Strong Source

In this episode of Strong Source, we're joined by Harold de Boer, mathematician and one of the founders of Transtrend, the Rotterdam-based systematic investment manager that grew out of commodity trading house Nidera in the late 1980s. Raised on a dairy farm, Harold takes us from his first encounter with futures markets, through the feed producers supplying his father's farm, to running one of the most diversified trend-following programs in the industry. Throughout the conversation, Harold goes against the stream with refreshingly different views on trading and markets, from why commodities are not an asset class to why being non-conformistic is a necessity in the Transtrend way of trading.

In this episode, we speak with Moritz Seibert and Moritz Heiden, founder of Takahe Capital, about quantitative trading, systematic investment strategies, and how data-driven approaches are used to navigate commodity markets. They share insights on model development, risk management, and the evolving role of quantitative investing in today's markets.

In this episode of Strong Source, we're joined by Jan Kees van der Wild, board member at VA Inter Trading and former senior leader at ADM, Bunge, Volcafe and EDF Man, for one of the most remarkable career stories we've had on the show.
Jan Kees takes us through 42 years in global commodity trading, from an unconventional start at 19 with no degree and no plan, to running operations across Europe, the US and Brazil. We explore how the right mentors can define a career, what it really takes to turn around a struggling business, and why he always hired on EQ over IQ.

In this episode, we welcome Anthony Britain, a commodity risk management expert with experience at Tesco, Unilever, and Swiss retail group Migros. Anthony shares what it was really like managing Unilever's vegetable oils book during the Ukraine invasion and picking up the cocoa portfolio just as prices hit historic highs. We discuss why private label is an interesting space for commodity risk in retail, how retailers are building out sophisticated trading teams, and what it takes to rise in this industry.

In this episode of Strong Source, we’re joined by Nicholas Bond, Buying Director at ALDI South Group, for our first conversation with a retailer guest. Nicholas takes us inside the world of retail buying, from how ALDI manages own-label pricing and supplier relationships, to the practical role of market data and benchmarks in everyday decisions. We explore how external forces like COVID and inflation have reshaped supplier dynamics, how consumer trends such as the surge in high-protein products influence the shelf, and how retailers think about risk when delivering consistent value to the end consumer.