Citadel taps Morgan Stanley for credit trader

Citadel has recruited Antonia von Specht as a credit trader in its London office, marking another significant personnel move for the hedge fund. Von Specht, who spent nearly 10 years at Morgan Stanley, most recently held the title of vice president and worked across the investment bank's hedge fund and banks offering in credit sales. Her career arc at Morgan Stanley began in 2016 as an analyst before advancing to associate, where she focused on Germany and Nordics-based credit sales coverage. Prior to her decade at Morgan Stanley, von Specht gained early industry experience at Deutsche Bank.

The appointment reflects a pattern of senior leadership activity at Citadel over recent months. In January 2026, the firm promoted Brian Pastor to head of trading for global equities following an eight-year tenure in his previous role. Additionally, in December 2025, Virginie Saade, managing director and head of government and regulatory policy for EMEA, joined EuroCTP's advisory committee to support development of the upcoming EU equities consolidated tape—signaling the firm's engagement with evolving European market infrastructure.

Von Specht's transition from a major investment bank's credit desk to Citadel's trading operation underscores the hedge fund's continued expansion in credit trading. This hire demonstrates Citadel's ongoing recruitment strategy to strengthen its trading platform across asset classes. Citadel Securities, the firm's market-making arm, posted record trading revenues of $12.2 billion in 2025, positioning the broader organization as one of the world's leading global market participants. Citadel did not provide official comment on the hiring announcement, with von Specht confirming her new role through a social media announcement.