Bohbot, once considered the top sugar trader in the world, leaves Wilmar

Two sources confirmed on Friday that Jean-Luc Bohbot - once considered the 'world's leading sugar trader - is leaving his position as global head of sugar and ethanol for a 'Asian commodities -trader and food processor Wilmar International.

Bohbot announced his departure to his trading team in Geneva on Thursday. The conversation was broadcast via video to the other offices, including Dubai and the headquarters in Singapore. A source within the company confirmed this, but asked not to be identified as he was not authorized to discuss the issue.

Wilmar has not responded to a request for comment.

Bohbot joined Wilmar in 2011 after working for French soft commodities broker Sucden. The Kuok family that controls the company hired him to start the sugar division.

The executive created a trading team, and over the next fifteen years managed the acquisitions of sugar assets around the world while supervising the construction of greenfield refineries.

Wilmar has sugar processing operations in Australia and Saudi Arabia as well as New Zealand, Indonesia, and India. It also has trading offices in other countries.

A Wilmar source and a second trade source with direct knowledge of?the situation said that the end of the partnership?between Bohbot & Wilmar was organized in recent months. The source said that Bohbot was pursuing other projects.

(source: Reuters)