There will be a Jobs for Mathematicians Fair on Tuesday 19 November 2024, 16:00-18:00 at the Mathematical Institute.
16:00
Fridays@4 – Trading Options: Predicting the Future in More Ways Than One
Abstract
In the fast-paced world of trading, where exabytes of data and advanced mathematical models offer powerful insights, how do you harness these to anticipate market shifts and evolving prices? Numbers alone only tell part of the story. Beneath the surface lies the unpredictable force of human behaviour – the delicate balance of buyers and sellers shaping the market’s course.
In this talk, we’ll uncover how these forces intertwine, revealing insights that not only harness data but challenge conventional thinking about the future of trading.
Speaker: Chris Horrobin (Head of European and US people development for Optiver)

Speaker bio
Chris Horrobin is Head of European and US people development for Optiver. Chris started his career trading US and German bond options, adding currency and European index options into the mix before moving to focus primarily on index options. Chris spent his first three years in Amsterdam before transferring to Sydney.
During these years, Chris traded some of the biggest events of his career including Brexit and Trump (first time around) and before moving back to Europe led the positional team in his last year. Chris then moved out of trading and into our training team running our trading education space for four years, owning both the design and execution of our renowned internship and grad programs.
The Education Team at Optiver is central to the Optiver culture and focus on growth – both of employees and the company. Chris has now extended his remit to cover the professional development of hires throughout the business.
Moffitt Cancer Center is the top cancer hospital in Florida, and we proudly collaborate with the University of South Florida to offer top-notch doctoral programs. We continually seek highly-motivated, research-oriented students, and hope you will discuss Moffitt Cancer Center with your current students and technicians as an option for their PhD training.