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Hedge fund boss with 44% performance fee tops investor rich list

James Simons, founder and chairman of Renaissance Technologies, earned $1.7bn in 2017

James Simons, chairman and founder of Renaissance Technologies
James Simons, chairman and founder of Renaissance Technologies Photo: Getty Images

“When everyone is running around like a chicken with its head cut off, that’s pretty good for us.” That’s a quote from hedge-fund legend James Simons back in the days of the dot-com bubble in November 2000, but it still applies today.

Yes, the current climate has, indeed, been “pretty good” for Simons and his shareholders — just like most every other climate, it seems.

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