products, and Renewable Fuels. Originally from India, Kurush received his education from the most esteemed management school in India and has had a diverse career at prestigious organizations, navigating through significant changes. He has a passion for music, loves to travel, and proudly considers himself a New Yorker. 

After obtaining a Commerce degree from Chennai, India, he became a Chartered Accountant, achieving top rankings in all three qualifying exams. With a strong foundation, he pursued an MBA in finance at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, where he gained knowledge about the latest business concepts and collaborated with colleagues from diverse educational backgrounds, honing his problem-solving and communication skills. Kurush's professional journey began in 2003 when he joined Lehman Brothers in Tokyo after completing his MBA. 

He was recruited to be part of their Interest Rate Strategies Team, which gave him his first exposure to an international corporate environment, the opportunity to apply his financial expertise in real-world scenarios, and a culturally enriching experience. In 2005, he relocated to Lehman in New York. He worked with their award-winning Interest Rate Strategies team until 2008, managing various products such as US Government Bonds and Interest Rate Derivatives. During this time, he earned a strong reputation among Lehman's US clients, which included central banks, mortgage companies, and pension funds, and played a significant role in the team's growth. 

In 2009 the aftermath of the financial crisis, Kurush made a career shift and joined Morgan Stanley, one of the leading oil-trading firms at the time, where he worked on their US gasoline and diesel physical trading team. Here, he helped develop analytical tools, collaborated with traders to devise profitable strategies, and gained valuable experience in physical and paper gasoline trading. His brief stint in trading gives him a unique perspective in his analytical work and allows him to have meaningful discussions with his trader clients. In 2014, Kurush became the sole Oil analyst at Freepoint Commodities and has since significantly contributed to developing their global oil analytics framework, incorporating alternative data into the analysis, especially in a post-COVID world. 

From 2014 to 2023, he worked closely with over 25 traders, providing them with market insights, supply-demand forecasts, and trade suggestions. Kurush covered various products in the oil industry, including crushing crude, LPG, gasoline, fuel oil, and refinery margins. In 2022, he expanded his expertise to include renewable fuels and feedstocks, such as ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, sustainable aviation fuels, and US soybean oil. Throughout his career, he has shown a keen interest in recruiting, mentoring, and training junior colleagues, helping them advance in their careers. He takes pride in watching them grow into senior positions at reputable organizations. 

Kurush has been living in New York since 2005 and feels at home in the fast-paced, diverse city, where he can experience the rich cultural opportunities it offers. Despite his busy schedule, he finds comfort in listening to music and playing his guitar. He also has a keen interest in reading non-fiction, politics, and traveling, which has taken him to various destinations rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. 

In 2009, Kurush had the unique opportunity to produce a low-budget feature film set in New York, working with inexperienced collaborators. Although the film received moderate critical acclaim, the experience was both stimulating and challenging, taking him out of his comfort zone and exposing him to a different industry and the complexities of running a small business. Committed to giving back to the community, Kurush actively donates to various charities focused on hunger, refugees, legal aid, and the environment.