SMBC is reorganising its London-based commodity finance and structured trade finance departments, GTR has learned.

GTR understands that changes to the team structure and reporting lines will be made in order to meet current business requirements.

As part of the changes, James Burnett has been appointed as head of structured trade and commodity finance (STCF). Burnett has been with the bank since 2013, and has been responsible for the bank’s portfolio of Emea oil and gas and physical commodity trading clients. He was previously at Lloyds since 2005.

GTR learned last week that John Turnbull, joint general manager and global head of STCF, may be leaving the bank.

Burnett will report to Yoshihisa Abe, senior general manager and global head of the trade finance department, who now also becomes global head of STCF.

A senior management team (as outlined below) for each hub location will strengthen the business segments internationally.

Abe tells GTR that the new “dynamic structure” of management has been brought about to serve clients more effectively and quickly.

In London, Andy Howell becomes sub-head of the STCF team, and, elsewhere across the globe, the set-up is as follows:

Dubai: Yusuke Kurita (deputy general manager) and Sherjan Qaisrani (manager)

EMEA senior management team: Hidenori Miyoshi (joint general manager) and Jonathan Joseph-Horne (deputy general manager)

Singapore: Sandeep Bhamrah (head of STCF group)

Sydney: Christopher Boadle (senior vice-president)

APAC senior management team: Kazushige Isobuchi (joint general manger) and Norihito Obata (senior vice-president)

New York: John Coussa (head of STCF group)

Sao Paulo: Carlos Costa (vice-president)

Americas senior management team: Kazuo Yoshimura (joint general manager)

Hong Kong: Aron Sun (head of STCF group)

Shanghai: Toshihiro Harada (general manager)

Greater China senior management team: Jun Yokoe (general manager)