Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Paul Tudor Jones

Discover the career path of Paul Tudor Jones, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Paul Tudor Jones II is an American billionaire hedge fund manager, conservationist, and philanthropist. He founded Tudor Investment Corporation, a prominent asset management firm, in 1980. Eight years later, he established the Robin Hood Foundation, dedicated to poverty reduction. As of July 2024, his estimated net worth stands at $8.1 billion. He is known for his success in finance and his philanthropic endeavors.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1929: Market precedent

In 1987, Peter Borish, second-in-command to Jones at Tudor Investment Corporation, anticipated the crash by mapping the 1987 market against the market preceding the 1929 crash.

1976: Began Trading Career

In 1976, after graduating from the University of Virginia, Paul Tudor Jones began his trading career after being introduced to trading by his cousin, eventually being hired and mentored by commodity broker Eli Tullis to trade cotton futures at the New York Cotton Exchange.

1980: Founded Tudor Investment Corporation

In 1980, Paul Tudor Jones founded Tudor Investment Corporation, an asset management firm located in Stamford, Connecticut.

1986: Served as Treasurer of the New York Cotton Exchange

In 1986, Paul Tudor Jones served as treasurer of the New York Cotton Exchange.

1986: Adopted a sixth grade class

In 1986, after watching an episode of CBS News' 60 Minutes, Paul Tudor Jones adopted a sixth grade class in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, guaranteeing college scholarships to students that graduated from high school.

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November 1987: PBS documentary 'Trader'

In November 1987, PBS produced a documentary entitled 'Trader' which focused on Paul Tudor Jones's activities. The film shows Jones as a young man predicting the 1987 crash.

1987: Predicted Black Monday

In 1987, Paul Tudor Jones predicted Black Monday, tripling his money due to large short positions.

1987: Earned $100 Million

In 1987, Paul Tudor Jones' Tudor firm returned 125.9 percent after fees, earning an estimated $100 million.

1987: Anticipated the crash of 1987

In 1987, Peter Borish, second-in-command to Jones at Tudor Investment Corporation, anticipated the crash by mapping the 1987 market against the market preceding the 1929 crash.

1988: Front-page story

In 1988, at the age of 33, "The Wall Street Journal dedicated a front-page story to Paul Tudor Jones, calling him “the most-watched, most-talked-about man on Wall Street.”

1990: Returned 87.4 percent through shorting the market

In 1990, as the Japanese equities bubble was bursting, Jones returned 87.4 percent through shorting the market.

1991: Closed Tudor Select Fund

In 1991, Jones closed the Tudor Select Fund, a futures fund, and returned investor capital.

August 1992: Chairman of the New York Cotton Exchange

In August 1992, Paul Tudor Jones became the chairman of the New York Cotton Exchange.

1993: Co-founded the Everglades Foundation

In 1993, Paul Tudor Jones co-founded the Everglades Foundation, an organization that advocates for conservation of the Everglades.

1994: SEC Settlement

In 1994, Tudor paid a fine of $800,000 to the SEC to settle allegations of violating the uptick rule (part of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).

June 1995: End of term as Chairman

In June 1995, Paul Tudor Jones finished his term as chairman of the New York Cotton Exchange.

1997: Maintained Low Profile

In 1997, Paul Tudor Jones maintained a low profile within financial media circles, minimizing interviews with financial reporters. However, he made appearances on Larry King Live to promote his Save Our Everglades campaign and the Robin Hood Foundation.

2002: Leased Grumeti reserve

In 2002, Paul Tudor Jones leased the Grumeti reserve in Tanzania's western Serengeti.

2004: Founded Excellence Charter School

In 2004, Paul Tudor Jones founded the Excellence Charter School, the country's first all-boys charter school, located in the Bedford–Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York.

2006: Described as an American conservationist

In 2006, the New York Times described Paul Tudor Jones as an American conservationist, reporting on his leasing of the Grumeti reserve in Tanzania's western Serengeti in 2002.

April 2012: UVA Contemplative Sciences Center

In April 2012, the University of Virginia announced the creation of a new Contemplative Sciences Center through a $12 million gift from Paul Tudor Jones and his wife, Sonia.

October 2012: Bought Louis Dreyfus Highbridge Energy

In October 2012, Paul Tudor Jones, along with Glenn Dubin and Timothy Barakett, were among a group of investors buying the merchant energy operation Louis Dreyfus Highbridge Energy from Louis Dreyfus Company and Highbridge Capital Management.

2014: Returns for Tudor Clients Dimmed

In 2014, the New York Times noted that returns for Tudor clients had "dimmed" over the decade following Jones' "deliberate move to trade more conservatively, fewer big interest-rate and currency moves as central banks kept short-term rates near zero and more competition as the hedge fund universe has mushroomed.

2016: Awarded the Audubon Medal

In 2016, the National Audubon Society awarded Paul Tudor Jones the Audubon Medal in recognition of his contributions to conservation with economic sustainability and habitat protection.

November 2019: Estimated net worth

As of November 2019, Forbes Magazine estimated Paul Tudor Jones' net worth to be US$5.3 billion, making him the 343rd richest person on the Forbes 400 and the 7th highest-earning hedge fund manager.