Early Life and Education
John Liew was born in 1967 or 1968. Both of Liew's parents were professors. He attended the University of Chicago, earning a B.A. in economics and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to earn an MBA and a Ph.D. in Finance, also from the University of Chicago. Liew met his wife, Serena J. Liew, at the University of Chicago, where she also studied.
Rise to Success
Liew began his career at Trout Trading, where he developed quantitative market-neutral stock-selection strategies. Later, he worked at Goldman Sachs in the Asset Management Division, where he developed and managed quantitative trading strategies. In 1998, Liew co-founded AQR Capital Management with Cliff Asness, David Kabiller, and Robert Krail. AQR focuses on traditional and alternative investment strategies and has approximately $200 billion of assets under management. Forbes listed Liew on their 2020 Billionaires list.
Key Business Strategies
Liew's focus at AQR is on research and portfolio management. His expertise lies in systematic, data-driven approaches to investment. AQR has a global presence with offices in several major cities around the world. The firm is primarily owned by its founders and principals, with a strong emphasis on quantitative research and risk management.
Philanthropy
Liew created the Liew College Fellows Fund to finance undergraduates who have unpaid research opportunities with the University of Chicago's faculty. In 2024, Liew and Asness donated $60 million to fund scholarships and enhance the Master of Finance program at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.
