Ken Griffin
Kenneth Cordele Griffin
Personal Information
Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Education & Background
Career Highlights
Wealth
Kenneth Cordele Griffin (born October 15, 1968) is an American billionaire hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist who serves as the founder, chief executive officer, co-chief investment officer, and 80% owner of Citadel LLC, one of the world's largest and most successful hedge funds.[1] He also founded and owns 85% of Citadel Securities, one of the largest market makers in the United States, handling approximately 47% of all U.S. Retail trading volume.[2]
With an estimated net worth of $48 billion as of August 2025, Griffin ranks among the 35 wealthiest individuals in the world.[3]
Griffin is legendary in financial circles for having started his investment career while an undergraduate at Harvard University, trading convertible bonds from his dormitory room.[4] He launched his first investment fund at age 19, just days after his birthday, and the fund's short positions profited from the Black Monday crash of October 1987.[5] Griffin founded Citadel in 1990 at age 22 with $4.6 million in capital.[6]
Griffin's art collection, valued near $800 million, includes Willem de Kooning's "Interchange" purchased for $300 million and Jackson Pollock's "Number 17A" purchased for $200 million - both acquired from David Geffen in 2015.[7]
Early life and education
Kenneth Cordele Griffin was born on October 15, 1968, in Daytona Beach, Florida.[8]
Griffin graduated from Harvard College in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in economics.[9] During his time at Harvard, he convinced administrators to install a satellite dish on his dormitory roof to receive stock quotes.[10]
Career
Early trading (1987-1990)
Griffin launched his first investment fund in 1987, just days after his 19th birthday, with capital from investors including his grandmother.[11]
Upon graduating from Harvard in 1989, Griffin moved to Chicago to work with Frank Meyer at Glenwood Capital Investments, where he generated approximately 70% annual returns.[12]
Citadel (1990-present)
In November 1990, Griffin founded Citadel LLC in Chicago with $4.6 million in assets under management.[13]
As of 2025, Citadel manages approximately $65 billion in assets.[14]
GameStop controversy (2021)
In January 2021, Citadel invested $2 billion in Melvin Capital during the GameStop short squeeze, drawing scrutiny from investors and Congress.[15]
Miami relocation (2022)
In 2022, Griffin announced Citadel's headquarters would move from Chicago to Miami, citing crime and taxes.[16]
Philanthropy
Griffin has donated over $2 billion to causes including education, medical research, and arts institutions.[17]
Major donations include $150 million to Harvard University and $125 million to the University of Chicago.[18]
Personal life
Griffin was married to Katherine Weingartt (1991-1996) and Anne Dias (2003-2015). He has three children with Dias.[19]
See also
References
- ↑ <ref>"Citadel Profile".{Template:Newspaper.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Citadel Securities Market Share".{Template:Newspaper.February 2, 2021.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Ken Griffin Forbes Profile".Forbes.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Ken Griffin's Harvard Start".{Template:Newspaper.September 2014.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Griffin Black Monday Profits".{Template:Newspaper.March 18, 2016.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Citadel Founding".{Template:Newspaper.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Griffin Art Collection".{Template:Newspaper.February 18, 2016.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Ken Griffin Biography".{Template:Newspaper.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Griffin Harvard Graduation".{Template:Newspaper.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Griffin's Harvard Satellite Dish".{Template:Newspaper.October 12, 2017.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Griffin First Fund".{Template:Newspaper.February 6, 2018.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Griffin at Glenwood".{Template:Newspaper.July 27, 2022.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Citadel Founding History".{Template:Newspaper.March 28, 2017.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Citadel AUM".{Template:Newspaper.January 22, 2024.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Citadel Melvin Capital Investment".{Template:Newspaper.January 25, 2021.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Citadel Moving to Miami".{Template:Newspaper.June 23, 2022.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Ken Griffin Philanthropy".{Template:Newspaper.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Griffin Harvard Donation".{Template:Newspaper.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>
- ↑ <ref>"Ken Griffin Divorce".{Template:Newspaper.April 16, 2015.Retrieved December 15, 2025.</ref>