Billionaire Ken Griffin paid for some 1,200 Asia-based staff and family members to travel to Tokyo’s Disney resort for a three-day celebration for his companies’ anniversary.
The founder of Citadel picked up the expenses tab for employees from six Asia Pacific offices including Hong Kong and Sydney for Oct. 27-29, while also treating them to performances by Maroon 5 and Calvin Harris, the company said. Griffin and Zhao Peng, chief executive officer of Citadel Securities LLC, were at the event.
The trips were arranged in celebration of Citadel’s 30th and Citadel Securities’ 20th anniversaries, which were delayed by Covid. About 300 children of staff also attended. In December, Griffin flew US and European colleagues and their families to Orlando, Florida for the same reason. Griffin’s firms generated $35.5 billion in revenue last year.
Citadel and Citadel Securities have more than 400 people in Asia. The two firms opened three new offices and doubled headcount in the region in the last three years. Hong Kong is the largest operation for both companies. Citadel plans to open a Tokyo office next year.
Citadel’s multistrategy flagship Wellington fund gained 1.7% in September, bringing its 2023 performance to 12.6%, according to returns seen by Bloomberg. The S&P 500 Index is up 7% this year.
(Updates with plan to open an office in Tokyo next year in fourth paragraph)
