The Cultura Interview
Industry forward thinkers in conversation with Robert Ashton
Every now and then someone says something that really makes you think. Sometimes quite an innocent remark can pack a powerful punch, as pennies drop and realisation dawns. It was something James Maw said that had that impact on me. Global consumption of wheat and corn has grown by more than 50% in the past decade he said, explaining how dietary habits were changing. A traditional diet of root vegetables is in decline as consumers in developing countries switch to more Western diets. Of course I knew that the world’s population is growing, but changing diets and increased life expectancy means that demand grows even faster than I’d realised. A little research revealed that over the past 50 years, whilst world population has doubled, food supply has tripled as farming has become more sophisticated.
James Maw, Glencore Agriculture James Maw is a man quick to share
They also farm more than 96,000
values underpin everything the
pound has certainly created trading
global statistics. He’s spent more
hectares themselves and are one
company does. It’s a refreshing
opportunities, with a single 70,000
than 30 years in the grain trade,
of three largest players in the global
change from the way some global
tonne cargo of wheat shipped from
with the past 20 spent working
grain and oilseed market. This gives
firms can dominate and influence
Immingham to Vietnam early last
for Glencore Agriculture. Son of
them considerable clout. They
markets and sometimes even a
summer. James is at heart a trader
a Yorkshire farmer, he started
recently made a multi-million dollar
whole country’s economy.
and always sees the opportunity.
his working life as a merchant
investment in expanding an oilseed
rep, calling on farms, buying
crushing plant in South America.
grain and selling feed, seed and agrochemicals.
Large organisations can also
You
might
expect
a
be slow to innovate, preferring to
globetrotting grain trader to have
With a company of this
let others take the risks and then
some equally global past-times,
size and scale, one should not
acquire those that get it right. It’s
but you would be wrong. When off
His first job was very local and
be surprised to learn that from
also true to say that small agile
duty James is very much a family
in the days before mobile phones
Rotterdam James and his family
innovators often struggle to find the
man. He has one son at university
he had the autonomy to strike a
moved to Australia. Whilst this gave
investment they need to scale up,
and two about to take their GCSEs.
deal with his farming customers.
James and his family the comfort of
which plays into the hands of the
Family is important to him; as the
As he climbed the career ladder
once more being able to socialise in
large, well-endowed corporate.
eldest of three boys himself he
his landscape widened until in 2004
their native tongue, the grain trade
he took a European trading job at
here was quite different.
Glencore bucks this trend
was close to his father and still
too, having launched its Grainman
visits family in Yorkshire when time permits.
Glencore’s Rotterdam office. He
James had a steep learning
online trading platform back in 2000
was now trading internationally
curve as he grappled with the way
when the internet was for many,
Pressed on what he enjoys
and had the additional challenge of
grain was stored cooperatively
still a novelty. James explained
doing most, he shared the fact
raising a young family in a country
and traded collectively. He soon
how many farmers are now very
that now he is 18 months back and
where neither he nor his wife spoke
got the hang of things, growing
comfortable selling their grain
settled once more in the UK he has
the language.
Glencore’s trade there from one to
online. The platform even emails
bought a black Labrador puppy. He
But the Dutch have always
nine million tonnes a year in just five
the farmer to say when the truck is
takes the dog fishing and for long
been a trading people and he
years. James is a man unafraid of
arriving to collect a load of grain. It’s
walks. I think the dog is destined
enjoyed the opportunity to gain
competition and willing to challenge
rather like buying from Amazon!
to stand at his side when he goes
experience of international trade.
the status quo.
Inevitably we talked about
shooting too.
He also learned to speak Dutch and
You could be forgiven for
Brexit and the ability politicians
Ironically, at a time when
his three sons are now bi-lingual,
thinking that the global grain trade
have to spring surprises. James is
globalisation is taking people out
a huge asset as they grow up in
is all about numbers. Indeed James
sanguine about what many view
of business, James is a man who
what is now very much a global
quotes figures with the ease of a
as a damaging planned exit from
recognises the importance of
community.
man immersed in statistics. But
Europe. The fall in value of the
putting people first.
Glencore Agriculture is a global
Glencore is also a business with
business trading and increasingly
strong values. It believes in looking
This column is sponsored by Cultura, suppliers of proven
processing grain and oilseeds
after its people; it works hard
integrated software
around the world. They own port
to trade openly and responsibly
solutions designed
terminals, processing and refining
and it recognises the value of
specifically for
plants, ships, trains and trucks.
keeping things simple. These
agri-businesses’
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