The history of Viterra traces back to one of the major multinationals in global commodity trading: Glencore. Founded in 1974 by Marc Rich, a Swiss trader of Belgian origin known as the "oil king", Glencore became a dominant player in the commodities business worldwide. Initially operating as a trader of oil and metals, it gradually expanded its presence into the agro-industrial business. Rich, an influential yet controversial figure, was involved in legal cases for tax evasion and illegal trade with Iran in the 1980s, and ended up taking refuge in Switzerland. He sold his stake in Glencore in 1993, but the global structure he helped build remained intact and grew. In 2012, Glencore formally created its global agricultural division, Glencore Agriculture, which was renamed Viterra in 2020. The change responded to the entry of new strategic partners, such as the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation funds, and marked the ...