Billion-Dollar Hedge Fund’s Head Trader Quits To Take 'Career Break,' Market Shrugs
KEY POINTS
- •Stuart Brown, Viking Global’s head of trading, is stepping down in early 2026 after 18 years to take a career break.
- •Despite its $55 billion size, Viking returned only 8.6% in 2025, lagging behind the S&P 500 and its Tiger Cub peers.
- •Several senior staff including Ning Jin, Andrew Genser, Kevin Curtis, and Savina Boyadjieva have exited Viking in recent years for new ventures or other funds.
At Viking Global, a $55 billion hedge fund named after Vikings who probably weren’t great at stock picking either, Stuart Brown is stepping down after 18 years as head of trading. Brown leaves behind a fund that limped to an 8.6% return in 2025, appreciably worse than the S&P 500 and Tiger Cub siblings who load up on tech giants like Nvidia and Amazon. Viking’s hemorrhaging talent like a leaky ship—Ning Jin launched Avantyr Capital this August, Andrew Genser jumped to Avala Global last summer, Kevin Curtis tried his luck at Bobby Jain’s fund in September 2025, and Savina Boyadjieva just strolled into Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital. Even the tightly staffed 275-employee firm isn't immune to a talent drain that’s about as subtle as the fund's mediocre 'not tech-heavy' strategy. Viking’s plateauing performance is a stark reminder that being a Tiger Cub without the tiger’s bite mostly leaves you a tepid kitten in the hedge jungle.
Share the Story
When your $55B hedge fund posts less than 9% gains and your head trader quits for a career break, maybe it’s time to evaluate your life choices. But hey, at least the talent leaves stylishly and the tech stocks keep the party going without Viking.
Nothing says 'we’re struggling' like a billionaire’s hedge fund simultaneously losing half the senior team and barely beating a retirement account.
Viking Global made less money last year than your cousin’s fantasy football team, and now their head trader is taking a sabbatical. Executive burnout or financial meltdown? You decide.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 1/9/2026 | Author: Bradley Saacks
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