People

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Steve Wateridge is the Head of Research at Tropical Research Services. Mr. Wateridge is widely recognized as a leading world expert in tropical commodity products. He became a partner in Tropical Research Services in 2010. Prior to joining Tropical Research Services, he was the senior Coffee and Cocoa Analyst at Ospraie Services Group, which he joined in 2006.

Prior to that, Mr. Wateridge was employed at ED&F Man as the Head of Coffee and Cocoa Research (2001-2006) and the Head of Cocoa Research (1988-2001). Prior to ED&F Man, Mr. Wateridge served as an Economist at Rowntrees PLC (1983-1988).

Mr. Wateridge was appointed Chairman of the Cocoa Promotion Committee of the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) in 2004 and has been a member of the ICCO Expert Working Group on Stocks since 1994. He was appointed Chairman of the Expert Working Group on Stocks in 2009. 

Mr. Wateridge earned an MSc in Economics (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 1981) as well as a BA in Economics and Politics (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 1979).

Sean Diffley is the Managing Member at Tropical Research Services. Prior to that Mr. Diffley served as a Portfolio Manager  and Partner at Yannix Management LLP.  Mr. Diffley was the Founder and Head Portfolio Manager at Tropix Capital Management LLC from  2006 to 2015.  Mr. Diffley is the Chairman of the ICE US Exchange, World Sugar Committee, a former member of the Ethanol Committee and a former member of the Special Orange Juice Committee. 

Prior to forming Tropix Capital Management LLC in 2006, Mr. Diffley was employed at EDF Man, where he successfully served as the Head Portfolio Manager of the company's multi‐commodity proprietary trading unit. Prior to that time, he served as Head of Global Trading of EDF Man's Sugar Division. 

Mr. Diffley received a B.A.(Hons) degree from the University of London in 1988.

Philip Manamel is an exclusive consultant for Tropical Research Services, based in Asia. Mr. Manamel manages field team operations in India, Indonesia and Vietnam. Prior to this, Mr. Manamel worked at EDF Man, Singapore as a Coffee and Cocoa trader (2006–2008) and as a Coffee and Cocoa Research analyst (2005–2006). Mr. Manamel earned a BBM in Finance from the Singapore Management University in 2005.

George Ofosu-Amoani 

is an exclusive consultant for Tropical Research Services, based in West Africa. Mr. Ofuso-Amoani manages cocoa & coffee field team operations in Ivory Coast and Ghana. Prior to this, he worked for EDF Man Ltd as Country Director and Head of Cocoa and Coffee Research in West Africa covering Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria (2003–2000). Prior to EDF Man, he worked as a Senior Technical Assistant with Cocoa Services Division of the Ghana Cocobod (1990–2000) and as a Technical Officer with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ghana (1986–1990). Mr. Ofuso-Amoani earned a Certificate in General Agriculture from the Kwadaso Agricultural College in 1986.

Juliano Mota

is an exclusive consultant for Tropical Research Services, based in Brazil. Mr. Mota manages field team operations in Brazil, and Colombia. Prior to this, he was a research analyst at EDF Man Brazil, conducting coffee and sugar research (2004–2007) and prior to EDF Man he worked for Louis Dreyfus Commodities (2001–2004) as a commercial assistant and coffee researcher in Brazil and Vietnam. Mr. Mota holds a Masters degree in Business Administration (Getulio Vargas Foundation–2008) and a Bachelors degree in Agronomy (Federal University of Uberlândia–2001).

Prasad MSR

is an exclusive consultant for Tropical Research Services, based in India. Mr. Prasad manages the research operations in India. Prior to this, he worked at IL&FS (2004-2007), Way2Wealth (2008-2010) and Reliance Capital Markets (2010-2012) in a variety of commodity research, trading and  brokerage positions. Mr. Prasad holds a Master’s degree in Economics from University of Hyderabad (2004).