July 11, 2017
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Citadel Founder and CEO Ken Griffin received Institutional Investor’s prestigious Manager Lifetime Achievement honor at the publication’s 15th annual Hedge Fund Industry Awards. The magazine also recognized Mi Zhou, a member of the Citadel’s Client and Partner Group, as one of 30 “Hedge Fund Rising Stars.” The individual honors capped an evening where the firm was recognized as Institutional Hedge Fund Manager of the Year.
The Hedge Fund Industry Awards recognize hedge funds, consultants, and investors that stand out for their performance, innovation, achievements and contributions to the hedge fund industry. Winners are selected based on a survey of investors and input from Institutional Investor’s editorial team.
Gerald Beeson, the firm’s Chief Operating Officer, shared the conversation he had with Ken more than two decades ago when he started as an intern: “Ken told me something that afternoon that I have never forgotten. In fact, I think about it almost every day when I walk in and feel fortunate enough to be a part of Citadel. He said to me, ‘We’re building something truly different here.’” Gerald continued, “Ken’s energy, uncompromising integrity, determination, intellectual curiosity and persistence to win are infused in the DNA of our firm.”
Accepting the award, Ken thanked Citadel’s investors, Institutional Investor and the industry for the honor. He recalled his earliest trading days in college, installing a satellite dish on the roof of his dorm at Harvard to get real-time stock quotes and calling brokers from payphones to make trades. Ken thanked his mother for her lifelong support, as well as Frank Meyer, one of the firm’s first investors, for taking a chance on him when he was fresh out of school. Tracing the evolution of the industry throughout his speech, Ken closed noting that, “Like most 27-year olds, Citadel’s best days are still ahead.”
