When we talk about national security, we often think about borders, energy, defence and economic stability. But there is another form of security that is fundamental to every country: food security. A country needs reliable access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to maintain the health and stability of its population. When food becomes scarce, unaffordable or unreliable, the consequences can extend far beyond agriculture. They can affect household incomes, public finan

Over the past five years, my journey in commodity trading has taught me something very important: You cannot build meaningful opportunities alone. Commodity trading is already a relationship-driven business. But when opportunities become larger, more complex and more strategic, I believe the importance of having the right people around the table becomes even greater. This is how my China Strategic Team came together. Today, I work with Michael Leung and Hary Mak as my strateg

I met Ben Ng through Captain Mohammed, who is based in Dubai. At the time, I did not know that our paths would eventually cross in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The trip in June 2026 was originally planned for a different purpose. I was travelling to Ho Chi Minh City for a seller meeting with Alice Stambuli and her group from Malawi. The purpose was to meet the seller in person, discuss the Urea 46N transaction, and explore how we could move the opportunity forward. But internat

Why Does Nitrogen Fertiliser Matter to Agriculture and Food Security? When we talk about food security, we often think about farmers, crops, weather and food prices. But there is another part of the story that is less visible — Agricultural Fertilisers. One of the most important fertilisers in modern agriculture is Urea 46N. Urea may look like a simple white granule, but its role extends far beyond the product itself. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth, and ni

When you look at our Commodity Portfolio, you will see six categories: 01. Energy, Refinery & Petrochemical Products 02. Agricultural Fertilisers 03. Strategic Metals 04. Critical Minerals & Advanced Materials 05. Industrial Commodities 06. Agricultural Commodities At first glance, it may simply look like a way of organising different products on a website. But there is actually a reason behind these six categories. I did not choose them simply because they are commodities th

One of the things I have come to appreciate most about commodity trading is that the relationships you build can sometimes become more valuable than the transaction itself. Alice Stambuli and Me | Shot at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam I met Alice Stambuli in September 2021 through an Agricultural Fertiliser transaction. At the time, we were simply two people connected by a commodity deal through Isak Jakob. We were discussing Urea 46N, sellers, spec

My Sustainability Project | Bio-Leather Handbags The reason I entered commodity trading is rooted in a difficult and unexpected chapter of my life. In the second half of 2020, I needed startup capital for my sustainability business. I had personally invested US$200,000 as pre-seed capital, and I needed another US$800,000 to complete the R&D of my bio-leather project before moving into pilot production. This project was deeply meaningful to me. It grew out of my final assignme