Peng Zhao on artificial intelligence

About Peng Zhao

Peng Zhao, CEO of Citadel Securities, has been a frequent participant in public discussions about market structure, technology, and talent. At the 2025 Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit, he predicted that Hong Kong could surpass London as a leading global financial center, citing its talent, infrastructure, and strategic position. He also said that a potential surprise for 2026 could be the re-emergence of traditional checks and balances in the U.S. Congress, leading to increased oversight. In a separate interview, Zhao stated that regulation is holding back companies from going public, and that the negative side effects of being a public company are giving firms pause. He noted that Citadel Securities is not currently considering an IPO. Zhao has also spoken extensively about the firm's approach to talent and technology. He described the firm's culture as one of meritocracy, where the best ideas win, and emphasized that the most valuable resource is talent, not GPUs. He said that the firm uses more than 100 petabytes of data to make decisions and has been practicing the art of making sense of data and making automated decisions for years. Zhao added that the firm is focused on staying on the cutting edge of AI, applying it to areas where the firm has conviction, and that every improvement made is worth a lot because it can be put into production within days. He also stated that the firm is growing at a record pace, driven by both core businesses and newer ventures like credit market making.

Profile compiled from Peng Zhao's verified public interviews and appearances. See all quotes & transcripts →