WASHINGTON — Christine M. Cochran has been named president of the Commodity Markets Council.
Succeeding Mike Walter in the top staff post, Ms. Cochran most recently was vice-president of government relations at the C.M.C. In her new position, she will lead C.M.C. in its mission to represent leading commodity-related businesses in the grains, energy, metals and livestock industry and to “advocate for free, open and robust markets,” the group said.

“Christine’s tenure with the organization and excellent track record will prove to be invaluable for C.M.C. as we continue to articulate our competitive markets platform and meet the needs of our expanding and increasingly diversified membership base,” said Thomas Erickson, chairman of C.M.C. and vice-president, government affairs, of Bunge.

In addition to her work at C.M.C., Ms. Cochran is co-chairman of the agriculture section for Women in International Trade and coordinator for the Alliance of Agricultural Growth and Competitiveness.

A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s of science degree in agricultural economics, Ms. Cochran holds a law degree from Georgetown University.

The C.M.C. represents industry issues focusing on agriculture, energy, finance, metals, transportation and infrastructure. Its membership includes derivatives exchanges, domestic and multi-national commodity merchandisers, processors, bioenergy producers, futures commission merchants, and food and beverage manufacturers.