“He needed Ferraris,” Sussman says. “We bought him Ferraris.”10 Shaw, a supercomputing expert, hired math and science PhDs who embraced his scientific approach to trading. He also brought on whip-smart employees from different backgrounds. English and philosophy majors were among Shaw’s favorite hires, but he also hired a chess master, stand-up comedians, published writers, an Olympic-level fencer, a trombone player, and a demolitions specialist. “We didn’t want anyone with preconceived notions,” an early executive says.11
