After fifteen years of service, Owen Cligg, the Trading Manager at United Oilseeds, will retire this year.
Since joining the company in 2009, Owen has been instrumental in shaping and advancing United Oilseeds’ trading network and crafting strategies that benefit its farmer members. Over his tenure, he has overseen the trading of an impressive 7.5 million tonnes of commodities, including peas, beans, linseed, oats, rye, and oilseed rape.
Owen Cligg
Reflecting on his career, Owen remarked, “It’s been an honour and pleasure to serve farmers across the UK for the past 15 years on behalf of United Oilseeds.
Naturally, it will feel a little strange leaving work after so many years, but there’s plenty on my to-do list. I’m hoping to get more involved in local history, which has been a passion of mine for a while.
I’m particularly looking forward to enjoying the delights of South America with my Chilean wife, and maybe a glass of beer and some gardening! The United Oilseeds team are a wonderful bunch of dedicated professionals who strive to achieve the best on behalf of their members, and there’ll be plenty of faces I’ll miss.”
Managing Director James Warner expressed his sentiments, stating, “Owen’s departure leaves a noticeable void in our team. His immense contributions to our cooperative extend far beyond his expertise in trading. We will sorely miss his witty personality and unique sense of humour, which have left an indelible mark on all who have had the pleasure of working with him. We all wish Owen a very happy and well-deserved retirement.”
Stepping into the role of Commodity Trading Manager is Nick Hobson. Already a month into his tenure with United Oilseeds, Nick brings a wealth of trading experience.
His background includes heading up Cargill’s oilseed team in Melbourne, Australia, overseeing trading and procurement for its three crush plants. After his time at Cargill, Nick co-founded Sun Commodities, a successful biofuels brokerage. In 2014.
Commenting on joining United Oilseeds, Nick said, “It’s lovely to join a smaller business where you can make a difference every day. The excellent reputation and United Oilseeds’ position in the market have also made this an attractive proposition. The icing on the cake is being able to work directly and on behalf of our farmer members across the country.”
James Warner added, “We are delighted to welcome Nick to the team. His experience speaks for itself. It’s reassuring to know there will be a long handover period between Owen and Nick to ensure we maintain the exceptional standards of service that our members have come to expect.”
For those wanting to bid farewell to Owen in person or welcome Nick, the new face of United Oilseeds’ trading team, both will be available at the United Oilseeds stand 510 at Cereals on the 11th and 12th of June this year.
