Houston Trading Conference 2025: Gas & Power Markets

Keith Collins is ERCOT’s vice president of Commercial Operations, overseeing Market Operations, Settlement and Retail Operations, and Market Design and Development. Prior to joining ERCOT in June 2024, Mr. Collins served as the Vice President of Market Monitoring at the Southwest Power Pool. He was also Manager of Monitoring and Reporting for the California ISO Department of Market Monitoring, was a Branch Chief for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Office of Enforcement performing electric market analysis, and worked with New York ISO on its transition from the New York Power Pool to an Independent System Operator. He graduated from Bowdoin College with a degree in Economics and Government Studies. Subsequently, he received a Master of Public Policy from George Mason University and attended the Advanced Management Program with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management.

Since 2023, Laurent Vivier holds the position of Senior Vice President Trading Power. In this role, he oversees the strategic direction and global operations of the trading power division, ensuring alignment with TotalEnergies' energy objectives. He is a member of the Management Committee of the Gas, Renewable & Power Division (GRP) where he represents Gas, LNG and Power Trading activities. He is also a member of the Performance Committee of TotalEnergies.

Between 2020 and 2023, Laurent was Senior Vice President Middle East North Africa in the Exploration & Production Division of TotalEnergies and was a member of the Exploration & Production Management Committee.

Prior to this, he accompanied TotalEnergies's growth in LNG (Liquified Natural Gas) and the creation of the Gas, Renewables & Power (GRP) division.

Laurent Vivier began his career within TotalEnergies in 1996 in the Company's Trading activity. Responsible for trading activities in LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) and then in natural gas for Europe and North America, he held positions in Paris, Geneva, London and Houston.

Laurent Vivier graduated from EDHEC School of business in 1992 and went on to obtain an MSc in International Relations at the London School of Economics & Political Science in 1996.

Willie L. Phillips is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., and Birmingham offices and a member of the Public Policy & Regulation Group. Mr. Phillips focuses his practice on regulatory matters in the energy industry.

Mr. Phillips is a nationally recognized regulatory leader with 20 years of experience managing complex federal and state issues, building consensus and integrating legal and technical information to shape public policy and modernize the energy grid.

As the former chair and commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Mr. Phillips led the approval of reforms that accelerated the interconnection of energy generation projects to the electric grid, revamping long-term and regional transmission planning, and advancing grid reliability against extreme weather as well as cyber and physical security threats. In addition to his substantial experience with matters involving electric transmission, Mr. Phillips was responsible for regulating the interstate electric, natural gas and oil pipeline industries in the U.S.

Prior to his role with FERC, Mr. Phillips served as the chairman and commissioner for the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia (DCPSC) and previously served as assistant general counsel for the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).