Welcome to Proco Commodities’s quarterly newsletter discussing the latest trends and news within the commodities industry.
CONSULTANT SPOTLIGHT – Tom Mee
Tom is the Global Head of the Technology & Digital sector at Proco Commodities.
Tom has curated an enviable network which enables him to consistently deliver on mandates and build reliable partnerships. Connect with Tom.
Is the US falling behind in the race to build a talent bench?
The skills gap in the United States that was already prevalent before the pandemic has grown to an alarming size. In 2020, many senior-level roles were given early retirement options to help cut the overhead costs that businesses were experiencing. Read more >
Key Commodities Trends to watch in 2022
Off the back of yet another tumultuous year, it’s time to take a look at what 2022 holds for the world of commodities and executive search. 2021 was characterized by skyrocketing prices, the cementing of remote work, and the incorporation of data analytics into commodities trading. Read more >
Breaking the feedback loop: Women in Commodities
Despite the general consensus that there needs to be greater representation of women in commodities trading, progress in this arena seems to have slowed, particularly since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Read more >
The Commodities Revolution: Getting ahead of the curve
Huge margins in the commodities trading market are being challenged today like never before. With the pace of innovation at its highest we are seeing technology and supply chain solutions changing the landscape for how we interact with commodities. Read more.
Market Research
What are the biggest main trends sweeping the commodities sector right now? This year is shaping up to be one that focuses on overarching themes of inventive technology and user optimisation, diversity initiatives, and building and cultivating talented workforces for the long-term future.
New year, new tech
Technology plays a vital role in ensuring that commodities firms remain relevant and competitive in the Digital Age and can be instrumental in boosting profitability. Especially in this age of still relatively uncertain and volatile commodity prices, predictive technology and artificial intelligence can provide the level of reassurance commodity firms need to proceed with their operations.
Boosting diversity, equity, and inclusion
Diversity of thought is becoming more of a priority for commodity firms than ever before, many of who are reaping the benefits of employing Chief Diversity Officers and overhauling their inclusion practices. Increased pay transparency is driving this change – and the movement towards pay transparency is being driven by workers themselves. Pressure on firms to publish pay gap data is leading to the implementation and execution of more equitable salaries and encouraging the ultimate move towards a more inclusive environment for all in the commodities trading space.
Building a talent bench
Everyone, everywhere, in every industry is struggling with staffing shortages, and we’re not likely to stop hearing about this problem anytime soon. But now that the problem has been recognised, the good news is that many businesses are taking the appropriate steps to mitigate this risk. They’re getting inventive with the benefits they’re offering as well – we’re now in the age of unlimited holiday pay and ‘work-from-anywhere’ full-time jobs, as well as expanding candidate pools to non-traditional areas and providing on-site training.
Proco Commodities remains available for discussions on any of the above topics. Feel free to get in touch with us on LinkedIn or on our website to discuss how we can help your company navigate the future.
