JPMorgan's Poker-Playing Head VIX Trader Jeremy Wien Leaving To Join Och-Ziff

JPMorgan vice president/head of VIX trading Jeremy Wien is leaving the bank to join hedge fund giant Och-Ziff, according to a memo obtained by Business Insider.

At his new job at Och-Ziff, Wien writes that he will be trading the fund's equity index derivatives book.

Wien, 29, joined JPMorgan Chase in March 2012. Prior to that, he worked at hedge fund PEAK6 Investments LP, his LinkedIn profile shows. He also did stints at SocGen and Goldman Sachs.

You might also remember Wien from the World Series of Poker. He's played in it a few times. He's also a great Tweeter during those tournaments. 

Here's the memo he sent to clients and colleagues: 

Dear Family, Friends, Clients, and Colleagues,     I am writing to inform you that I am leaving JP Morgan and will be joining Och Ziff Capital Management, where I will be trading the equity index derivatives book.  I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to join a firm with the successful track record of Och Ziff as well as the broad platform and experienced team, with an expansive knowledge base from which I can learn and grow over the coming years.   To my managers at JPM--I thank you for the opportunity you gave me a few years ago, and I appreciate very much that you afforded me the experience of working for a first-class organization, working with and learning from some of the most talented salespeople, traders, and strategists on The Street.   To my colleagues--thank you for all of your help in growing the VIX business, marketing the product broadly, and helping me to grow as a trader.  I also appreciate greatly all of your advice and encouragement regarding the best ways to lose a few pounds as well as to improve my fashion sense; rest assured that while I haven't necessarily heeded any of that advice to date, I assure you that I will at some point, so thank you.   To my clients--thank you for your business; I hope that I have provided the best service to your explicit needs on pricing, trade ideas, and the like, as well as going above and beyond those needs to help you better understand a complex product that can serve many useful investing and hedging purposes when properly utilized.  To the many of you whom I am fortunate to call friends, and to those of you with whom I maintain strictly a business relationship as well, please never hesitate to use me as a resource in the future, as a sounding board to kick around ideas and thoughts on equity vol, the VIX, the markets in general, or anything else we may enjoy discussing.

 

Also, during our research we came across this hilarious first dance wedding video of Wien and his wife Sarah. Enjoy!

Join the conversation about this story »