Commodity is an international search boutique that specialises in talent acquisition, retained search, competitive intelligence and advisory across the commodity markets. Our HQ and in-house research is based in the UK. We have offices in Singapore, Houston and Geneva. Regardless of colleague location, we operate as a cohesive unit.

Our client base is made up of a select few partners globally. These relationships are well established and underpinned by trust, delivery, confidentiality, speed, respect for process and value of data.

Longevity in search matters. Commodity was born in 1977, hence celebrating its first 40 years in 2017.

1977

January 1, 1977
  • Commodity Appointment Ltd is established in London’s Soho by Graham Stewart. The First Boutique recruitment business serving the commodity trading community

1988

January 1, 1985
  • Regional Growth (NYC & Hong Kong)
  • Established as a market leader in metals
  • Consolidation of international business in London

1998

January 1, 1998
  • Launch of power and gas group

1999

January 1, 1999
  • Partnering with US merchant on wider European growth strategy across power, gas and coal

2000

January 1, 2000
  • Management buyout
  • Leaving Old Compton Street for the City
  • Office established in Gracechurch Street to accommodate team expansion

2001

January 1, 2001
  • JV with Patrick Heren of Heren Energy launched at E-World in Essen, Germany
  • Hosting Talent workshop/seminar in commodities for MSc students (trade, shipping and finance) at CASS business school

2002

January 1, 2002
  • Launch of dedicated operations and logistics practice

2003

January 1, 2003
  • Commodity founder Graham Stewart dies at his home in Insch, Aberdeenshire after a long illness
  • Overhaul of companywide data management and information systems

2004

January 1, 2004
  • Jakob Bloch becomes CEO and Sole Shareholder

2005

January 1, 2005
  • First search projects completed in the Middle East
  • Finance search practice established
  • Oil practice established

2007

January 1, 2007
  • Singapore office opens
  • In-house research centre of excellence opens in Hampshire

2008

January 1, 2008
  • Dedicated ags and softs established
  • Partnering with European merchant utility to build from scratch a presence across a number of European hubs including Oslo, Brussels, Dusseldorf and London

2009

January 1, 2009
  • Geneva office opens
  • Ags and softs practice expands across London and Geneva
  • Partnership with Montel established

2010

January 1, 2010
  • Launch of our newsletter ‘Inform’
  • Opening HQ in award winning renovation of The Old Dairy in Hampshire
  • Co-launch energy day, 175 professionals take part

2011

January 1, 2011
  • Sponsorship of Singapore Vikings football team
  • LNG practice established

2012

January 1, 2012
  • Houston office opens
  • Partnering with Latin American backed global commodities trading project leading to 80+ global executive hires. BU leaders across softs, ags, metals, energy and freight and executive management team
  • Commodity legal search team launched with lawyer networking event in London

2013

January 1, 2013
  • Upstream team across US, EMEA and AsiaPac established
  • Talent tracker system across global commodity markets introduced forming part of our intelligence foundation
  • Shipping team established with hiring of executive search consultants in UK and Asia

2014

January 1, 2014
  • Opening of renovated London office in historical grain storage wharf by Tower Bridge
  • Completion of a 15 person global build in coffee
  • Strengthening the research capability for the LATAM market, completing some 11 senior placements in South America

2015

January 1, 2015
  • Partnering with FT Global commodities summit producing black book talent insight for all leadership delegates
  • Intelligence group tracks 4003 talent changes in 12 months, publishing 15 research papers
  • Launch of charity partnership with Dreams Come True

2016

January 1, 2016
  • Completing the search and hiring of a 7 man start up team in US on behalf of European merchant utility
  • Competitive intelligence partnership with global ags trader launched
  • Commodity colleagues complete Marathon Des Sables raising 15k from market contacts for charity
  • Claire Best is promoted to COO role
  • Commodity host and sponsor charity event in Hamleys London

2017

January 1, 2017
  • Commodity turns the big 4-0
  • Co-host the inaugural gala dinner of Dreams Come True at Madame Tussauds in London. With the participation of a number of Commodity’s contacts, £160,000 raised for the charity
  • Our Singapore office moves from its home since 2007 at Clarke Quay to the CBD

2018

January 1, 2018
  • Co-hosting the 30th anniversary Gala dinner for UK charity Dreams Come True

Partnerships

We enjoy good clean collaboration with partners – blue chip companies in our industries. No conflict of interest, just plenty of knowledge sharing and networking – be it chairing panel discussions, writing delegate almanacs or being the resident bartenders!

Philanthropy

One of the relationships that we are most proud of as a company is the partnership we have enjoyed for two years now with ‘Dreams Come True’. This UK children’s charity, with its offices located just ten minutes from our HQ in Hampshire works tirelessly to enrich the lives of seriously ill children and young people.We joined up with them first when Jakob Bloch and team member, Shaun Smart, were scouting around for a local charity that could benefit from the noise surrounding their mission to run the Marathon des Sables.

But while they managed to run six marathons across the Sahara, it proved impossible to walk away from such a worthy cause once the race was completed.

So, Jakob joined their board and since then has been active in finding new ways for Commodity to raise further funds through team initiatives and through our own privileged links to industry. These have ranged from a Christmas event at Hamleys in London, when this world-famous toy store opened especially for the ‘Dreams’ families granting them an extra-special Christmas treat, to an impressive Gala dinner hosted at Madame Tussauds for our sponsors, raising £160,000 in the process.

charity GALA DINNER – 30th anniversary

De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, London, 21 June 2018

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