Quantitative hedge fund Squarepoint Capital is continuing to strengthen its commodities trading business, adding experienced traders from leading commodity merchants and investment firms as it expands its presence across both derivatives and physical markets, according to a report by eFinancial Careers.
Among the latest appointments is Ben Thompson, formerly a senior base metals trader and desk head at Trafigura in Singapore, who joined the firm this month. His arrival follows several other recent hires aimed at bolstering Squarepoint’s commodities platform.
Earlier this year, the hedge fund recruited Xavier Fixaris, previously a senior oil trader at Gunvor and TotalEnergies, who has joined as a quantitative researcher. The firm has also hired former Citadel commodities analyst Romain Guion and Alexandre Gerst, who previously worked at energy trading company Axpo in Singapore.
Founded in 2014 following its spin-out from Barclays, Squarepoint has traditionally been known for its systematic investment strategies across global markets. While the firm has long traded commodity derivatives using quantitative models, it has been steadily expanding into physical commodities, particularly metals.
The move builds on an expansion reported last year, when Squarepoint began investing in a physical metals trading operation through its Squarepoint Trading Group (STG) business. The initiative has included recruiting specialists with experience in the sourcing, logistics and trading of physical metals.
Industry recruiters say demand for experienced metals traders remains robust, driven by growing investment in electrification, energy transition themes and increased demand for industrial metals such as copper.
