About Us
Our PrinciplesBuilding the Next Generation of Energy Investment Products.
CNIC is a financial innovation firm focused on expanding access to energy and natural-resource markets through modern, index-based investment products. We identify important commodity exposures that have historically been difficult to access, develop transparent rules-based strategies around those markets, and work with leading financial-industry partners to bring those ideas to market.
Founded in 2021, CNIC was built around a simple belief: as the global energy landscape evolves, investors need better tools to participate in the markets shaping that transition. Our work is designed to bridge the gap between physical commodity markets and accessible financial products, creating new ways for investors to gain targeted, data-driven exposure.
Our Leadership Team
Don Sinclair
ChairmanDon Sinclair is a veteran energy executive with more than 40 years of experience across the U.S. midstream, trading, marketing, and risk-management sectors. He previously served as President and CEO of Western Gas Partners, President of Duke Energy Trading and Marketing, and Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of Dynegy.
He is currently Chairman of the Board of Buckeye Energy Holdings and serves as a Regent of the Texas Tech University System. Sinclair is also a former Chairman of the Texas Tech Foundation and has maintained a longstanding professional relationship with Timothy Kramer dating back to their work together at Duke Energy in 1997.
Sinclair earned a BBA in Management from Texas Tech University and has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus of the Rawls College of Business.
Timothy Kramer
President & CIOTimothy Kramer brings more than 25 years of experience in energy commodities, commercial strategy, portfolio management, and risk management. His career includes senior commercial leadership roles at Duke Energy and as Chief Commercial Officer for multiple Blackstone portfolio companies, where he worked across power generation, commodity markets, hedging, and portfolio strategy. He is also a GARP Certified Financial Risk Manager.
Kramer also holds Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA), Commodity Pool Operator (CPO), and Associated Person (AP) registrations and is an NFA member.
At CNIC, he leads the development of the firm’s energy commodity indexes and investment strategies, drawing on decades of experience translating complex physical energy markets into structured financial products.