Key Takeaways
- • Alessio Xien Zhou, a Goldman Sachs macro trading MD promoted in November 2025, departed the firm within one month and joined LMR Partners' Dubai office as a portfolio manager after six months on gardening leave.
- • Daniel Dangoor, a Goldman Sachs macro trading MD, joined ExodusPoint in Dubai this month as a senior portfolio manager, signaling renewed hedge fund recruitment in the Gulf region.
- • Goldman Sachs' London emerging markets equities team has experienced at least seven documented exits to hedge funds in the past year, indicating systematic talent migration to alternative asset managers.
- • LMR Partners has bolstered its Dubai presence with three recent hires: Zhou (from Goldman), Paris Nikolau (from Verition as long/short equity analyst in April), and Ediz Karahasanoglu, former head of EMEA equities trading at Goldman (hired April 2025).
- • The rapid departures reflect a broader pattern of London-based traders relocating to Abu Dhabi and Dubai hedge funds following a period of regional volatility, marking a resurgence in Gulf alternative asset management recruitment.
Summary
Two Goldman Sachs managing directors have transferred to Gulf-based hedge funds within the past month, underscoring renewed talent acquisition activity in Dubai's alternative investment sector. Alessio Xien Zhou, who spent a decade at Goldman Sachs and was elevated to MD in November 2025, departed the firm just one month after his promotion and joined LMR Partners' Dubai office as a portfolio manager. According to the FCA Register, Zhou formally left Deutsche Bank at the end of December 2025, suggesting he spent approximately six months on gardening leave before relocating to the UAE.
Daniel Dangoor, identified as a Goldman macro trading MD, similarly transitioned to ExodusPoint in Dubai this month in a senior portfolio manager capacity. Both moves represent senior-level departures within weeks of MD elevation, a noteworthy pattern that contrasts with typical post-promotion retention timelines.
LMR Partners has emerged as a significant beneficiary of this migration, expanding its Dubai operations with multiple hires. Beyond Zhou's appointment, the firm recruited Paris Nikolau from Verition in London as a long/short equity analyst in April. Additionally, Ediz Karahasanoglu, former head of EMEA equities trading at Goldman Sachs, joined LMR in April 2025 based in London—a move that may have facilitated Zhou's subsequent arrival in Dubai through professional networks and institutional knowledge transfer.
Goldman Sachs' London-based emerging markets equities team has experienced sustained attrition. The firm reported at least seven documented exits to hedge funds within the past year, establishing a clear pattern of alternative asset managers sourcing talent from Goldman's equity trading divisions. This exodus reflects both competitive compensation dynamics and strategic positioning by hedge funds seeking experienced macro and emerging markets expertise during a period of elevated market volatility.
The timing of these departures—following regional instability and coinciding with reported stabilization in Gulf markets—suggests hedge funds are capitalizing on both market normalization and Goldman's post-promotion departures to strengthen portfolio management capabilities in a competitive talent market.
Daniel Dangoor, identified as a Goldman macro trading MD, similarly transitioned to ExodusPoint in Dubai this month in a senior portfolio manager capacity. Both moves represent senior-level departures within weeks of MD elevation, a noteworthy pattern that contrasts with typical post-promotion retention timelines.
LMR Partners has emerged as a significant beneficiary of this migration, expanding its Dubai operations with multiple hires. Beyond Zhou's appointment, the firm recruited Paris Nikolau from Verition in London as a long/short equity analyst in April. Additionally, Ediz Karahasanoglu, former head of EMEA equities trading at Goldman Sachs, joined LMR in April 2025 based in London—a move that may have facilitated Zhou's subsequent arrival in Dubai through professional networks and institutional knowledge transfer.
Goldman Sachs' London-based emerging markets equities team has experienced sustained attrition. The firm reported at least seven documented exits to hedge funds within the past year, establishing a clear pattern of alternative asset managers sourcing talent from Goldman's equity trading divisions. This exodus reflects both competitive compensation dynamics and strategic positioning by hedge funds seeking experienced macro and emerging markets expertise during a period of elevated market volatility.
The timing of these departures—following regional instability and coinciding with reported stabilization in Gulf markets—suggests hedge funds are capitalizing on both market normalization and Goldman's post-promotion departures to strengthen portfolio management capabilities in a competitive talent market.
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