Early Life and Education
Steven Schonfeld's journey began in the 1980s after graduating from Emory University with a degree in Business Administration. His fascination with numbers and statistics became the foundation of his career in the financial world. He started his career working in the financial industry, using his aptitude for numbers to develop successful trading strategies.
Rise to Success
In 1988, Schonfeld founded a proprietary trading firm with $400,000 he had earned while working as a stockbroker. Schonfeld's firm initially specialized in short-term trading and quickly became one of Wall Street's most profitable firms. Over the years, Schonfeld evolved his business model, eventually transforming it into a multi-strategy hedge fund, Schonfeld Strategic Advisors, which opened to outside investors in 2016. His firm's trading strategies generated a return of about 16% in 2018.
Key Business Strategies
Schonfeld's success is rooted in his innovative approach to trading. He pioneered statistical trading strategies that are still in use today. His firm, Schonfeld Strategic Advisors, invests across quantitative, fundamental equity, tactical, and discretionary macro & fixed income trading strategies. Schonfeld's strategic vision includes building a team of star traders and expanding internationally, with offices in key financial hubs around the world.
Philanthropy
Steven Schonfeld and his foundation have demonstrated a commitment to philanthropy, particularly in education. The Steven B Schonfeld Foundation supports students pursuing computer science and computer engineering degrees, with a particular emphasis on female students, contributing to the growth of STEM fields.