Following the first quarter, alternatives compensation is projected to remain flat or see some modest increases, according to a report from Johnson Associates. While hedge fund performance has ticked back up after a tough 2018, high watermark challenges around performance fees remain, and that could lead to a disconnect between people’s expectations and their paychecks, says Alan Johnson, managing director of Johnson Associates.
“They’ve had a rough four to five year period,” he says of the hedge fund space. “In pay, we are seeing flat to maybe up a little bit.”
“If you’re the right quant in the right spot, you can make over a million,” Johnson says. “It’s not a shocking number anymore.”
More shocking in a way, Johnson says, are early career technologists who can command over $200,000. “Firms are really, really willing to pay for the right talent. It’s not so much seniority anymore,” he says.
Fund Fire / May 22, 2019