LONDON, ENGLAND — SSY Futures, the commodities arm of global independent shipbroker SSY, has launched a dedicated agricultural derivatives and execution desk, initially focusing on grains, oilseeds and soft commodity derivatives.
The new business, announced March 5, will complement SSY Futures’ extensive portfolio in the freight and commodities sectors while leveraging SSY’s global infrastructure and regulatory licenses, in addition to its experience in dry bulk.
Operating out of the London office, the new desk will be led by Andrew Rechten, a commodities veteran who previously held senior roles at Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan, Macquarie and SEB, among others. Agricultural specialists Francois Churland and Owen Scrimgeour also will join the team.
“As one of the leading players in commodity derivatives, it’s important that we continue to evolve our portfolio so our clients can access the widest possible range of commodities,” said Jamie Pearce, partner and global head of SSY Futures. “I’m delighted that we have expanded our reach once more with the launch of a dedicated agriculturals desk and look forward to working closely with Andrew, Francois and Owen as we build the business.”
Added Rechten: “SSY is one of the biggest and most successful shipbrokers in the world, and the team is delighted to be joining such an established and trusted brand. By leveraging on SSY’s scale and size, we will be able to better serve our client’s needs through enhanced market intelligence solutions, state-of-the-art execution infrastructure and information flow, in addition to seamless 24-hour ‘follow-the-sun’ coverage.”