A top options trader that vanished four years ago is back at hedge fund ExodusPoint

Baris "Chico" Temelkuran has reemerged in the hedge fund industry, joining ExodusPoint as a macro portfolio manager based in London following a four-and-a-half-year absence from the markets. Temelkuran, widely recognized for his expertise in FX options trading, previously held the position of global head of FX options trading at BNP Paribas, where he spent three years before his departure. The circumstances surrounding his exit from BNP were not fully disclosed, though sources suggested it may not have been entirely voluntary. BNP Paribas did not provide comment on his departure.

Prior to his time at BNP, Temelkuran spent 12 years at Goldman Sachs beginning in 2006, where he achieved promotion to Managing Director in 2014. During his three-year tenure at BNP, the bank secured Risk.net's currency derivatives house of the year award in 2021, reflecting the strength of its FX options franchise during his leadership. His return to active portfolio management signals renewed confidence in his trading acumen within institutional hedge fund circles.

ExodusPoint, the hiring institution, has demonstrated robust financial performance and appears to be in active expansion mode. According to the firm's most recent annual accounts filed with Companies House for 2024, the fund maintained 110 employees and generated an average compensation of $1.1 million per employee. The fund's 15 limited partners earned profits equivalent to $9.5 million per member during 2024, and ExodusPoint achieved an 18% global return in 2025, indicating exceptional institutional economics and strong asset management performance. Temelkuran's hire may partially address staffing gaps created when macro portfolio managers Driss Mokeddem and James Clarke relocated to Dubai in the latter half of 2025. ExodusPoint declined to comment on the appointment.