Alex Beard, born in 1967, is a British billionaire commodity trader and former high-level executive at the secretive mining and commodities giant, Glencore. His background is rooted in elite finance and global commerce, preparing him for a career in the high-stakes, opaque world of international resource trading.

He was educated at the University of Oxford, where he studied, gaining the intellectual discipline that would be crucial for navigating the complex logistics and financial risks of the global commodity supply chain. Beard’s career quickly moved into trading, a fast-paced environment where success is determined by managing massive volumes of resources and correctly predicting geopolitical and economic shifts. His fortune was generated entirely within the specialized world of private commodity finance before Glencore's massive public offering.

Alex Beard’s career is defined by his long and pivotal tenure at Glencore, one of the world’s largest and most powerful diversified natural resource groups. He began working in the commodities trading sector in the 1990s and became a key lieutenant within Glencore’s vast, high-risk trading arm.

His breakthrough came in his role as the Head of Oil and Gas at Glencore. In this capacity, Beard managed the colossal global oil division, overseeing the sourcing, transportation, and trading of billions of dollars worth of physical commodities—a position that required deep expertise in logistics, risk, and industrial relations. The moment that catapulted him into the billionaire class was the massive Glencore IPO in 2011, which provided the first public valuation for the company’s executives' previously illiquid ownership stakes. Beard retired from Glencore in 2019, leaving him with a substantial, liquid fortune and the freedom to pursue private investments and personal passions.

Alex Beard’s philanthropy and public engagement, particularly following his retirement from Glencore, focus on education and social causes. His charitable activities are pursued with the quiet discretion common among Glencore alumni, contrasting with the often controversial nature of the commodity trading world.

A major focus of his giving is supporting arts and education, often channeled through institutions connected to his academic background, such as Oxford University. His work and financial legacy, although rooted in the high-stakes world of global resources, contribute to the immense global infrastructure required for modern energy and industrial production. His ability to provide massive, stable supply chains is considered a key economic contribution to the world's energy markets.