Man­aging risk opens up op­por­tun­it­ies

Update: Alessio La Rosa is now Global Head of Freight at Eurochem Trading Middle East.

Conditions for freight trading are turbulent right now. The Covid-19 pandemic has globally affected supply chains, many major ports are congested, and commodity prices are highly volatile. All these events influence the daily tasks of Alessio and his team and puts them under increased pressure. Amid these challenging times, Alessio stresses the ability to handle risk and convert it into opportunities.

“I am and have always been a friend of volatility. Where others see risks, I see opportunities. The water’s surface is visible to all, but to catch what the rest don’t see we need to dive in and take a swim.”

By following this approach Cofco was able to avoid major bottlenecks throughout the supply chain, ship on time and deliver strong results. Besides a thorough risk assessment, Alessio also acknowledges the necessity of in-depth research, as it builds the base for all trading decisions.

“Research is not only key, but also the crown jewel of our organisation. All our trading decisions are based on sound supply and demand analysis through AI and machine learning process. Our research has improved and developed over the years and must constantly adapt to change. A heavy emphasis is placed on short-term which enables us to forecast the next 30-60days. In the end, the back end of the curve is a reflection of the front end.”

With his informed and insightful management of market risk Alessio La Rosa is a core asset to Cofco, where he has already worked for 13 years. After being part of Louis Dreyfus Commodities in various positions for 10 years, Alessio joined the Noble Grains group. Due to his excellent performance, he became director of Noble Chartering after only four years and was awarded as the “best performer on the freight desk”. In 2015, when the group bought the agribusiness of the Noble Group, Alessio set up Cofco International’s fright department. By applying his organizational and leadership abilities he built a trade book of more than 50m tons.

Despite over 20 years of experience in the shipping industry and an outstanding career, Alessio La Rosa decided to become part of the Blue MBA course.

“For me it was brought on by a personal need to test myself in an academic world I surely undervalued 25 years ago.”

“I must admit the timing and logistics are not ideal for me as the pressure to deliver results is forever present, but then again when would the timing be right?”

“Despite any doubts I stay true to my belief that learning is a lifelong journey and only by overcoming such obstacles can I become a better version of myself.”

In addition, to his personal development, Alessio is aiming to expand his knowledge not only in the dry market, but in all the other sectors the shipping world has to offer.

See The 50 inspiring Champions of the Blue MBA Class of 2023 – Meet Alessio La Rosa, which is the original source for quotes and information included in this adapted feature.