The boffins at London-based Winton Capital analyse market trends and establish trading strategies for the likes of Citigroup, Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank, helping them to invest their funds wisely. “If you’re into girls and all-night parties, this probably isn’t your cup of tea,” says 46-year-old David Harding, who founded the company in 1997. Harding, himself, admits he’s “no academic”, but he is something of a serial entrepreneur: he owned a couple of hairdressing salons, a karaoke business and hedge fund AHL (which he later sold to the Man Group) before setting up Winton Capital in 1997. Futures trading might not be very glamorous. But it’s massively profitable. With more than £6.4bn of assets under management and sales of £92m, Winton Capital raked in a whopping £59.9m last year. Harding likens the business to JK Rowling or Paul McCartney. “We have global appeal. Just as everybody reads books or listens to music, everybody needs to save money. In this business, you can be disgustingly successful – but it’s also disgustingly competitive.” With margins of 65 per cent, it looks like Harding is leaving his rivals in his wake.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.