Nico Schlaefer
About Nico Schlaefer
Nico Schlaefer is a Co-Founder of Nova Prospect and an Advisor to the CEO at Citadel Securities. He has a strong background in quantitative research and computer science, having previously held various leadership roles at Citadel Securities and contributed to the development of IBM's Watson system.
Work at Nova Prospect
Nico Schlaefer serves as a Co-Founder at Nova Prospect, a position he has held since 2022. The company operates out of Singapore and focuses on innovative solutions in the financial technology sector. His role involves leveraging his extensive experience in quantitative research and trading to guide the company's strategic direction and development.
Previous Experience at Citadel Securities
Nico Schlaefer has held multiple positions at Citadel Securities, contributing significantly to the firm's quantitative research and trading operations. He worked as a Quantitative Researcher from 2012 to 2016, and later as Head of Alternative Data Alpha Research from 2016 to 2018. He also served as Head of Equities Event Book from 2019 to 2021 and Head of Equities Riskbook from 2021 to 2022. In these roles, he built a leading Statistical Arbitrage trading business and developed a highly regarded team of Quantitative Researchers and Developers.
Education and Expertise
Nico Schlaefer has a strong academic background in Computer Science. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Carnegie Mellon University from 2007 to 2011. Prior to that, he completed his Dipl.-Inform. at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) from 2002 to 2007. He also studied at the National University of Singapore from 2004 to 2005, further enhancing his expertise in the field.
Research Internships at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
Nico Schlaefer completed three research internships at IBM T.J. Watson Research Center in 2008, 2009, and 2010, each lasting three months. During these internships, he contributed to various research projects, including the development of IBM's Watson system, which gained fame for competing on the Jeopardy! TV show and defeating top human players.
Current Role as Advisor to the CEO at Citadel Securities
Since 2022, Nico Schlaefer has been serving as Advisor to the CEO at Citadel Securities. In this capacity, he provides strategic insights and guidance based on his extensive experience in quantitative finance and risk management, helping to shape the company's future initiatives and operational strategies.