Where challenges become achievements…above the clouds, beyond the limits!
21 April 2026 On Sunday 19th April 2026, two of our colleagues set off on a journey that truly reflects what we stand for at Gapuma Group. Stephen Harris, our Group Operations Director, and Shahab Mossavat, Communications Adviser, will be representing Gapuma as Employee Ambassadors on an Outward Bound course at Ogwen Cottage, alongside students from West London Academy. For Stephen, this marks his sixth time volunteering — an outstanding show of commitment. From icy conditions during the “Beast from the East” to challenging mountain terrain, he continues to embody resilience and preparation. For Shahab, this is a meaningful return. As one of our very first ambassadors back in 2013, his journey now comes full circle as he ventures into Snowdonia once again. Set against the backdrop of the Glyderau mountains, this experience is all about building confidence, teamwork, and self-awareness—qualities we’re proud to champion through our partnership with The Outward Bound Trust (Kristina Spindler & Rose Albion). Stephen and Shahab, we wish you an unforgettable adventure. You represent the very best of Gapuma Group.
Where Mountains Do the Teaching
17th April 2026 This Sunday, two of our own set off on a journey worth celebrating. Stephen Harris, Group Operations Director, and Shahab Mossavat, Communications Adviser, will be representing Gapuma Group as Employee Ambassadors on an Outward Bound course at Ogwen Cottage – joining West London Free School students when they arrive on Monday. For Stephen, this will be his sixth time as an Ambassador – a remarkable commitment by any measure. He has taken on Outward Bound Trust centres at Aberdyfi in North Wales, Ullswater in the Lake District, and now returns to Ogwen. From five days outdoors during the Beast from the East to wet mountain walks, his philosophy is straightforward: be prepared and embrace the challenge. But for Shahab, this is a particularly special return. Back in 2013, when Gapuma Group first began its collaboration with The Outward Bound Trust, he was one of the very first ambassadors to step forward. Thirteen years on, he heads back – this time to the mountains of Snowdonia – his journey coming full circle. Ogwen Cottage sits at the foot of the spectacular Glyderau mountains in Eryri (Snowdonia), where every day brings something new and each challenge builds confidence, teamwork and self-awareness. That is precisely why we support the work of The Outward Bound Trust – because those qualities matter, and they matter especially for young people who deserve every opportunity to discover them. Stephen, Shahab – we wish you clear skies, good boots, and an adventure to remember. You are what Gapuma Group is all about.
Gapuma at ChinaPlas 2026 – See You in Shanghai
16 April 2026 We are delighted to announce that Gapuma will be represented at ChinaPlas 2026 in Shanghai next week (21-24 April), where our Purchasing Director, Russell Brill, and Head of Polymers, Mihael Nahmias, will be in attendance. ChinaPlas is one of the most significant events in the global plastics and rubber industry calendar – a unique opportunity to connect with the brightest minds in the business, explore the latest innovations shaping our industry, and strengthen the relationships that drive it forward. For those of us who believe in the power of face-to-face dialogue, there is truly no substitute. Gapuma’s presence at events such as this reflects our enduring commitment to the industry we serve – a commitment to staying at the forefront of market developments, fostering long-term partnerships, and delivering the very best for our customers and suppliers across the globe. If you or your colleagues are also attending ChinaPlas this year, we would love to connect. Please do reach out to Russell or Mihael directly – we look forward to seeing you in Shanghai.
Our greatest assets don’t appear on any balance sheet
9 April 2026 At Gapuma Group, we have always believed that our people are our greatest competitive advantage. Long service is not merely a milestone — it is evidence of something deeper: trust, expertise, and a shared commitment to excellence that compounds in value with every passing year. Today, we are proud to celebrate two extraordinary colleagues who embody that spirit. 🎉 2 Years — and a very special announcement. We are delighted to share that Jing Zhang, one of our Procurement Officers, has been officially granted the right to stay and work in the UK under the Skilled Worker route. Jing’s meticulous approach to procurement has made her an indispensable part of our operations, and we could not be more pleased that she will continue to grow her career here at Gapuma. ✅ Visa approved ✅ Paperwork survived ✅ Time to celebrate A huge and heartfelt thank you to Stephen Harris — a true fixer of everything — for his patience, diligence, and expert navigation of the Home Office Portal throughout what has been an exceptionally lengthy process. His commitment to getting this right made all the difference. 🏆 Yanish — 11 Years of Service. A remarkable testament to dedication. 132 months. 574 weeks. 4,017 days. As one of our Business Development Managers specialising in West African and francophone markets, Yanish has been instrumental in building and nurturing some of Gapuma’s most strategically important commercial relationships. The depth of knowledge, cultural fluency, and hard-won trust that come with eleven years in that role cannot be overstated — and are precisely the qualities that set Gapuma apart in the markets we serve. Congratulations, Yanish, on this extraordinary milestone. Human capital is the true currency of a successful business. Individual expertise, institutional knowledge, and personal dedication cannot be replicated overnight — they are built, year after year, by people who choose to invest themselves in something bigger. We are enormously proud of each person who makes up the Gapuma family, and profoundly grateful for the unique contributions that sustain our winning formula. May you always be proud of the work you do, the person you are, and the difference you make. 💙
Welcome to Luka
7 April 2026 We are delighted to welcome Luka MacInnes-Bouffard to Gapuma as our new Junior Trader. Luka joins us from the UK Civil Service Fast Stream, where he was working as a Policy Analyst at the Home Office on Police Reform – a prestigious programme that many would be reluctant to leave. But Luka’s sights are firmly set on commodities, and we are very glad they are. As founder and president of the Oxford Commodities Society – the first of its kind at the university – and author of a Substack analysing global energy and commodity markets, he arrives with genuine passion for the sector as well as a sharp analytical mind. A first-class History graduate from Oxford, Luka will begin with a structured orientation period, shadowing our Operations, Finance and Trading divisions before taking up his core responsibilities: maintaining and developing our customer database and building relationships with our longstanding clients. He will be working under the guidance of our Purchasing Director, Russell Brill. In mid-May, Luka will also begin the Level 4 Diploma in International Trade with the Institute of Export and International Trade – a qualification that will provide a solid grounding in the practical disciplines that underpin everything we do at Gapuma. Please join us in wishing Luka every success. We think he is going to go far.
🐣 The Gapuma Spring Lunch – A Q1 Tradition Every year, as Easter approaches, the Gapuma London team pauses – just briefly – to come together, take stock of the quarter behind us, and look ahead to what’s coming. This year, that felt more important than ever. Q1 2026 has been, by any measure, one of the most turbulent quarters in recent memory. Shifting trade flows, geopolitical volatility, and markets that have kept all of us on our toes. There is plenty to reflect on – and plenty to plan for. But first, lunch – and this year, there was rather more to celebrate than usual. The table did not disappoint. Coronation chicken and smoked salmon finger sandwiches, brie & cranberry and mozzarella & pesto vegetarian platters, chicken pesto pasta salad, falafel with hummus, mixed wraps, a rather magnificent spread of patisserie, chocolate éclairs, cream puffs – and, of course, the Easter eggs that have become something of a Gapuma institution. Raised glasses went to Neha Sampat, Head of Operations, marking a remarkable 15 years with Gapuma – a tenure that speaks for itself. To Stephen Harris, Operations Director, on his birthday. And to Mike Short and Saju Mullumangalam, who both celebrated birthdays on 1st April – a happy coincidence that made the occasion all the more festive. We were also delighted to welcome Luka Bouffard-Innes, our newly recruited Junior Trader, to his first Gapuma Spring Lunch – a proper rite of passage. And there was a very welcome surprise when Group Managing Director Jack Bardakjian made a flying visit, which lifted the room considerably. At Gapuma, we believe that a team which eats together, thinks together. Here’s to Q2.
Appointment Announcement | Rafael Fraletti as Head of Biofuels
19 March 2026 We are delighted to announce the appointment of Rafael Fraletti as Head of Biofuels, and Head of our Nyon Branch Office. Based in Geneva for the past three years, Rafael brings nearly a decade of experience in global biofuels trading. Before joining Gapuma, he spent seven years at Raízen – one of the world’s leading energy and biofuels groups – where he built an exceptional track record across international ethanol markets, first in Brazil and subsequently in Switzerland, with a particular focus on the European landscape. Over the past 15 months at Gapuma, Rafael has been instrumental in developing new trading flows, strengthening commercial relationships, and expanding the company’s footprint across key biofuel markets. He has played a central role in structuring and scaling our biofuels platform, and this appointment reflects both the confidence we place in him and the momentum the business has built under his contribution. In his new role, Rafael will lead the strategy and continued growth of our biofuels business, as well as overseeing operations at our Nyon branch. Rafael is motivated by a clear ambition: to position Gapuma not merely as a reliable supplier, but as a committed counterparty – one that actively contributes to the development and expansion of biofuels markets within the global decarbonisation agenda. That mission sits at the heart of everything we are building here. We look forward to the next chapter.
Charles Percehron – Our Energy Expert Speaks to Le Monde
17 March 2026 Below is an article published by Le Monde. It features our colleague Charles PERCHERON, and Kpler and its work using the latest technology to help map energy flows; highly recommended reading in the current geo-political context in the Persian Gulf. https://lnkd.in/e6kgDGAn
Did you know you can trade lean hogs on the stock market? 🐷
25 February 2026 No, really. Alongside live cattle, oats, frozen orange juice and cocoa futures, lean hog contracts are genuinely traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange – in lots of 40,000 pounds, no less. We’re not making this up. It turns out the world of commodity trading goes way beyond the gold bars and oil barrels most people picture. Here are five “exotic” soft commodities that serious traders are watching right now: ☕ Coffee – A billion daily drinkers means relentless demand. But Brazilian soil moisture levels, Vietnamese harvest delays and tropical storms all move the price. Your morning flat white is a geopolitical event. 🍫 Cocoa – In 2024, Côte d’Ivoire cut its export contracts by 40% due to poor weather. Ghana fared little better. Two countries produce half the world’s supply — so when West Africa sneezes, the chocolate market catches a cold. 🌾 Oats – Grown across the EU, Russia, Canada and Australia, oats are more globally distributed than most soft commodities. But here’s the twist: disruption in one grain market tends to ripple across all grains, because they share the same growing regions, transport networks and storage systems. 🥩 Lean hogs and live cattle – Alternative proteins are getting all the headlines. Meanwhile, global meat consumption keeps rising. Livestock futures are a quiet corner of the market that demographic trends suggest won’t stay quiet for long. 🍊 Frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) – Yes, it has its own futures market. In 2024, it hit all-time highs after disease-carrying sap-sucking insects devastated crops in Brazil (which produces nearly 70% of the world’s OJ) and a series of hurricanes compounded the damage in Florida. Extraordinary volatility in the most ordinary of breakfast staples. The common thread? These markets are driven by weather, disease, geography and human appetite — not by central bank policy or tech earnings cycles. For traders and commodity professionals who understand the supply side, that’s a very different — and potentially very interesting — kind of opportunity. Over to you. At Gapuma Group, we’re always curious about the commodity experiences that don’t make the standard textbooks. Have you ever dealt in something genuinely unusual — whether that’s a niche agricultural product, a regional soft commodity, or something else entirely that raised eyebrows at the trading desk?