Macquarie Group has appointed Samuele Ravelli to lead its worldwide liquefied natural gas (LNG) trading division, reinforcing its expansion into the booming fuel market.

Ravelli, who serves as Equinor’s vice president for LNG in Asia and is based in Singapore, will take up the post in November, according to people familiar with the matter. The move highlights Macquarie’s effort to strengthen its commodity business as LNG demand continues to grow across global markets.

His background in Asia, the center of global LNG consumption, is seen as a key advantage as Macquarie positions itself in the increasingly competitive energy trading sector.

The company has yet to make an official statement on the hire.