Joining Sucden

interview

Marc – Cocoa Trader

My current activity

As a trader, I buy and sell cocoa contracts. These contracts are of two kinds, like the two sides of the same coin: the actual commodity and the futures.

Futures are essential for hedging and optimizing our positions. Basically, it is all about managing and anticipating risks.

What I like about my job

It involves a broad set of skills and topics: you need a good knowledge of law, finance, economy, logistics, risks assessment, and some commercial creativity to deal with specific contexts such as the historic shortage we are facing this year.

The fact that cocoa is a commodity under growing scrutiny makes it even more challenging and interesting. For example, the new EU regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR) will demand full traceability all the way to farmers as of 2025.

Traceability and sustainability are becoming increasingly important in cocoa trading, and our team takes these new challenges very seriously.

What I appreciate at Sucden

I like that it is a very horizontal organization. You can easily speak to anyone in the group. The family-like atmosphere, the openness, is a real performance booster and it makes us all more efficient and responsible. 

Generally speaking, people get along well and enjoy doing things together, inside and outside Sucden.

How I joined the company

When I was looking for an internship abroad to complete my business school degree, I talked to my cousin who worked at Sucden (and still does). He helped me get an internship at the company. This is how I ended up spending six months in Miami, discovering the commodities market. I really loved it. Back in France, I finished my Master’s and got back in touch with the head office in Paris, hoping for a job. With support from my Miami boss, I got my first position in risk management and control. 

My career evolution at Sucden

My position in management and control was an excellent way to delve into the mechanisms of our activity. My second position deepened my understanding of market risks, and when I moved to middle office, I got to know more about physical commodity contracts, a good introduction to trading. Years of internal mobility gave me a comprehensive vision of what trading involves and the decision-making abilities needed for my job. You never know where the next opportunity will come from, and it could eventually involve international mobility. It is rather amazing to be part of a company that operates on five continents.

Something I did not expect

The incredible team dedicated to sustainability makes sure that Sucden is always at the forefront of market expectations as well as new regulations. Our team in Paris manages local teams in producing countries, who are doing preventive work in child labor, pesticide use and traceability. Sucden did not wait for a new regulation to start setting up sustainability and traceability programs. These are upcoming challenges, and it is going to be a major driver of our activity in the coming years. 

My Sucden experience in a nutshell

Trust, responsibility and progression.

My message to future employees

Sucden is an excellent place to train in trading. If you bring hard work and ambition to the table, Sucden will take you pretty far.