Adriana’s story: Navigating commodities and new opportunities

Adriana was born in La Paz, Bolivia, where she spent much of her childhood. She had just finished studying in the United States when she saw an opportunity to work for a mining company back home in Bolivia, which had just been bought by Glencore.  

“Back then mining felt like an unknown world,” Adriana recalls. “But I was determined to learn as much as possible and had opportunities to travel to Chile – to see our shipments, concentrate warehouses and mining operations.” 

Adriana also spent time in Baar, home to Glencore’s headquarters in Switzerland, where she developed skills that proved invaluable to her work today, helping to coordinate logistics as a Traffic Manager for Glencore’s zinc and lead concentrates department.  

“I got to understand even more about how commodities move from A to B – knowledge that is at the heart of what we do in Traffic Management,” Adriana explains. “And the fact that I came from our industrial business on the ground in Bolivia means I have different experiences from those on my team, which I’ve learnt to put to good use!” 

Adriana and her team handle contracts and commercial agreements for Glencore’s marketing business, checking stocks and inventories and managing deliveries to help Glencore meet its obligations in its purchase and sale agreements. They work in a fast-paced environment as prices change and markets move.  

“It’s a complex process and there is risk involved too,” explains Adriana. “We have to be methodical and organised to meet our deadlines.” 

Adriana moved her family from Bolivia to Switzerland a few years ago. She admits that the transition hasn’t always been easy – particularly for her four young children who had to adapt to a new culture and learn a new language.  

“While there have been some challenges, our move to Switzerland has also brought new experiences and opportunities for my family; from visiting new cities, to taking advantage of nature by learning how to ski and enjoying time by the lake in Zug,” Adriana says. “In many ways it has brought us even closer.” 

For Adriana, the most important thing has always been balancing her work and family life.  

“I will always want to be able to spend time with my children and for them to know that I am there to help and guide them,” she explains. “And actually, I’ve learnt a lot about how to manage people thanks to my experiences as a mother – the joke in our team is that I’ve just gained 22 new children!”