Louis Dreyfus names Clarkson as new coffee head after Gelchie's COO move

Agricultural commodity merchant Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has named Ben Clarkson as the head of its coffee business, taking over from Michael Gelchie who was appointed chief operating officer earlier this week.

Clarkson, a British national, was previously LDC's global trading manager for coffee, having joined the group in 2012 as a senior coffee trader, LDC said in an update on its website.

Gelchie was appointed COO on Monday with immediate effect, replacing Andrea Maserati, who is to leave the firm.

LDC's website had initially indicated Gelchie was still in charge of the coffee division, a role he had taken up in July when he returned to the group after previously spending 20 years there from 1990.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz; Editing by Mark Potter)