The future of trading is (more) female

(Posted on 16/03/19)

If you talk to women in trading and risk management roles across Cargill, you will hear a range of ideas for how to improve gender inclusion.

Ensuring that men and women are paid the same for the same performance is crucial. So is a flexible work schedule to balance hectic hours monitoring positions in the market with one’s personal life. And mentoring can encourage junior traders to have the confidence to apply for more senior positions.

One thing that women in trading seem to agree on is that culturally, Cargill is ahead of its commodity house peers.

“What’s different within Cargill is our inclusion. We treat women with respect. I’ve always felt that my voice was heard, that there was not a difference if you come with a good trading idea whether you’re a woman or a man,” said Helene Ziv, who leads a team of 50 people as the risk management and sourcing director for Cargill Animal Nutrition.

Yet it’s clear there is still a long way to go. Last year, a Bloomberg article noted that less than 5 percent of senior leaders at commodity trading houses were women. On a statistical basis, Cargill and the entire industry have some catching up to do with other sectors like tech. Women currently constitute 26 percent of the professionals in Cargill’s overall trading job family, a 2 percent uptick from last year. They hold 15 percent of the leadership positions in the same space.

“Unless we make a real change in the numbers and the ratios, we can’t call it a success,” said Rani Misra, who is Cargill’s regional treasurer for Asia Pacific and the 2017 recipient of a leadership award from Women in Mining and Resources for being a trendsetter in inclusion and diversity. “The best way to ensure progress is to put targets on leaders’ performance metrics and make them accountable.”

Ziv agreed: “We need to do much more in terms of promoting women to the top jobs. It will be very difficult to get there without a strong target.”

Both Ziv and Misra laud Cargill’s progress to date, even as they point out that there is further to go. And for those who have recently moved up into more senior trading roles, the positive culture is definitely a strong incentive.

“I love the culture. As I talk to female colleagues here, it’s why they chose Cargill. People can talk equally, and all your mentors are willing to share with you, listen to you, and point you in the right direction,” said Mercy Chen, who is the proprietary trading manager on the vegetable oil desk for Cargill Agricultural Supply Chain Asia Pacific.

Cheng Fan is the Supramax trading manager for Cargill Ocean Transportation in Asia Pacific. She is the most senior female trader in that business, and her team oversees 17 million metric tons of dry-bulk cargoes annually.

“In Cargill, I can be myself,” she said. “I don’t have to try to act like a man. That gives me a lot of space to focus on what I should be focusing on.”

Latest News

ADM and Mitsubishi form strategic agriculture supply chain alliance

ADM and Mitsubishi Corporation have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to form a strategic... Read more

ESL Shipping and SSAB extend cooperation in raw material transports

ESL Shipping and global steel manufacturer SSAB have agreed on a multi-year extension of the agreement... Read more

Sakatti copper project in Finland awarded ‘Strategic Project’ status by EU

Anglo American’s Sakatti copper and polymetallic project in Finland has been designated as a &... Read more

FEFAC calls for targeted transatlantic feed trade agreement

FEFAC, representing the EU compound feed and premix manufacturers, noted with deep concern the announced... Read more

Cargill inaugurates new corn milling plant in Gwalior, India

Catering to the growing demand from India’s confectionery, infant formula, and dairy sectors,... Read more

Metal Park launches storage hub in KEZAD

Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi – KEZAD Group, the largest operator of integrated and purpose... Read more

Rio Tinto to invest $1.8bn to develop Western Australia Brockman mine

Rio Tinto will invest $1.8 billion1 to develop the Brockman Syncline 1 mine project (BS1), extending... Read more

Canadian steel industry denounces tariffs on Canada

Catherine Cobden, President and CEO of the Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA), has released... Read more

Study: Enough scrap to meet rising U.S. demand for recycled steel

Enough domestic ferrous scrap is available for electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmakers to supply nearly... Read more

Cargill and Hafnia launch Seascale Energy

Cargill’s Ocean Transportation business and leading tanker shipping company, Hafnia, have joined... Read more