Quant Trader -> Activist Fund

Currently a student at a top school and based on my skill set and interests, becoming a quant trader after graduation seems viable. However, I’ve become very interested in activist investing and would like to work at an activist fund down the line. It doesn’t seem possible to go to an activist fund right after graduation and the general path I see to an activist fund is MM PE -> activist fund. Is it possible to go from trading at a prop/quant HF firm to an activist fund? I’d assume the main issue is the difference between a quant-based and fundamental investing approach. 

8 Comments
 

I don’t like to use the word impossible, but making the switch from a quant or prop trading type role to a hedge fund that employs a fundamental approach is near impossible without first maybe getting an MBA. They are two completely different skill sets and jobs. Quants are basically SWE/data scientists. A seat at an activist fund would be hard enough to get a job at even if you went the typical route.

 

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