Squarepoint expands metals trading with senior hires

Squarepoint Capital has added four senior commodities traders as it expands its metals and physical commodities trading. Ben Thompson joined this month after serving as senior base metals trader and desk head at Trafigura in Singapore. Earlier this year the firm hired Xavier Fixaris, formerly a senior oil trader at Gunvor and TotalEnergies, who now works as a quantitative researcher. Squarepoint also recruited Romain Guion, previously a commodities analyst at Citadel, and Alexandre Gerst, who worked at energy trader Axpo in Singapore.

The hires aim to strengthen trading across both derivatives and physical markets. Squarepoint has long used systematic models to trade commodity derivatives and over the past year has been building a physical metals trading operation within its Squarepoint Trading Group. The firm has added staff with experience in sourcing, logistics and handling physical metal contracts.

Several new hires have experience in Asia and in managing physical supply chains, aligning with the firm’s focus on regional desks that handle physical flows alongside derivatives hedging. Squarepoint has invested in trading infrastructure and personnel to manage metal stocks, shipments and settlement alongside its quantitative strategies.

Recruiters report continued demand for traders with metals and logistics experience, driven by investment linked to electrification and energy transition and higher industrial demand for metals such as copper. Squarepoint was founded in 2014 after a spin-out from Barclays and is known for systematic investment strategies across global markets.