Ex-soldier shakes up world of commodity trading

Washington

A former US special-operations soldier turned math wonk is shaking up the world of commodity trading.

Since leading a management takeover at Castleton Commodities International almost three years ago, chief executive officer William Reed has been on a buying spree backed by hedge funds and billionaires. Two months after acquiring Morgan Stanley's oil business, Mr Reed has made Castleton among the world's biggest independent energy traders.