Francesco Sassi (Ph.D.) is a researcher on energy geopolitics and markets at RIE, Ricerche Industriali ed Energetiche, based in Bologna, Italy. He holds a Ph.D. in Geopolitics - Political Science at the University of Pisa. His academic activities aim at an interdisciplinary analysis of policies and strategies in the field of energy security and diplomacy. Francesco's research interests cover the Eurasian geopolitical dynamics, the political and economic implications of the globalisation of the market and the decarbonisation of the gas sector, the relations between the governments, State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and markets. China and Russia are the two main countries of interest for his research.