Verition has hired Melanie Payne as commodities chief operating officer in London, adding senior operational expertise as the multi-strategy hedge fund continues to expand its commodities platform, according to a report by eFinancial Careers.

Payne joins from Roscommon Analytics, where she served as London chief operating officer. Roscommon closed its natural gas trading operation in January after losses at the desk, according to industry reports.

Payne announced her move to Verition on LinkedIn. Neither she nor Verition commented on the appointment.

The hire adds an experienced commodities operator to Verition's London business. Payne spent a decade working in commodities at Morgan Stanley and describes her expertise as building, scaling and managing operational functions.

The firm's commodities portfolio management team includes Gareth Walsh, an oil trader who joined in June 2025, and Simon Boon, a former Glencore trader who arrived in December. Walsh and Boon previously worked together at Citi.

The combination of portfolio managers and a dedicated commodities COO could point to Verition investing in the infrastructure needed to scale its commodities operation, according to recruitment specialists.

Payne has previously highlighted the growing appeal of established, data-driven investment platforms among commodities professionals, particularly those offering a combination of analytics, risk management and origination capabilities.