"Sitting here on the trading floor where you're dealing with vital things like the supply and demand of oil and energy and there's millions of dollars being traded every day - you really feel connected to what's going on in the world"
Carolina, Commodities Futures

The facts

• Three main hubs in Europe, the Americas and Asia
• Specialists in global energy and metals commodities
• Offices in New York, London, Singapore, Tokyo and Paris
• Over 170 experienced sales, trading and support professionals employed across three continents

The accolades

• Best Overall Commodity Finance Bank (Trade Finance Magazine, 2008)
• Best Overall Derivatives Dealer in Asia (AsiaRisk Interdealer Survey, 2008)
• No.1 Best Bank for Oil and Energy (Trade and Forfaiting Review, 2007, 2008)
• Structured Products House of the Year (Risk, 2008)
• Energy Business Gold Award for Energy Trading (2005)

Introduction to the business area

In Commodity Derivatives, we serve our diverse range of clients' global energy and metals trading needs. Our client portfolio consists of producers and consumers, including several utilities, refineries and airlines in North America, South America, Europe and the Far East, gas marketers, trading companies, hedge funds and other financial institutions and dealers.

Our Commodity Derivatives business is a traditional niche for BNP Paribas and our Sales, Structuring and Trading teams occupy a leading position in the Derivatives marketplace with some 1300 clients worldwide and over 170 staff based in New York, London, Singapore, Tokyo and Paris. They have a focus on all industrial commodities, including energy products, base metals and precious metals.

Commodity Derivatives is split into two core teams:

Our Futures team acts as an intermediary and brokerage. Over 80 brokers and support staff provide execution, clearing and margin finance services for contracts traded on major European, American and Asian Commodity Exchanges.

The OTC group (Commodity Index Transactions), made up of over 50 traders and marketers, acts as principal, transacting swaps and options with clients under bilateral ISDA and EFET agreements. This is a client-driven, market-making activity.

You'll need to have a strong academic record to join the Commodities Derivatives team - whether in Sales, Trading or Structuring - with at least a Master's degree. Good computing skills are also essential.

The majority of graduate roles available in Commodity Derivatives are based in London but there are also opportunities in the Asia Pacific region.