There’s a new interesting rich list in our favorite magazine Quote. Even better than the usual Quote 500 list – with most “traders” being investors at the right time and place. Early founders in Optiver and IMC.

The new list was published in the May June edition, and is a ranking of self made millionaires under 40. Most successful former open outcry traders are way too old to be included in list –  so finally we have some view on traders who made their money in the screen trading era.

Nr 40 Bram Bastiaansen (31jr) 10mio Amsterdam Capital Trading
Nr 41 Jaap Janssen (32) 10mio Amsterdam Capital Trading
Never heard of this firm ACT, checked their website in eight languages and they must be doing something with trading in CO2 on behalf of clients. Founders sold their company to to Antea Participations for a tidy sum.

Nr 42 Pim Bertens (37jr) 10mio Binck
Started as market maker in the open outcry era for AOT, after a period with IMG founded Binck with three others. Sold Binck to AOT. The other founders did probably even better, but Hanneke Nieuwenhuis, Thierry Schaap and Kalo Begijn are over 40.

Nr 45 Ivo Geijsen (32jr) 9mio IMC
Only one IMC trader in the list. Company is earning a lot in Chicago. The manager received almost 18 million US dollar bonus in two years. Seems there’s a pyramid style pay at IMC, but the Quote researchers have missed Robin van Boxsel : same level as Ivo.

Nr 53 Alco Pieren (33jr) 8mio Optiver/Tibra
Nr 60 Johan Hoekstra (39jr) 7mio Optiver
Nr 77 Maarten van Amstel (34jr) 4mio Optiver
Nr 86 Simon Soet (33jr) 4mio Optiver
Nr 93 Stefan Kip (33jr) 3mio Optiver
Nr 95 Bas Koeling (34) 3mio Optiver
That’s an impressive list of Optiver traders who earned a small fortune.

However, there is a small catch. Only bonuses paid to to holding companies (Ltds, BV’s) are visible to the researchers from Quote. When your bonus is paid out directly into your bank account, it will remain invisible for the researchers. Except of course when bonus lists are aren’t kept confidential (IMC Chicago).

There are a quite a few traders which Quote must have missed, apart from Robin van Boxsel. Who should make it to the list, more IMC traders? The Kokomo brothers? Flow Traders anyone? Any lucky survivor from All Options? Scrocca? On the other hand, 3 million euro net worth is a lot – tax is definitely eating a big share.

Jack