Trafigura’s Buyback Headache Grows Amid Fresh Wave of Exits

A fresh wave of senior executive departures is heaping pressure on Trafigura Group’s commitment to buy back its employees’ shares, just as a profit boom shows signs of faltering.

Trafigura has deferred about 30% of the buybacks that were scheduled for this year, according to people familiar with the matter. Among current and former Trafigura traders, many of whom have the majority of their wealth tied up in the company, conversations have turned to whether the commodity trading giant will delay part of next year’s planned repurchases as well, the people said.

Share buybacks are the main way that ...