Key Takeaways
- • Brevan Howard is aggressively recruiting senior technology talent from major global banks, hiring Gabriel Pepe (former 19-year HSBC veteran, now global head of technology solutions) from UBS in April 2022, and Kevin Gage (former Mizuho CIO with 23 years combined experience at Mizuho and Nomura) as CTO in September 2022.
- • Multiple tier-one hedge funds are competing for banking technologists, with Balyasny building out its technology function under Mike Grimaldi (ex-JPMorgan CIB technology head), while Millennium is expanding in Miami under Olga Naumovich (former Goldman Sachs chief data officer and head of client experience).
- • Hedge funds are now hiring specialized recruitment staff to support technology talent acquisition, including recruiting professionals like Natasha Douglas, who joined Brevan Howard as a tech recruiter in September 2022, signaling sustained institutional commitment to technology build-outs.
- • The pattern reflects a structural shift in hedge fund operating models, with funds prioritizing technology infrastructure and operational capability—mirroring the technology-first transformation occurring across investment banking.
Summary
Hedge funds are intensifying competition for senior technology talent drawn directly from major global financial institutions, revealing a broader industry shift toward technology-driven fund management. Brevan Howard, operating under CEO Aron Landy (appointed by founder Alan Howard in 2019), has emerged as a particularly aggressive recruiter, securing high-profile technology executives from established banking operations.
Gabriel Pepe joined Brevan Howard from UBS in April 2022 as global head of technology solutions for operations and business risk, based in London. Pepe brings 19 years of banking technology experience from HSBC, positioning him to oversee critical operational technology infrastructure. In September 2022, the fund appointed Kevin Gage as Chief Technology Officer in London. Gage previously served as CIO at Mizuho in London and held the role of head of fixed income IT at Nomura, accumulating nine years at Mizuho and fourteen years at Nomura across his banking career.
This hiring pattern extends beyond Brevan Howard. Balyasny, a major U.S. hedge fund, is similarly building out its technology function under Mike Grimaldi, formerly head of technology at JPMorgan's corporate and investment bank. Millennium has also entered the talent competition, recruiting Olga Naumovich to build its Miami team. Naumovich most recently served as chief data officer and head of client experience at Goldman Sachs before a brief stint at crypto market maker GSR.
The depth of institutional commitment is evident in Brevan Howard's parallel hiring of specialized recruitment resources. Natasha Douglas joined the fund as a technology recruiter in September 2022, suggesting funds are investing in dedicated talent acquisition infrastructure to sustain technology hiring pipelines. This represents a structural shift beyond single-hire acquisitions toward institutionalized technology recruitment processes, indicating hedge funds expect sustained, competitive technology talent recruitment as core operational strategy rather than a temporary market phenomenon.
Gabriel Pepe joined Brevan Howard from UBS in April 2022 as global head of technology solutions for operations and business risk, based in London. Pepe brings 19 years of banking technology experience from HSBC, positioning him to oversee critical operational technology infrastructure. In September 2022, the fund appointed Kevin Gage as Chief Technology Officer in London. Gage previously served as CIO at Mizuho in London and held the role of head of fixed income IT at Nomura, accumulating nine years at Mizuho and fourteen years at Nomura across his banking career.
This hiring pattern extends beyond Brevan Howard. Balyasny, a major U.S. hedge fund, is similarly building out its technology function under Mike Grimaldi, formerly head of technology at JPMorgan's corporate and investment bank. Millennium has also entered the talent competition, recruiting Olga Naumovich to build its Miami team. Naumovich most recently served as chief data officer and head of client experience at Goldman Sachs before a brief stint at crypto market maker GSR.
The depth of institutional commitment is evident in Brevan Howard's parallel hiring of specialized recruitment resources. Natasha Douglas joined the fund as a technology recruiter in September 2022, suggesting funds are investing in dedicated talent acquisition infrastructure to sustain technology hiring pipelines. This represents a structural shift beyond single-hire acquisitions toward institutionalized technology recruitment processes, indicating hedge funds expect sustained, competitive technology talent recruitment as core operational strategy rather than a temporary market phenomenon.
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