LONDON—Claude Dauphin, the trading veteran who built Trafigura Beheer B.V. into one of the largest commodities players in the world, died Wednesday aged 64 after a year-long battle with cancer, the company said in a statement.

"Claude will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and vast network of business partners, as well as by us all," Trafigura CEO Jeremy Weir said in a statement.

A proté gé of notorious oil trader Marc Rich, Mr. Dauphin worked at his trading firm, Marc Rich AG, for 19 years before resigning in 1992 to found Trafigura with five partners.

The company's initial focus was on niche business opportunities in Latin America, but it grew rapidly throughout the 2000s as soaring prices for the commodities it traded and a healthy dose of volatility spurred business. It now counts as one of an elite group of privately-held trading houses responsible for moving huge volumes of oil and industrial metals around the world.

Mr. Dauphin stepped down as CEO of the company last year, but remained executive chairman until his death.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 30, 2015 13:15 ET (17:15 GMT)

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