Schonfeld Strategic Advisors continues to expand its macro unit, even as early-stage hires have departed from the $23 billion firm.
The group, which allocates investments across asset classes based on anticipated global interest rate, inflation, and broader economic trends, has more than doubled its investment workforce since last year to nearly 150 staff members, according to a source close to the firm. The unit is led by co-heads Colin Lancaster and Mitesh Parikh, along with macro COO Omar Faruqui.
Schonfeld’s macro unit now handles nearly one-fifth of the firm’s daily market exposure across multiple asset classes, a source noted, with 15 new portfolio managers hired during 2026. Among these additions are two Point72 traders based in Dubai—Prejesh Patel and Pierre-Anthony Bodin—and 25-year-old JPMorgan veteran Wentao Mu. Former Balyasny associate Kevin McDonald, previously deputy COO of fixed income and macro, has also joined as co-COO.
This recent expansion coincides with increasing departures from the firm’s initial macro team, illustrating how Schonfeld’s competitive advantage stems from organizational design rather than individual talent retention.
Although preserving talent is universally important, robust multi-strategy firms should navigate personnel changes and market swings through rigorous risk frameworks and operational efficiency.
Entering the market in early 2022 with billions in leveraged capital and fewer than twelve money managers, nearly every early-stage portfolio manager has either exited or departed from the $23 billion entity, save for former Goldman Sachs managing director Francesco Cafagna.
– Marwan Moubachir, the unit’s former head of risk, who is joining Dymon Asia
– Amu Latif, the onetime global head of macro trading
– Manas Baveja, a PM who is also joining Dymon Asia as the Singapore-based firm’s head of macro
– Ryan McCort, the unit’s top recruiter, who joined rival Brevan Howard last fall
Regardless of evolving naming conventions, the unit has continued to grow and expand.
After a critical juncture in late 2023 when the firm teetered on the brink of merging with larger competitor Millennium, Schonfeld significantly expanded its asset base and teams, driven in part by strong performance, notably a near-20% return in 2024 that ranked among peer firms.
Macro strategy has been pivotal to the firm’s recovery. The unit currently operates 45 trading pods, per a source familiar with management. By comparison, the firm’s overall investment staff exceeds that of Rokos Capital—a macro-focused hedge fund with comparable capitalization—but Rokos employs fewer than 100 individuals within its investment division, though the London-based firm places a substantial share of its assets under its billionaire founder Chris Rokos.
During trading periods, Schonfeld’s macro unit generated profits in 84% of months and achieved a Sharpe ratio exceeding 3, a measure comparing returns against associated risk.
The macro unit’s performance is not separately reported from the firm’s primary Partners fund, which saw a 6.8% annual increase following a modest 0.2% rise in August.
Even within this relatively young division, talent transitions have occurred, including individuals who previously collaborated with Lancaster and Parikh at Matador Investment Partners. Schonfeld executives view this firm as unique within an industry where high turnover is commonplace, not problematic; a source confirmed that company-wide portfolio manager turnover remains around 2% yearly.