As the first quarter of 2025 ends, the broader market, including the commodities sector, continues to adapt to a global environment characterised by rapid change and volatility. While hiring is expected to stay measured, the need for niche and highly skilled professionals in the commodities sector continues to be evergreen.
Ailing Huang, Executive Director and Energy & Commodities Practice Lead at Kerry Consulting, offers her perspective on the key hiring trends and talent priorities shaping the industry.
2024: A Year Marked by Change
Hiring volume in the commodities sector for 2025 is mixed across different business domains. While hiring in food and agriculture has seen a significant slowdown, demand in energy and metals has remained more resilient. Overall, recruitment activity in 2024 softened, with hiring volumes down by approximately 25%. Senior leadership roles have been particularly affected, experiencing a steeper decline of around 40%.
Change was the defining theme for commodities leadership in 2024. We saw a wave of transitions at executive level, driven by retirements that set off a domino effect – internal promotions, cross-border talent shifts, and a rise in mid-management recruitment. Small to mid-sized asset-backed firms have mostly avoided widespread layoffs, though the uncertain economic environment continues to affect decisions to hire across the sector.
A rapidly ageing workforce, declining birth rate and competition from other sectors for high-potential talent are making it harder to hire mid-level professionals with the optimal mix of technical and industry expertise. Due to the highly fragmented nature of the players in international trade, many are still reliant on manual processes. However, the digitalisation journey is making healthy strides, supported by professionals with strong technological skills.
While Singapore remains the key commodities trading hub in Asia-Pacific, we are observing increasing geographical mobility among commodities professionals, with a notable willingness to relocate to markets such as the Middle East. This trend is not limited to the energy sector but extends to metals and mining as well.
Hiring Trends Across Commodity Domains
Conventional Liquid Fuels
Hiring remains steady for mid-level traders, cargo operators, chartering, and shipping professionals. However, the industry continues to struggle with a shortage of young talent who have expertise in physical commodities and established client networks.
Gas and LNG
Hiring for negotiators and originators in the LNG sector is expected to grow as banks and trading firms expand their presence in this market. The sector remains an attractive space for talent looking to enter high-growth areas within commodities.
Biofuels and Biodiesels
Recruitment in this sector is largely limited to large asset-backed firms with strong origination networks and Western market access. Due to an oversupply in the market, hiring remains selective.
Metals
While mining firms are exercising caution in recruitment, energy companies and hedge funds continue to seek proprietary traders and trading analytics and quant talent with expertise in this space.
Power and Environmental Products Trading
There is increasing demand for data specialists and short-term trading analysts, particularly those with experience in algorithmic trading and arbitrage strategies.
Hiring Trends in Functions
Trading Analytics and Research
A shortfall persists in professionals skilled in petroleum refining and linear programming, making such expertise highly sought after by firms looking to optimise operations and enhance efficiency.
Technology and Data-Driven
The role of data and technology continues to grow in commodities firms, with increasing investments in AI-driven analytics, automation, and predictive modelling. The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Jobs Report highlights data analytics, software development, and AI as essential skill sets, reinforcing their importance in modern commodities trading. These capabilities are reshaping hiring in commodities trading, as firms invest in real-time data analytics, predictive pricing models, and optimised trading strategies.
Major firms are assembling specialised global teams focused on AI-driven trading analytics and risk assessment, aiming to enhance predictive capabilities and decision-making efficiency. Others are embedding technology-driven talent within trading, risk management, finance, legal, compliance, and human resources to integrate digital capabilities directly.
Finance and Risk
Professionals in finance and risk, along with operations specialists, are frequently being recruited internally to fill talent gaps in commercial functions. Those with experience in change management and trading risk systems (CTRM/ETRM) remain in particularly high demand.
Legal
International trade and shipping expertise remains sought after, though demand is slightly lower than in the last two years. Asia’s position as a commodities trading hub continues to sustain demand for specialised legal professionals. General Counsels increasingly value candidates with AI knowledge and legal technology expertise, making tech-savvy lawyers more competitive.
Compliance
Hiring in compliance is on the rise, particularly in Singapore, where regulatory changes are driving demand for Know Your Customer (KYC) professionals. Surveillance specialists focused on trade and communication monitoring are also becoming increasingly important as firms engage more in paper trading.
Preparing for 2025 and Beyond
To navigate future hiring challenges, firms must foster strong, high-touch engagement with industry professionals, ensuring access to the best talent in a competitive market. The sector’s complexity necessitates partnering a recruitment team with deep expertise, market insights, and established networks.
Kerry Consulting has built a reputation for its long-tenured senior consultants based in Singapore, leveraging a unique commercial and functional matrix setup to provide comprehensive coverage of the commodities space.
Kerry Consulting’s deep market knowledge, extensive industry relationships, and hands-on approach position us as a trusted partner for firms seeking top-tier talent. If you’re looking to refine your hiring strategy or secure key talent, connect with our specialist Energy & Commodities recruiters for expert insights and tailored solutions.