Early Life and Education
John Liew was born in 1967 or 1968. Both of his parents were professors, and he was encouraged to pursue a career in academics. He attended the University of Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics and was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He continued his education at the University of Chicago, earning an MBA and a PhD in finance.
Rise to Success
Liew's career began at Trout Trading, where he developed quantitative market-neutral stock-selection strategies. He then joined Goldman Sachs as a portfolio manager in the Asset Management Division, developing and managing quantitative investment strategies. In 1998, Liew co-founded AQR Capital Management with Cliff Asness, David Kabiller, and Robert Krail. This marked a significant step in his career, as AQR became a global investment firm known for its quantitative and systematic investment strategies.
Key Business Strategies
At AQR, Liew plays a pivotal role in research and portfolio management, as well as trading initiatives. The firm specializes in factor-based investing, applying academic financial theories to real-world portfolios. Liew's work has been instrumental in transforming academic finance into large-scale asset management, championing evidence-based strategies. AQR's approach uses a systematic, data-driven methodology, focusing on diversification through various asset classes.
Philanthropy
John Liew created the Liew College Fellows Fund to support undergraduates involved in unpaid research opportunities with the University of Chicago faculty. In 2024, Liew and AQR co-founder Cliff Asness donated $60 million to the University of Chicago Booth School of Business to fund scholarships and enhance the Master of Finance program.