Welcome to My Commodities Journey
Updated: Sep 26
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 assignment for the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) Business and Climate course, where I received full marks. More importantly, I had made a personal commitment to myself: I would bring the project to life.
I took the project on the road, meeting investors and approaching funds focused on green, climate and sustainability opportunities. I met many people. I had many conversations. But despite the enthusiasm surrounding sustainability and climate innovation at the time, I could not secure the capital I needed.
That was frustrating.
I had already put US$200,000 of my own money into the project. I believed in the idea, but belief alone could not pay for the remaining R&D.
Then, on 31 March 2021, something completely unexpected happened.
Dr Luigi Maselli, whom I had met through medical sourcing during the pandemic, approached me to source ULSD 10ppm for him.
It was my first exposure to the world of commodities.
Until that moment, “commodities” was simply a word I had heard but never really understood.
I remember thinking:
If I couldn't find the capital I needed, why couldn't I create it myself?
That thought changed the direction of my life. And that need for capital unexpectedly opened the door to a completely different world — Commodity Trading.
Commodity Transactions and People
My first commodity transaction was unsuccessful. And so were many of the transactions that followed.
I made mistakes. I encountered challenges. I spent time on transactions that ultimately went nowhere. Sometimes the problem was with the seller. Sometimes it was the buyer. Sometimes the transaction structure did not work. And sometimes, despite everyone's intentions, a deal simply could not reach completion.
This is the reality of commodity trading.
From the outside, a commodity transaction can look straightforward:
A buyer needs a product.
A seller has the product.
A price is agreed.
The cargo is shipped.
But in reality, there are many layers between an initial conversation and a successfully completed transaction.
There are product specifications, seller verification, buyer verification, documentation, logistics, payment terms, compliance, procedures, mandates, intermediaries and, above all, trust.
In commodity trading, trust is not a soft concept. It is part of the infrastructure of a transaction.
Five Years of Learning and Building
Over these five years, I have learned a great deal from the commodity business.
When I first entered the industry, I knew very little about commodity trading. I was learning everything from the ground up — how transactions work, how to communicate with buyers and sellers, how to understand procedures, how to assess opportunities, and, perhaps most importantly, how to recognise the difference between an opportunity that looks good on paper and one that has a genuine possibility of being executed.
Over these five years, one of the most meaningful things I have built is not a single transaction or a single deal.
It is a network of people.
Today, I work with a network of more than 100 intermediaries across different markets and commodities. Some relationships began with a single introduction or a single transaction, but over time, many have developed into ongoing professional relationships built on shared information, experience, opportunities and trust.
I have learned that having the right people around you can make a tremendous difference.
Working with the Right People
One of the biggest lessons I have learned through my commodities journey is that you cannot build this business alone.
Commodity trading is a relationship-driven business. The right opportunity can come from a conversation, but turning that opportunity into a real transaction requires people with different experience, knowledge and capabilities.
In April 2026, I was fortunate to begin working with my uncle Michael Leung and Hary Mak, who became my Strategic Partners.
Together, we formed a team focused on China Strategic Sourcing, China investment opportunities and strategic relationships across China's energy and industrial sectors.
This marked another important step in my journey. After five years of learning through individual transactions and building relationships across different markets, I began to see the next stage differently.
It was no longer simply about finding the next deal. It was about building the right team around the right opportunities.
The journey continues to evolve.
I have learned that success in commodities is not simply about having access to a product or finding a buyer.
It is about people, relationships, knowledge, trust and the ability to work together when an opportunity becomes real.
And sometimes, the most important transaction is not the one that closes today.
It is the relationship you build that creates the opportunity tomorrow.
This is why I created JCG Commodity Journal.
I want to document the people I meet, the markets I observe, the opportunities I encounter and, most importantly, the lessons I continue to learn along the way.
I am still learning. I am still building. And I am still curious about where this journey will take me next.
Welcome to my commodities journey.
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