Head of Sales & Trading, Futures - CITIC CLSA

An exceptional opportunity to join a newly established Futures & Commodities business in London at a formative stage and work directly with the Head of Futures, UK and Europe. This is a senior leadership role responsible for building and leading the front-office Sales & Trading function for our new LME business, combining direct trading and market-making activity with institutional and commercial client coverage. You will run the metals trading book, develop and manage a high-value client base, drive revenue growth, and maintain disciplined risk management. The role demands deep LME expertise — including electronic execution, prompt-date structure, spreads, options, OTC hedging, warrant dynamics, and end-to-end client futures business models — plus proven leadership in team and business line development.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead our London-based Metals Sales & Trading team from inception.
• Build and oversee front-to-back workflows for trading, execution, pricing, and client coverage.
• Manage and optimise the LME metals trading book within delegated risk limits, delivering consistent, risk-adjusted returns.
• Execute and risk-manage client orders via LME Trading venue, voice channels, and inter-office flow.
• Optimise P&L through spreads, options, averaging, and structure trading.
• Provide insight on market flows, client activity, and trading opportunities.
• Develop and maintain strong institutional and commercial client relationships across producers, trading houses, hedge funds, financial institutions, and end-users.
• Deliver structured solutions, hedging strategies, OTC products, and risk advisory services tailored to client needs.
• Proactively source and onboard new clients for execution and clearing across LME and related exchanges.
• Manage client exposure, credit risk, liquidity risk, margins, and collateral, in collaboration with risk and treasury teams.
• Ensure strict compliance with exchange rules, regulatory requirements (including FCA and SMCR where applicable), and internal governance.
• Coordinate closely with operations, risk, compliance, treasury, and technology teams to ensure robust front-to-back processes.
• Mentor and develop junior traders/sales staff to build long-term desk capability.
• Deliver annual revenue targets and risk KPI targets; identify opportunities and develop new products and service offering.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years’ metals trading or Sales & Trading experience at an LME broker, clearing member, bank, or merchant.
• Candidates with FCA client-dealing certification preferred; SMCR awareness advantageous.
• Proven track record in managing an LME trading book with consistent, risk-adjusted profits.
• Advanced knowledge of LME market structure, prompt dates, spreads, options, warehouse/warrant dynamics, and OTC hedging.
• Established network of institutional and commercial clients.
• Demonstrated experience in team leadership, commercial strategy, and new business development.
• Proficient in LMEselect and other relevant trading/order management systems; familiarity with LMEsmart and risk platforms advantageous.
• Strong leadership skills and business-building capability.
• Strong client-facing skills, high integrity, and disciplined approach to risk management and governance.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-growing, entrepreneurial environment.
• Fluent in both spoken and written English.

Job Details

• Seniority level: Executive
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Sales and Business Development
• Location: London, England, United Kingdom