what do steel, coffee and gasoline have in common? they are commodities which are globally consumed on a daily basis. before being consumed, the materials make their way through their value chains. traders play a key role in these chains. they match supply and demand by purchasing and selling commodities. as the commodity markets involve trillions of dollars, this leads to a substantial financing need, which has led to the emergence of the field of trade & commodity finance. this book provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the fascinating topic of trade & commodity finance. this book will be of interest both to people with a general interest in the field and to trade and finance professionals. the book contains five sections: commodities and trade; traders; industry specifics; banks; and financial analysis. examples and illustrations from the metals industry clarify the arguments made in the text. this makes it a recommended read for every person who would like to learn more about trade & commodity finance. the author holds a master’s degree in law from the university of groningen. he started his career with rabobank as a global trainee, after which he joined rabobank’s trade & commodity finance department. currently, he is working as a relationship manager within the european metals & minerals team.