EMEA Chief Operating Officer (COO) / Commodities Risk Transition - Commodities | London

We are working on a high-impact opportunity for an EMEA COO within a leading global financial institution's commodities platform, based in London.

The business operates across the full commodities value chain, delivering risk management, financing, physical execution, and logistics solutions to a global client base. The EMEA footprint spans multiple key financial centres with a workforce of approximately 250 professionals.

Position Overview

This is a central leadership role, closely aligned to the Front Office and senior stakeholders, focused on driving operational performance, strategic delivery, and regulatory oversight across the EMEA region.

You will lead a team and act as the key conduit between the business and core infrastructure functions, ensuring the platform is scalable, controlled, and commercially effective.

Importantly, this role is not revenue-generating or business development focused, as that function sits within a dedicated Business Development team. The remit is centred on enabling, optimising, and scaling the platform to support front office activity.

The client is also particularly interested in individuals from commodities risk backgrounds who are looking to transition into a COO / business management role, providing a clear pathway into a broader leadership mandate.

Core Responsibilities

Regional Oversight & Leadership

• Provide oversight of EMEA operations, ensuring alignment with business strategy and performance objectives
• Lead and develop a team responsible for core middle office and operational activities

Stakeholder Management & Governance

• Act as a trusted partner to Front Office, enabling revenue-generating teams to focus on commercial activity
• Manage engagement with internal stakeholders across Finance, Risk, Technology, Legal, Operations, Tax, and Compliance
• Support regulatory interactions, including management information, escalations, and responses to enquiries

Trading Platform & Process Optimisation

• Oversee end-to-end trade lifecycle processes including booking, P&L, and reporting
• Drive enhancements across booking models, new product implementation, and process automation
• Identify and mitigate operational risk through continuous improvement initiatives

Management Information & Insight

• Deliver clear, actionable MI and dashboards to senior leadership
• Provide oversight on reporting linked to regulatory and booking frameworks

Strategic Change & Delivery

• Partner with business teams to implement new commercial initiatives and transactions
• Lead collaboration with Technology on system enhancements and platform evolution
• Support execution of complex transactions, including strategic projects and acquisitions
• Coordinate internal expertise to deliver key transformation programmes

Candidate Profile

• 10+ years' experience within financial markets or commodities, ideally in a COO, business management, or risk-aligned role
• Strong understanding of EMEA regulatory requirements and experience managing regulatory engagement
• Exposure to physical commodities and derivative products
• Broad understanding of finance, capital, governance, and tax considerations
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills across front office and control functions
• Highly analytical, detail-oriented, and commercially aware
• Strong academic background in a relevant discipline

Why This Opportunity

• Directly aligned to the front office with significant commercial exposure (without a BD mandate)
• Ideal transition opportunity for commodities risk professionals into a COO leadership role
• Broad remit across physical and financial commodities markets
• High visibility with senior leadership across EMEA
• Opportunity to drive platform improvement, automation, and strategic initiatives