Leadership - Quanton

Leadership & Team

Quanton’s leadership team consists of our CEO, Valerio Antonini and a Non-Executive Director. Our trading space is underpinned by a dynamic team with deep market knowledge and experience of the agricultural commodities trading space.

For trading and marketing opportunities please contact us

We are a trading company specialized in the international trade of agricultural commodities.
We operate worldwide with distinctive positioning in strategic areas unattended by major competitors.

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Quanton Commodities 2022 © All Rights Reserved

Lord Mancroft

Non Executive Director

Lord Mancroft is a British peer, businessman and member of the House of Lords since 1988, where he has served on a number of Select Committees. He was educated at Eton College, and has extensive experience as chairman or director of numerous companies, charities and political organisations.

He has served as non-executive director or Chairman of a number of companies in the ROK Group since 2003; Chairman of AIM listed New Media Lottery Services PLC from 2006 – 9; Chairman of PYX Financial Group Ltd from 2013 – 15; Chairman of AIM listed DJI Holdings plc from 2015 – 16; AIM listed BNN Technology plc from 2016 – 18.

Valerio Antonini

CEO, President of the Board

Valerio Antonini has over 20 years’ experience and a proven track record in the global agricultural commodities trading sector.

As Former Representative and Broker of Commodities Trading at Casillo Group, he developed and implemented a diversification strategy with a creation of a new business line focusing on the trading of commodities, that resulted in the transformation of the Group into a more profitable business.

He instigated large trades of white corn for various destinations and infiltrated the Turkish and Algerian Durum wheat market, being the first person to trade after the anti-competition ban was lifted.
Over the course of his career, Valerio has personally managed over 50 million tons of agricultural commodities worldwide.

Riccardo Orcel

Chairman

Riccardo Orcel is a veteran of the finance industry, particularly within investment banking. He spent 17 years at Merrill Lynch, before moving to VTB Capital to head the Global Banking division, in which he was credited for building a leading investment bank for Emerging Markets. He became one of the most respected bankers in several developing countries and has almost 30 years of experience.

In 2021, Mr Orcel left the Bank to become the CEO and Sponsor of Nasdaq listed SPAC, Emerging Markets Horizon Corp, raising $287.5m at IPO. Concurrently, he was appointed as INED and Chairman of UK listed, Polymetal International, a global leader in gold and silver mining. He also served as INED for UK listed EN+, MVideo, and as a board member for two banks. He currently advises Indian Group, Essar, and Fortenova, the food leading group in the Balkans.

Luca Marangone

Senior Trader Wheat, Barley

An experienced multi commodity trader, after living in Hong Kong and China, Luca settled in Switzerland where he started his commodity career at Bulk Trading SA and developing the CSI and EMEA Coal market.

After several years in the industrial sector and helping Italian companies in the sourcing of raw materials, Luca decided to join Quanton and complete his profile in the Agro business.

Felix Cowling

Senior Trader Soft Commodities

Felix began his career at the age of 18 sweeping the floors of coffee mills in Costa Rica & Nicaragua while working for ECOM Trading.

He demonstrated a keen eye for markets and after 3 months training in Switzerland began as a coffee trader for ECOM in Belgium.

From here he moved to Atlantic NY and traded coffee, cocoa & cotton. Prior to joining us he was working in London, brokering sugar among other commodities for physical and speculative clients.

Shamim Ahmed

Shipping & Logistics Manager

Shamim is a Master Mariner with sailing experience onboard bulk carriers, tankers and passenger vessels.

After quitting sea, he worked for various brokers and trading companies in London. He has experience is shipping wheat, corn, soybean, barley and sugar. At present he is preparing for GAFTA trade diploma.

Shamim holds an MBA from Cranfield University and is an Associate of the Association of Average Adjusters.

Magdalena Nowak

Execution Manager

Magdalena joined Quanton Commodities in London, UK as Execution Manager in June 2021 and is responsible for all contract executions and vessel logistics.

Magdalena started her career as Execution and Logistics Manager in her hometown Hamburg, Germany. She gained further experience for a wide range of grains, oilseeds, vegetable oils and organic products.

Magdalena finished her bachelor’s degree in economics and psychology in 2019 and is currently studying the GAFTA DLP for the GAFTA Trade Diploma.

Bob S. Xu

Grain Trader, Asian Market

Trained as a scientist, Bob completely his Ph.D study in materials science with Imperial College London. After academia, Bob joined Amphora UK to pursuit a career in commodities, during which he served numerous commodities trading firms in China, both in energy and mining sector.

Bob has demonstrated strong analytical skills, especially data analysis. He is responsible for trade analysis and covers the physical trading in Asia.

Outside work, Bob is a keen and experienced sailing skipper.

Javier Lastanao

Senior Trader Soft Commodities

His expertise lies in overseeing commodity pricing management across coffee and cocoa value chains. Having worked for large companies and governments, he has a wealth of experience performing top-flight risk assessments. He began his professional career as an auditor at PwC and after that became a business consultant for Repsol in the Oil & Gas sector.

Prior to joining Quanton, Javier spent more than 7 years in London working in international governmental organisations focusing on soft commodities. He has been supporting sustainable coffee and cocoa cooperatives in the Latin America region, predominantly Peru.

Paul John

Trader

Paul joined Quanton Commodities in February 2022 and is responsible for physical trading, contract executions and logistics for the Indian market.

Prior to this assignment, he spent 2+ years as a Management Consultant at TVS Motor Company Limited, India working as part of the profit and cost excellence team. His passion for markets has brought him to commodity trading.

Paul holds an MBA from Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, India specializing in strategy and operations.

Paolo Tedesco

Grains Trader, Corn

Paolo joined Quanton Commodities in London as Trader in January 2022 and is responsible for the worldwide corn market. Prior to this role, he spent 4 years in the finance and business development division of several British companies. His strong analytical skills and passion for markets make him a great member of Quanton.

Originally from Sicily, Paolo is an experienced sailor. He holds a Bsc in Economics & Management from University of Parma (Italy).