GREG COFFEY
The Australian trader who dominated European macro, then walked away from $100M+ a year at 41
Made over $1 billion for GLG Partners in a single year. Was paid more than $100 million annually. Then quit at 41 and went home to Sydney. Greg Coffey might be the greatest macro trader most people have never heard of. He ran one of the most profitable desks in European hedge fund history, retired at the top, stayed out for six years, then came back in 2018 with A$3.5 billion of other people's money on day one. They called him the Wizard of Oz and he earned it.
Net Worth
$800 million
Verified Aug 2026
Nationality
Australian
Time Horizon
Medium-Term
Risk Appetite
9 / 10
Net Worth Context
- · 800x the average American's lifetime earnings, stacked and waiting.
CAREER & BACKGROUND
Born in Sydney in April 1971. Went to St Patricks College, Strathfield, then read economics at Macquarie University, graduating in 1995.
He joined Macquarie Bank in 1993 and was trading emerging-market equity derivatives at Bankers Trust and Deutsche Bank by the mid-1990s.
He moved to London and joined GLG Partners in 2003, which was at the time one of the largest hedge funds in Europe. At GLG, Coffey ran the emerging markets and macro trading books.
His performance was staggering. In 2007, he reportedly made over $1 billion in profits for GLG in a single year.
He was paid over $100 million annually, making him one of the highest-paid hedge fund traders in the world. He became known as the "Wizard of Oz" in London's financial district.
He announced his departure from GLG in April 2008 and left that October. A month later he became co-chief investment officer of Moore Europe Capital Management, Louis Bacons London arm, where he ran macro money for four more years.
In October 2012, at age 41, he retired at the top and went home to Australia, telling investors he could no longer give trading the intensity it demanded.
The pull of markets was too strong. In February 2018 he launched Kirkoswald Capital Partners with about A$3.5 billion of commitments, one of the largest hedge fund launches of that year.
He has been back in the game since, and in 2024 he backed the AI research firm Reflexivity alongside Stanley Druckenmiller.
COMPANIES & ROLES
GLG Partners was where he made his name — one of the most profitable traders in European hedge fund history. Between GLG and retirement he was co-CIO of Moore Europe Capital Management from 2008 to 2012.
After retirement, he launched Kirkoswald Capital Partners in February 2018. Outside markets he owns the Ardfin estate on the Scottish island of Jura, where he built a private golf course and hotel.
INVESTING STYLE & PHILOSOPHY
Macro and emerging markets trading. Coffey trades currencies, rates, and commodities based on global economic themes.
He has a particular edge in emerging markets — he understands the political and economic dynamics of countries most traders can't find on a map. His style is high-conviction, directional, and fast.
THE PLAYBOOK
Risk Approach
Extremely high. Coffey took enormous directional positions at GLG.
When you're making or losing hundreds of millions on single trades, the risk tolerance is off the charts. He's also comfortable with career risk — walking away from $100M+ per year at 41 takes a different kind of courage.
Money Habits
Left a $100M+ annual paycheck at 41 and went home to Sydney. That tells you everything about his relationship with money.
Coffey is wealthy but was never interested in the London hedge fund lifestyle. He spent the money on things he actually wanted, including the Ardfin estate on the Scottish island of Jura, where he built a private golf course.
When he came back to investing, he ran his fund from a smaller, more focused platform. He is motivated by the game, not the money.
BIGGEST WIN
The 2007 GLG run. Coffey reportedly generated over $1 billion in profits for GLG Partners in a single year, primarily through emerging market and macro trades.
It was one of the most profitable individual trading years in European hedge fund history. His personal compensation was over $100 million.
BIGGEST MISTAKE
The timing of his first retirement. Coffey left Moore Capital and fully retired in 2012 — which meant he missed the massive bull market from 2012 to 2018.
If he'd stayed trading through that period, his fortune would be significantly larger. He traded the hardest markets and sat out the easiest ones.
FINANCIAL PHILOSOPHY
Markets are driven by macro forces that most people ignore until it's too late. Coffey thinks globally — he looks at capital flows, political shifts, and economic cycles across continents.
He believes the biggest profits come from understanding what's happening in emerging markets before the mainstream catches on.
FAMILY & PERSONAL LIFE
Married to Ania, with children. Retired back to Sydney in 2012 and bought a Balmoral compound for $17.8 million.
He also owns the Ardfin estate on Jura in Scotland. Colleagues describe him as down-to-earth, competitive, and physically active.
EDUCATION
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Went to St Patricks College, Strathfield, then took a Bachelor of Economics at Macquarie University, finishing in 1995.
No Ivy League or Oxbridge education. His trading skills were built on the job, first at Macquarie Bank and then on London desks.
BOOKS & RESOURCES
The traders Coffey emulated were the original market wizards. His career reads like a chapter from this book
Soros's reflexivity theory influences how macro traders like Coffey think about markets
The classic speculator's memoir. Coffey's career has the same dramatic arc
As an Amazon Associate, Netfigo earns from qualifying purchases. Book links above may be affiliate links.
QUOTES (1)
The best emerging market trades happen when the politics change and the money hasn't moved yet.
NETFIGO SCORE
Proprietary 5-dimension investor rating
Risk Appetite
Contrarian Index
Track Record
Accessibility
Time Horizon
Related Profiles
Head-to-Head
Compare Greg Coffey vs another investor.