Sept 28 (Reuters) - Swiss-based commodity trader IXM has announced the departure of several metal traders, including its head of refined copper, as part of broader structural changes introduced by CEO Kenny Ives, an internal email seen by Reuters showed.

The email from former Glencore trader Ives to IXM employees on Sept. 27 detailed the departure of 12 traders with immediate effect, including head of copper cathode Phillipp Mattmann and cobalt trader Martin O'Neill.

Neither Mattmann nor O'Neill responded to requests for comment via LinkedIn.

Significant changes at IXM, which is owned by China's CMOC Group and one of the largest traders of physical non-ferrous metals, have been seen since Ives was appointed late last year, sources said.

CMOC spokesman Vincent Zhou confirmed that some employees had left, while others - including senior traders - have been hired.

Ives had "initiated new ideas of management and aims to strengthen the company's engagement in the spot market," Zhou told Reuters.

IXM's clients and suppliers also received emails with the personnel changes.

An email sent to a cobalt business partner of IXM, also seen by Reuters, showed that Martin O'Neill's duties will be overseen by Jonathan Sun and co-heads of refined metals Tom Mackay and Adhitya Sethaputra.

Gary Le-Men has been appointed head of copper concentrates and Xavier-Alexandre Ortiz will head zinc and lead concentrates, according to a statement from IXM sent to Reuters by CMOC.

Robert Sidders resigned in July as global head of nickel and cobalt. Sidders told Reuters he left his position for personal reasons.

Han Cho, a former nickel trader with Glencore in Beijing, is expected to replace Sidders, a source familiar with the matter said. He could not be reached for comment.

Glencore declined to comment. (Reporting by Mai Nguyen in Hanoi and Julian Luk and Pratima Desai in London; Additional reporting by Siyi Liu; Editing by Richard Chang)