Early Life and Education
John Liew was born in 1967/68. Both of his parents were professors, and he was encouraged to pursue a career in academia. Liew attended the University of Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics and was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He then went on to earn an MBA and a PhD in finance from the same university. While in school, he met his wife, Serena J. Liew, also a UChicago alum.
Rise to Success
Liew's career began at Trout Trading, where he developed quantitative market-neutral stock-selection strategies. He then became a portfolio manager in the Asset Management Division at Goldman Sachs, where he developed and managed quantitative investment strategies. In 1998, Liew co-founded AQR Capital Management with fellow University of Chicago and Goldman Sachs alumnus Cliff Asness. AQR Capital Management has grown to become one of the largest hedge funds in the world.
Key Business Strategies
AQR Capital Management, under Liew's leadership, employs a systematic, data-driven approach to investment. The firm focuses on traditional and alternative investment strategies. Liew is known for applying long-short strategies. He is a proponent of taking the long view and diversification. He has written many scholarly articles and has been favorably compared with leading academics.
Philanthropy
John Liew created the Liew College Fellows Fund to finance undergraduates who have unpaid research opportunities with the University of Chicago's faculty.