Ian McIntosh
Strategic Advisor
London, England
Ian McIntosh Strategic Advisor to The Nature Conservancy's global agriculture leadership. © Courtesy Ian McIntosh
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Agricultural commodities, Commodity supply chains, Innovative finance, Investment management
Biography
Having retired from his role as chief executive of Netherlands-based Louis Dreyfus Co. (LDC) Holdings BV in September 2020, Ian McIntosh provides ongoing pro bono consultancy to TNC’s global agriculture leadership.
Based on his experiences at the helm of one of world’s ‘Big Four’ commodity traders, McIntosh’s insights contribute in particular to the Conservancy’s efforts to reduce deforestation, habitat conversion and land degradation across global food systems, as well as informing its work to expand the role played by innovative financial mechanisms in driving progress against these and other pressing conservation priorities.
A British national, McIntosh led LDC as group CEO from September 2018 through October 2020, culminating a 34-year career in global soft commodity markets. McIntosh joined the Louis Dreyfus Group in 1986 as a grains trader in London. Having led the UK grains desk from 1989 to 1991, he moved to Paris to trade global feed grains, and then to Melbourne to lead LDC’s Australasian grains and oilseeds activities. Returning to London in 1993 as a sugar trader, McIntosh was later appointed global head of LDC’s sugar activities. Between 1999 and 2007, he also managed LDC’s global coffee, cocoa, rice, ethanol and grains businesses and was appointed CEO of EMEA region in 2007. In 2008, McInstosh left LDC to set up Edesia Asset Management as part of the Louis Dreyfus Group, serving as CEO and Chief Investment Officer of one of the largest commodity-focused hedge funds until its closure in 2018. McIntosh returned to LDC as chief strategy officer in 2018 and was appointed group CEO in September 2018.
McIntosh holds a degree in Biological Sciences (specializing in agricultural science) from Leeds University, UK.