how common is it to be stationed in a developing country [phys com trad]
If you join a graduate program at a commodity trading house (think traf/vitol/glen), how likely is it you will be shipped off to a developing country?
Claude Dauphin was sent off to bolivia to build out latam business under Marc Rich + Co.
Within a year of joining shell's graduate program, Ian Taylor (former vitol ceo) was off to venezuela
Thoughts on this type of move for career development?
I would honestly jump at the opportunity to build out a local presence for a top tier firm. Know a few who've done this in banking, consulting and PE and the successful ones have had their careers skyrocket. It's high risk, but I feel like it's a great opportunity to really supercharge your career.
Just started at a major and would kill for this opportunity
I would say pretty low chance unless in metals origination or something. I know a guy at Gerald shipped off to the DRC at a young age.
I'm looking to do this too :) would be fun I reckon
OP here,
Seems pretty cucked though if you are stationed up in some hell hole in south america without being able to speak spanish or portugese though.
Similarly, would need french in africa, no?
Is only being able to speak english enough... seems likes lots of traders speak multiple languages
.
pretty sure marcy was busines proficient+ in like english, german, french, arabic, spanish or something...
dauphino could speak french, spanish, english
weir wishes he didn't cuck himself by only being able to speak english so he could conduct more business across cultures (his words btw)
Keep in mind, these companies are much more developed than they were decades ago. If you join as a new grad and get put in Uruguay, the Bahamas or Brazil... I'm not sure what kind of romantic aspirations you are expecting. You could very well just end up working a support role alongside local university graduates, and get paid emerging market salaries (albeit white collar emerging market) to do data entry [multi-national corporations love outsourcing menial tasks to cheap labor pools] or be on call to put out fires for traders. I would say the chances of this happening (I interact with junior emerging markets offices people quite often) are way higher than you doing something amazing and building out the business on your own and owning the spotlight.
Now, if you are established in the firm and can have the opportunity to lead the development of an operation- sure. But if you expect as a 22 year old who doesn't know anything to found an office for a global commodities trader- what exactly makes you qualified for this? Being a badass first world cowboy is not enough. This is almost 2022- no matter the country- there are going to be STEM graduates who are better English speakers than most Americans who can also speak the local language. You might be better off starting off at headquarters and learning from the most experienced people at the firm. Once you establish credibility there (takes years or decades nowadays)- then you can think about other opportunities that come up.
Can you elaborate on the "development of operations", and what that would mean in terms of the responsibilities and daily duties in such a post? Also on the romantic aspirations, English is not my first language so I am a bit confused. This sounds extremely interesting.
Have never been an office head so take with a grain of salt, but I’ve seen a few traders move to satellite offices to gain management experience and go back to hq in a bigger role.
Managers at such places can do things that range from managing the portfolio of the traders to developing new business with customers to hiring staff for all sorts of functions to negotiating the lease on office space. Very much seems like a mini startup CEO with trader responsibilities on the side.
Highly unlikely in 2022. I don't know about the Americas or EMEA but in Asia people are likely to be stationed in a regional hub (sg or hk) but fly regularly to regional locations.
Also most trading houses have agents/rep office/branch office in the key countries too. I don't see why they would send a freshies from HQ when local staff on the ground are local domain experts already.
Also Trafigura/Glencore network is good enough you can't do much too. Maybe if you join a smaller shop you can help expands sales/originate purchases.
Ut expedita qui eum. Sequi quibusdam cum esse enim nihil.
Eius voluptas enim odio sed sunt rerum qui. Eum iste fuga similique debitis iusto sequi iure. Nesciunt est ipsam fuga nesciunt neque. Laudantium laboriosam libero ut explicabo tempore. Ut eius labore veritatis excepturi sit cum qui. Assumenda sunt non dolorem ratione.
Veritatis recusandae nulla est magni mollitia aliquid. Delectus hic et quo cumque magni. Voluptatem non reprehenderit autem aut consequatur. Aliquid quia nam velit. Consequatur quo sint temporibus amet magnam eos. Ullam nostrum fugit aut quam odio rerum. Nobis sapiente perspiciatis nobis voluptas perspiciatis est minima quia.
Vel quae rerum dolor ut eum. Distinctio rerum quis sed eum. Eius et molestiae sequi in.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...