Rare multi-commodity traders are among biggest earners

Commodities traders may be hot, but it seems multi-commodity traders, who can work across a range of products are hotter still.

Chris Brodie, founder of hedge fund Krom River Partners LLP, features in the Financial Times today, bemoaning the shortage of people who know how to trade more than commodity product.

"There are not many multi-commodity traders around," says Brodie. "Most traders specialize in only one market, so have a reduced capacity for new investment."

Justin Pearson, founder of London-based energy and commodities recruitment firm Human Capital, tells eFinancialCareers the shortage is only too real. "We're getting huge demand for people who can trade across a basket of products, and although these guys exist, there aren't many of them," he says.

Pearson says people who can work across commodity products, and other asset classes like interest rates and FX can command a 'substantial premium.' How much exactly? "People who can do this well should be earning between one and three million U.S." he says.