Key Takeaways
- • Jérôme Brochard, global head of systematic trading strategies at Goldman Sachs (11 years tenure, MD since 2011) and most recently global head of structuring and EMEA head of distribution at Nomura's quantitative investment solutions (QIS) team, has joined Verition as a managing director in London.
- • Brochard's hire represents a strategic acquisition of deep quantitative and structured products expertise, given his career spanning Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, and Nomura—all major players in repackaging hedge fund strategies as swaps and structured notes for institutional investors.
- • Verition is actively expanding its London office, with headcount growing from approximately 130 employees (2024) to an estimated 180 today, driven by recent hires including quant developer Yingying Zhang (ex-Blackstone) and junior rates and FX trader Alex Crocker (ex-BNP Paribas).
- • Brochard ended his association with Nomura in late March 2026; his official start date and specific role at Verition remain undisclosed, and he is not yet registered with the FCA as a Verition employee.
- • The hire reflects a broader talent migration pattern among Nomura's QIS structurers to elite buy-side firms—earlier in 2026, Clement Florentin, who led APAC structuring at Nomura, joined Citadel Securities as head of structured solutions.
Summary
Jérôme Brochard has transitioned from Nomura's quantitative investment solutions team to join hedge fund Verition as a managing director based in London, marking another high-profile departure from the sell-side QIS sector to the buy-side. Brochard's appointment underscores Verition's continued investment in quantitative talent and reinforces the hedge fund's focus on sophisticated trading strategies.
Brochard brings a distinguished 25-year career in quantitative finance and structuring. At Goldman Sachs, where he spent 11 years before achieving managing director status in 2011, he served as global head of systematic trading strategies—a role overseeing the bank's algorithmic and quantitative trading infrastructure. He subsequently held an MD position at Credit Suisse's QIS team before joining Nomura, where he held dual responsibility as global head of structuring and EMEA head of distribution within its QIS business. QIS teams are primarily known for packaging hedge fund trading strategies into swaps and structured notes to broaden institutional distribution and investor accessibility.
Verition's London office is experiencing significant expansion. Companies House filings indicate the fund employed approximately 130 people in 2024, with LinkedIn data suggesting current headcount closer to 180—reflecting aggressive talent acquisition over the past 18 months. Recent additions include Yingying Zhang, a quant developer recruited from private equity firm Blackstone, and Alex Crocker, a junior rates and FX trader with five years at BNP Paribas. While Brochard ended his Nomura association in late March 2026, neither his official start date at Verition nor his specific role has been disclosed. He does not currently appear on FCA records as a Verition employee.
The hire exemplifies a competitive talent dynamic within quantitative finance, where elite hedge funds and market-making firms are actively recruiting sell-side structurers. Nomura's QIS structuring team has particularly attracted acquisition interest; Clement Florentin, who led APAC structuring at Nomura, joined Citadel Securities earlier in 2026 as head of structured solutions. Neither Nomura nor Verition responded to requests for comment regarding Brochard's appointment.
Brochard brings a distinguished 25-year career in quantitative finance and structuring. At Goldman Sachs, where he spent 11 years before achieving managing director status in 2011, he served as global head of systematic trading strategies—a role overseeing the bank's algorithmic and quantitative trading infrastructure. He subsequently held an MD position at Credit Suisse's QIS team before joining Nomura, where he held dual responsibility as global head of structuring and EMEA head of distribution within its QIS business. QIS teams are primarily known for packaging hedge fund trading strategies into swaps and structured notes to broaden institutional distribution and investor accessibility.
Verition's London office is experiencing significant expansion. Companies House filings indicate the fund employed approximately 130 people in 2024, with LinkedIn data suggesting current headcount closer to 180—reflecting aggressive talent acquisition over the past 18 months. Recent additions include Yingying Zhang, a quant developer recruited from private equity firm Blackstone, and Alex Crocker, a junior rates and FX trader with five years at BNP Paribas. While Brochard ended his Nomura association in late March 2026, neither his official start date at Verition nor his specific role has been disclosed. He does not currently appear on FCA records as a Verition employee.
The hire exemplifies a competitive talent dynamic within quantitative finance, where elite hedge funds and market-making firms are actively recruiting sell-side structurers. Nomura's QIS structuring team has particularly attracted acquisition interest; Clement Florentin, who led APAC structuring at Nomura, joined Citadel Securities earlier in 2026 as head of structured solutions. Neither Nomura nor Verition responded to requests for comment regarding Brochard's appointment.
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