Nov. 28, 2006 09:45 EST

Exclusive per Sparkspread
JPMorgan’s head of natural gas trading exits

Parker Drew, managing director and head of North American natural gas trading at JPMorgan in New York, has left the firm.

A spokeswoman for JPMorgan told SparkSpread Drew’s departure was unrelated to a recent transaction in which the Wall Street firm assumed part of Amaranth Advisors’ natural gas trading book.

She declined further comment on the reason for his departure.

Drew did not respond to messages at his home.

Drew was one of a trio of senior hires JPMorgan made last year from Morgan Stanley to jump-start its energy trading operation.

After leaving Morgan Stanley and prior to joining JPMorgan, Drew set up a short-lived energy hedge fund.

His departure follows the recent resignation of David Puth, head of JPMorgan’s global currencies and commodities business.

Blythe Masters, cfo of investment banking at JPMorgan, has assumed responsibility for global currencies and commodities.