Chris Rokos

Chris Rokos
Born (1970-09-21) 21 September 1970
London, U.K.
EducationEton College
Alma materPembroke College, Oxford University
OccupationHedge fund CEO
Known forRokos Capital Management, Brevan Howard
Children5

Christopher Charles Rokos (born 21 September 1970) is a British billionaire hedge fund manager. He is the founder of macro hedge fund Rokos Capital Management and a former founding partner of Brevan Howard Asset Management.

According to The Sunday Times Rich List in 2020, Rokos' net worth is estimated at £800 million.[1] In 2026, Forbes estimated his wealth at £2.3 bn[2][3].

Early life

Rokos received a scholarship to attend Eton College. Following the completion of his secondary education, Rokos studied mathematics at Pembroke College, Oxford University, graduating in 1992 with a first class honours degree.[4] He is a Foundation Fellow of Pembroke College.[5]

Career

Early career

After leaving university, Rokos joined UBS in London before moving to Goldman Sachs in October 1993 where he worked for three years. In January 1998, Rokos was recruited by Alan Howard to join Credit Suisse as a proprietary trader.[6][7]

Brevan Howard

In early 2002, Alan Howard and Rokos both resigned, together with three other directors at Credit Suisse – Jean Philippe Blochet, James Vernon and Trifon Natsis. Together, they founded an asset management business which they named Brevan Howard.[8]

At Brevan Howard, Rokos became widely known as one of the world's most influential government-bond traders. The positions he held were so vast Wall Street trading desks reportedly sought to stay informed of his views on the market, as they could move long-standing relationships between prices.[9] Between 2004 and 2012, Rokos generated $4 billion for Brevan's main fund.[10]

Rokos Capital Management

In 2012, Rokos retired from Brevan Howard, setting up a family office in London's Mayfair to manage his own wealth.[9][11] In the summer of 2014, Rokos filed a suit in the Royal Court of Jersey against Brevan Howard contesting the five-year noncompete restrictions which would have prevented him from managing outside capital until at least 2018.[12][13]

The case was settled out of court in January 2015, clearing the way for Rokos to start his own firm.[14] As part of the settlement, Brevan Howard took an unspecified financial stake in the new business, as well as supporting its setup.[15][16]

Rokos Capital Management began trading in the autumn of 2015, gaining approximately 20 per cent in its first calendar year (2016).[17] According to the Financial Times, Rokos Capital Management was helped by bets on market moves around Donald Trump's election victory.[18][19]

Rokos was one of a number of hedge fund managers who predicted the UK Referendum vote on EU membership incorrectly; the New York Times wrote that he had told associates that he expected the "remain" vote to win. Despite this, Rokos Capital Management gained more than 2.5 percent in a single day immediately after the vote.[20]

In 2017–2018, Rokos Capital Management's profits fell by 85% to £22.9 million.[21] In January 2019, Rokos sought to raise up to $900 million from investors.[22]

In February 2026, Chis Rokos was listed on the Sunday Times Tax list with an estimated £330 million paid in income tax.[23]

Political donations

Rokos was one of a number of hedge fund managers who made donations to Britain's Conservative Party under David Cameron in the run-up to the 2015 general election, contributing £1.9 million in total.[24][25] His last donation was made in 2018, during Theresa May's second ministry.[26]

Philanthropy

Rokos has given to Amnesty International and Water Aid, Chatham House and Policy Exchange.[27][28]

Rokos has supported the New Foundation Scholarships programme at Eton College since 2010. In 2025, a yard was named after him at the school.[29][30]

In addition, he has made financial contributions to Pembroke College, Oxford, including funding research scholarships and helping to redevelop the college's buildings. In 2023, a quad was named after him at the college.[30][31]

In 2010, the Financial Times reported that Rokos was understood to be the buyer of Domenichino's great baroque painting of "Saint John the Evangelist (Domenichino)" (1620s). The painting sold at Christie's in December 2010 to a US buyer but its export was deferred. At that point a new buyer – believed to be Rokos – came forward to buy the painting and lend it to the National Gallery.[32] Rokos was amongst major donors who in 2012 contributed to the National Gallery's successful Appeal to save Titians's Diana and Actaeon for the nation.[33]

In 2023, Rokos donated to the Royal United Services Institute.[28]

In 2026, Rokos committed £190 million to the University of Cambridge to establish the Rokos School of Government. The donation, which consists of an initial £130 million gift and £60 million in matching funds, is the largest single gift to a British university in modern times.[34] The school is intended to prepare future leaders to address global challenges by integrating the study of technology and the sciences with public policy and the humanities. It will be located in the university's West Cambridge Innovation District and is designed to become a global hub for policy research and education.[35][30]

Rokos has supported other initiatives at Cambridge, including the Girton Rokos internship programme and the Alexander Crummell PhD scholarship at Queen's College.[30]

Personal life

Tottenham House, Wiltshire, east front, in 2006
Hillside, Greenwich in 2023

Rokos has five children, and lives in London.[36]

In 2007, he bought a run-down four-storey grade II listed hotel in Pembridge Square, Kensington, London for £18 million, and in 2009 was ordered to pay for low-cost council housing in exchange for planning permission for a £20 million remodelling including four underground levels and two swimming pools.[37][38] In 2012, the local council again rejected his proposed plans for a 3,000 square metres home.[39]

He also owns Hillside on Crooms Hill in Greenwich, London, opposite Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption, who successfully blocked Rokos' planning application.[40]

He owns property in Wiltshire including Tottenham House, the grade I-listed former home of the Earl of Cardigan, near Marlborough.[41] In October 2024, it was reported that he could be liable to planning enforcement action if an application was not submitted and approved for "unlawful" work on the estate.[42]

He also owns an ocean-front mansion in Manalapan, Florida that was listed for sale in February 2025 for $150 million.[43]

References

  1. ↑ Times, The Sunday. "Rich List 2020: profiles 101-199=, featuring Sir Paul McCartney and Joanne Rowling". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "Christopher Rokos". Forbes. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  3. ↑ Sweney, Mark (2 April 2026). "Chris Rokos: the camera-shy billionaire behind the biggest UK university donation in modern times". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Raghavan, Anita (11 January 2017). "Chris Rokos Is Said to Be Seeking to Raise More Than $2 Billion". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  5. ↑ "Chris Rokos: Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank". www.chathamhouse.org. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  6. ↑ Raghavan, Anita (11 January 2017). "Chris Rokos Is Said to Be Seeking to Raise More Than $2 Billion". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  7. ↑ Martin, Ben (9 January 2026). "Billionaire Chris Rokos takes £477m share of firm's record profits". www.thetimes.com. The Times.
  8. ↑ Eschenbacher, Stefanie. "A glimpse inside the life of a Brevan Howard trader". www.fnlondon.com. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  9. 1 2 Chung, Juliet. "Brevan Howard Co-Founder to Leave Firm". The Wall Street Journal.
  10. ↑ "Star trader Rokos slugs it out with hedge fund he co-founded". Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "Ex-Brevan Howard star Rokos launches family office". Reuters. 17 January 2013.
  12. ↑ Fletcher, Laurence (26 August 2014). "Brevan's Ex-Star Trader Contesting Non-Compete Restriction". The Wall Street Journal.
  13. ↑ "Brevan Howard vs Rokos trial postponed to March 2015". Reuters. 25 September 2014.
  14. ↑ "$4 Billion Trader to Start Hedge Fund After Settling Suit With Brevan Howard". Bloomberg.
  15. ↑ Johnson, Miles (21 January 2015). "Brevan Howard settles dispute with star trader Rokos". Financial Times. Financial Times.
  16. ↑ Fletcher, Laurence (21 January 2015). "Brevan Howard Co-Founders Settle Noncompete Fight". The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal.
  17. ↑ Kumar, Nishant (10 January 2017). "Rokos Hedge Fund Said to Gain 20% in First Full Trading Year". Bloomberg. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  18. ↑ Fletcher, Laurence (7 March 2019). "Why macro hedge funds keep praying for a return of volatility". Financial Times. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  19. ↑ "Rokos Said to Climb 15% in 2016 as Hedge Funds Win on Trump". BloombergQuint. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  20. ↑ Raghavan, Anita (11 January 2017). "Chris Rokos Is Said to Be Seeking to Raise More Than $2 Billion". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  21. ↑ Times, The Sunday (12 May 2019). "Rich List 2019: profiles 152-200, featuring JK Rowling, Philip Green and Paul McCartney". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  22. ↑ Kumar, Nishant (7 January 2019). "Billionaire Chris Rokos Is Seeking $900 Million for New Hires". Bloomberg. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  23. ↑ Watts, Robert (31 January 2026). "Who are the UK's biggest taxpayers? The 2026 Tax List revealed". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  24. ↑ Raghavan, Anita (11 January 2017). "Chris Rokos Is Said to Be Seeking to Raise More Than $2 Billion". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  25. ↑ Rigby, Elizabeth; Parker, George; Jackson, Gavin (4 February 2015). "Number of big City backers for Tories doubles". Financial Times. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  26. ↑ Bow, Micheal (21 February 2024). "Former Tory donor reaps $1bn from successful US bet". The Telegraph. The Telegraph.
  27. ↑ Tremayne-Pengelly, Alexandra (2 April 2026). "British Billionaire Chris Rokos Makes Largest Modern-Era Gift to Cambridge". Observer. Observer.
  28. 1 2 Kumar, Nishant (31 March 2026). "Hedge Fund Manager Rokos Gives Record £190 Million to Cambridge". Bloomberg. Bloomberg.
  29. ↑ Woolcock, Nicola (31 March 2026). "Billionaire donates record £190m to Cambridge University". www.thetimes.com. The Times.
  30. 1 2 3 4 Mourselas, Costas; Smyth, Chris (31 March 2026). "Billionaire Chris Rokos donates record £190mn to Cambridge university". Financial Times. Financial Times.
  31. ↑ Rayner, Gordon (31 March 2026). "Billionaire gives Cambridge record £190m donation". www.telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph.
  32. ↑ "The Art Market: Old Masters". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
  33. ↑ "National Galleries pay Duke of Sutherland 45m pounds for second Titian". The Herald. The Herald. 1 March 2012.
  34. ↑ McGough, Kate (31 March 2026). "British billionaire to donate £190m to Cambridge University". BBC News. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  35. ↑ "Cambridge to establish Rokos School of Government". University of Cambridge. 31 March 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  36. ↑ "Chris Rokos: Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank". www.chathamhouse.org. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  37. ↑ Gammell, Caroline (26 April 2009). "Millionaire fund manager 'ordered to buy low cost housing for planning permission'". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
  38. ↑ RW (7 August 2007). "Hamiltons Architects behind 'opulent' new home in Kensington". The Architects’ Journal. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  39. ↑ Bloomfield, Ruth (13 April 2012). "Back to the drawing board for hedge fund boss's £38m dream". The Standard. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  40. ↑ Metcalfe, Christian (3 December 2007). "Top barrister thwarts hedge fund tycoon's move into walls". Estates Gazette. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
  41. ↑ Watts, Robert (24 January 2026). "Inside the UK's most expensive home renovation — at £175m". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  42. ↑ "Billionaire 'could be liable to enforcement action' over work on mansion". Wiltshire Times. 31 October 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  43. ↑ Clarke, Katherine (14 February 2025). "Exclusive | British Billionaire Chris Rokos Wants $150 Million for His Florida Mansion". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
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