BEIJING, July 25 (Reuters) - Ross Hamou-Jennings, a

26-year-veteran of global trading house Cargill, will retire at

the end of the year as Asia-Pacific chair and enterprise leader

for financial services and metals (FSM), according to an

internal memo seen by Reuters.

Rishi Varma, U.S.-based Cargill's chief legal and compliance

officer, general counsel and corporate secretary, will add the

role of Asia-Pacific chair, said the letter to staff from Brian

Sikes, Cargill's board chair, president and CEO.

"We will announce a new leader for FSM as we work through

Ross' transition in the coming months," the letter said.

Hamou-Jennings is based in Singapore, where Cargill's metals

business is headquartered.