Yiran Zhu discusses his journey to the Global Finals of the 2023 International Quant Championship.
Where did you grow up?
Anji, Southeastern China.
What did you study at university?
Mathematics – more precisely operational research.
How did you get interested in quantitative finance?
From my own equity investment experience in my personal time, I found the idea of using signals to trade very interesting. This experience also fits closely with my background in mathematics and computer science.
How did you hear about the International Quant Championship?
From the university career event’s website.
How did it feel to be one of the winners?
Unbelievable. I believe all the teams in the IQC Finals were excellent and deserving of the win.
What do you want to get out of the BRAIN Consultancy Program?
I hope to take advantage of this opportunity to know more about global markets and also use BRAIN to test my new alpha ideas.
What do you like most about the BRAIN platform?
The availability of high-quality data and the convenience of implementing ideas. Usually, data cleaning consumes a significant amount of time, however BRAIN takes care of data cleaning for me, allowing me to focus on finding techniques and methodologies that excite me.
How do you come up with ideas for new alphas?
I read academic research papers and also think of different ways to implement the same alpha ideas.
What is the most challenging part about doing quant finance research?
To deal with failure. Usually, an idea cannot be easily converted into submittable alphas. It requires significant amount of work to derive good implementation. On average, I need to try around 100 simulations before finding a decent alpha.
How has your experience working with WorldQuant and the IQC helped shape your career goals?
My experience with WorldQuant and the IQC has solidified my desire to pursue a career in quantitative finance research.
What advice would you give others considering getting involved with WorldQuant BRAIN and competing in the IQC?
Consider it as a valuable learning experience and maintain your curiosity. You’ll be amazed by what you can achieve if you stay committed throughout the competition.”