Insights
Commodity Trading Talent Strategies: Overcoming Hiring Challenges in Global Markets
Explore the future of commodity trading talent: skills in demand, market shifts, and solutions for building strong teams
Diversity Champion: Novera Khan, Founder and CEO of EmBER Advisory LLC and co-founder of HC Group’s Thought Partners
Commodities Diversity Champion
Talent Insights
Fresh Analysis, Data and Whitepapers
Insights
Whitepaper: Fixing the Experience Gap in Physical Oil Trading
In this whitepaper, we explore how to bridge the experience gap in physical oil trading.
Insights
HC Talent Intelligence: The Retention Equation - Why People Leave, and What Organisations Can Do About it
We examine how the biggest retention risk in commodity trading right now isn’t competition. It’s complacency.
Insights
HC Talent Intelligence: How the UAE and Singapore Are Redefining Support Function Value
We examine how in the UAE and Singapore, support functions have stepped out of the background and onto the trading floor
Insights
Whitepaper: Volatility in Metals - Effects on Trader Hiring
In this whitepaper, we explore how volatility in metals has intensified talent battles.
Insights
HC Talent Intelligence: Gen Z Trading Talent in 2025
We examine the post-COVID hiring patterns that are quietly rewiring global commodities trading.
Insights
Whitepaper: Brazilian Power Trading - Talent Strategies for Market Growth
In this whitepaper, we explore the rapid transformation underway in Brazil’s power trading talent market.
Insights
HC Talent Intelligence: Rethinking the Role of the Originator
We examine the shifting landscape of business development and origination talent across commodity markets.
Insights
The Centrality of Metals Talent: Q2 Market Review Preview
A preview of HC Group's Q2 Market Review - from the latest metals hiring trends, to BESS roles in demand.
Insights
HC Talent Intelligence: The Evolving Career Ladder of Operations Talent
We investigate the rise of Operations Talent and how this function is evolving into a pillar of the trading lifecycle.
Insights
Whitepaper: Midstream Talent Pipelines - Redesigning Leadership
In this whitepaper, we explore how U.S. midstream firms are redefining leadership talent pipelines.
Insights
Whitepaper: Metals Trading Recruitment - Navigating Talent Gaps
In this whitepaper, we explore how talent gaps in metals trading are driving new solutions to recruitment challenges.
Insights
HC Talent Intelligence: The Boomerang Effect
We investigate the commodity traders returning to their original industries: the so-called 'Boomerang Effect'.
Insights
HC Talent Intelligence: The New Talent Map in 2025
Our charts show the latest talent flows in commodities, and the global hubs driving hiring activity.
Insights
Navigating Commodities Compensation: Introducing Our Q1 Market Review 2025
A preview of HC Group's Q1 Market Review - from key compensation trends to balancing parenthood and a trading career.
Latest HC Commodities Podcasts
Podcast
Trading in Asia with Iain Lawson
Our guest is Ian Lawson, former BP and Mercuria and is now a senior advisor at Baringa.
Podcast
Wine with Nick Brewer
Our guest is Nick Brewer, former COO of Noble Group and ECTP and now founder and owner of Oastbrook Winery.
Podcast
Will Ags Save Your Portfolio? With Jake Hanley
Our guest is Jake Hanley, Managing Director at Teucrium, a US-based ETF issuer specialised in agricultural commodities.
Podcast
Trading: The hidden $3trillion dollar opportunity with Antti Belt
Our guest is Antti Belt, Partner at BCG and Research Fellow at the BCG Henderson Institute.
Podcast
Schism & Domination: Founding Trafigura - Mark Crandall, Part 2
Our guest is Mark Crandall. In part 2, he relives the events that led to the founding of Glencore and Trafigura.
Podcast
The Rise of Rich & The Founding of the Modern Trading House: Mark Crandall, Part 1
Our guest is Mark Crandall, one of the founding fathers of the modern trading house and the commodities sector.
Podcast
Rivers of Money: A History of Oil Trading – Meet the Authors Live Event
Host Paul Chapman interviewed Colin Bryce and Adi Imsirovic about their new book, Rivers of Money.
Podcast
Salt, Cod and Commodities at the Centre of History with Mark Kurlansky
Our guest is award-winning author Mark Kurlansky. We explore how commodities have shaped the course of human history.
Podcast
A Post Fundamentals World? Argus Conference Live Event with Saad Rahim, Nick Kumleben, David Fyfe and Kurt Chapman
Our guests are Saad Rahim, Nick Kumleben, David Fyfe and Kurt Chapman
Podcast
From Systematic Trading to Structural Edge with Hans Balgobin
Our guest is Hans Balgobin, systematic trader (former HSBC, Shell, Millennium), is now joining Uniper.
Podcast
Canadian Crude Production & Equities in Changing Times with Randy Ollenberger
Our guest at the Canadian Crude Oil Conference is Randy Ollenberger of BMO Capital Markets
Podcast
Disputes, Arbitration and Navigating a Fractious Commodities World with Alex de Gramont
Our guest is Alex de Gramont, Partner and Head of International Disputes at Womble Bond Dickinson.
Podcast
Planning for the Unplannable with Savvas Manousos
Our guest is Savvas Manousos, partner at Enco Insights, a global advisory network dedicated to energy and commodities.
Podcast
Commodities: A View from Wall Street with Shaia Hosseinzadeh
Our guest is Shia Hosseinzadeh, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of OnyxPoint Global Management LP.
Podcast
Oil Trading: The Rivers of Money with Colin Bryce
Our guest is Colin Bryce, author of ‘The Rivers of Money: Social and Economic History of Modern Oil Trading’.
HC Group's latest talent insights on the global commodities industry.
Explore our original talent trends and data analysis and quarterly Market Reviews that reveal the hiring patterns and key People Moves in the global commodities sector.
Listen to the latest episodes of the HC Commodities Podcast; read our exclusive interviews with Commodities Leaders about their strategies.
Discover our award-nominated series, Commodities Diversity Champion, where senior professionals from diverse backgrounds share their career challenges, solutions, and advice for aspiring professionals.
Latest Leadership Thoughts
Leadership Thoughts
Mimi Chahal: Capability Defines Value in the Modern Trading Organisation
Head of Talent Intelligence, Mimi Chahal, shares her insights on the rising strategic value of support functions.
Leadership Thoughts
Paul Chapman: The USA - Everything, Everywhere and All Over the Place
The Trump administration's policies are driving a dynamic talent market in the U.S, reflects HC Group's Paul Chapman.
Leadership Thoughts
Paul Chapman: Why the Road to the Future is Metalled
At the heart of the modern commodities talent ecosystem is metals - reflects HC Group's Managing Partner, Paul Chapman.
Leadership Thoughts
Damian Stewart: Navigating Complexity and Competition
HC Group's Managing Partner, Damian Stewart, highlights the strategic role of pay in today’s trading landscape.
Leadership Thoughts
Paul Chapman: Insights from the FT’s Commodities Global Summit 2025
HC Group's Managing Partner, Paul Chapman, reflects on key themes from the FT Commodities Global Summit in Lausanne.
Leadership Thoughts
Mimi Chahal: New Commodities Trading Skillsets
HC Talent Intelligence's Director, Mimi Chahal, shares her insights on the changing skills needed by commodity traders.
Leadership Thoughts
Paul Chapman: Is the 'Hiring Season' Over in Commodities?
HC Group's Managing Partner, Paul Chapman, reflects on changing hiring seasonality within the commodities sector.
Leadership Thoughts
Brian Rusch: The Need to Define Risk and Middle Office Roles in Commodities
Energy Trading Risk Manager Brian Rusch explains why formalising risk and middle office roles is essential.
Leadership Thoughts
India’s Power, Renewables, and Carbon Markets: Talent Challenges and Solutions
Ashwani Dudeja from ACME Group discusses India's energy sector transformation, policy environment and talent landscape.
Leadership Thoughts
Navigating Changing Commodities Talent Demand
The energy transition and digitization is reshaping commodity trading, demanding new talent amidst scarcity.
Leadership Thoughts
Oil and Gas Companies Should Come Clean
Vikas Mittal and Sonam Singh argue that oil and gas companies need to clarify their sustainability strategies.
Leadership Thoughts
In Conversation with Savvas Manousos, Co-Founder, HC Thought Partners
The respected energy trading leader and founding HC Thought Partner reflects on his time at Spain's Cepsa
Leadership Thoughts
In Conversation With…Jonathan Perkins, CEO of Mabanaft
Jonathan Perkins, CEO of Mabanaft speaks to Anoush Kefayati
In Conversation With
In Conversation With… Georges Tijbosch, CEO of MiQ
Georges Tijbosch, CEO of MiQ (Methane Intelligence) talks to Fatima Sadouki, Senior Writer for HC Group.
Leadership Thoughts
In Conversation With….Vineet Kohli, CEO of Mitsubishi Corporation RtM
Damian Stewart, Managing Partner at HC Group, talks to Vineet Kohli, CEO of Mitsubishi Corporation RtM
