China Trading Lead | Front‑Office P&L | Native Mandarin

Torq Commodities; Greater London; On-site; NOK 3,154,000 - 6,056,000; Full time

Job summary

Torq Commodities is seeking an entrepreneurial and highly commercial trading professional to establish, lead, and grow its China trading platform. This is a front-office trading role focused on building a profitable trading book and sourcing strategic counterparties in China.

The candidate should be a native Mandarin speaker with fluent English, capable of originating and executing profitable physical transactions and leading a China-focused trading team.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of commodity trading experience with significant exposure to the Chinese market.
• Proven track record of managing a profitable trading book and direct responsibility for P&L.
• Strong commercial negotiation skills and stakeholder management.
• Native Mandarin speaker or equivalent fluency and fluent English.
• Strong network of customers and suppliers within China.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a profitable physical commodity trading book focused on China.
• Originate, negotiate, and execute physical commodity transactions.
• Own and manage trading profitability, margins, and risk exposure.
• Develop and maintain a portfolio of customers, suppliers, processors, importers, exporters, and strategic counterparties.
• Identify and execute new trading opportunities across China and international markets.
• Deliver measurable revenue and gross profit growth.
• Build and establish Torq's China trading platform and market presence.
• Develop and execute the company's China trading strategy.
• Recruit, develop, and lead a China-focused trading team.
• Build capabilities across trading, execution, logistics, and market intelligence.
• Establish clear performance targets linked to profitability and growth.
• Monitor market developments, trade flows, pricing dynamics, freight markets, and regulatory developments.
• Provide trading recommendations and market intelligence to senior management.
• Identify commercial opportunities and trading risks.
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with key market participants.

Skills

Commodity trading

P&L management

Negotiation

Mandarin fluency

English fluency

Leadership

Relationship building

Job description

Torq Commodities is an international commodity trading group with operations across Europe, Asia, and Africa. The Group focuses on developing sustainable trading businesses through strong origination capabilities, market expertise, disciplined risk management, and long-term commercial partnerships.

As part of our strategic expansion in Asia, we are seeking an entrepreneurial and highly commercial Head of Trading – China to establish, lead, and grow our China trading platform.

Position Overview

This is a front-office, revenue-generating trading leadership role, not a purely managerial or operational position.

The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and managing a profitable physical commodity trading book, developing strategic customer and supplier relationships, identifying market opportunities, and building a sustainable profit centre for Torq Commodities in China.

We are looking for a commercially driven trading professional with an established industry network, strong deal-making capabilities, and a proven track record of generating trading profits.

The role requires a hands-on trader who can independently originate, negotiate, structure, and execute profitable transactions while progressively building the Group's presence in the Chinese market.

Key Responsibilities

1. Trading & P&L Ownership

• Establish, develop, and manage a profitable physical commodity trading book in China.
• Take direct responsibility for trading performance, gross margins, and P&L delivery.
• Identify and execute profitable trading opportunities across domestic and international markets.
• Originate, negotiate, structure, and close physical commodity transactions.
• Develop trading strategies based on market fundamentals, supply-demand dynamics, pricing, and commercial opportunities.
• Manage trading positions and commercial exposures within the Group's approved risk framework.

2. Business Development & Market Expansion

• Establish and expand Torq Commodities' commercial presence in China.
• Develop a strong network of customers, suppliers, producers, processors, and trading counterparties.
• Identify new commodity flows, sourcing opportunities, and distribution channels.
• Build long-term relationships with strategic counterparties.
• Develop import, export, and domestic trading opportunities aligned with the Group's international trading activities.
• Leverage Torq's global network to create cross-border trading opportunities.

3. Commercial Strategy & Profit Centre Development

• Build the China trading business into a commercially independent and sustainable profit centre.
• Develop and execute a business plan with clearly defined trading volumes, margins, profitability targets, and growth objectives.
• Identify commercially attractive commodity segments and opportunities for diversification.
• Establish scalable trading processes and commercial partnerships.
• Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations to Group leadership.

4. Risk Management & Trade Execution

• Ensure trading activities comply with approved credit, market, counterparty, and operational risk limits.
• Work closely with trade finance, logistics, operations, and risk management teams to ensure successful transaction execution.
• Monitor market volatility, price movements, and geopolitical developments affecting commodity flows.
• Maintain disciplined trading practices with a strong focus on profitability, liquidity, and risk-adjusted returns.

5. Leadership & Platform Development

• Initially operate as a hands-on senior trader with direct responsibility for business generation.
• Recruit, develop, and lead a trading team as commercial activity and profitability justify expansion.
• Establish a performance-driven and entrepreneurial trading culture.
• Collaborate with Torq's international trading teams to maximize commercial synergies.

• At least 5 years of experience owning a physical commodities trading book with direct P&L responsibility.
• Senior, hands-on leadership experience in physical commodities trading, including operational involvement in logistics and hands-on hedging experience.
• Experience trading agri commodities, including grains, nuts, and oilseeds.
• Experience managing commercial relationships across the trading ecosystem, including growers, processors, importers, exporters, and large buying customers.
• Native or native-level proficiency in Mandarin, with fluent English.
• Eligibility to work in the UK or Switzerland.