Henry B. Laufer is an American businessman, mathematician, and billionaire co-founder of Renaissance Technologies, one of the world's most successful quantitative hedge funds. Born in 1945 into a Jewish family, his career is rooted in elite academia. He is a math prodigy who earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1965 and became a professor, focusing on complex variables and algebraic topology at SUNY Stony Brook.

Laufer's strategic move to finance came in 1988 when he co-founded the legendary Medallion Fund with Jim Simons (another mathematician). His commitment to using advanced mathematical models and proprietary algorithms for financial trading was foundational to the firm's unparalleled success in the hedge fund industry.

Henry Laufer left academia in 1992 to join Renaissance Technologies, where he served as Chief Scientist and Vice President of Research. His structural role involved developing the mathematical models that drive the firm's trading, allowing the highly secretive Medallion Fund to achieve extraordinary returns, even during periods of market crisis (earning $390 million in reported income in 2009). He remains on the Board of Directors of Renaissance Technologies.

His immense wealth is secured by his long-term stake in the firm and its successful quantitative strategies. Laufer is an active philanthropist, focusing on education, global health, and the arts. He and his wife, Dr. Marsha Zlatin Laufer, are major donors, with his giving including support for the Duke Global Health Institute and donations of art to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Henry Laufer's social impact is structural, stemming from Renaissance Technologies' role in pioneering the field of quantitative finance and achieving massive capital efficiency in financial markets. His philanthropic commitment to global health and mathematics education is massive and structural, providing resources for scientific advancement.

His career is a testament to the profitability of translating pure mathematics and scientific rigor into complex, high-yield financial strategies.

Henry Laufer maintains the professional, intellectual style of a mathematician and hedge fund executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects his stability and intellectual authority, befitting a multi-billionaire in the secretive world of quantitative finance.

Residing in Lake Worth, Florida, his luxury is the immense security and autonomy derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to mathematical finance, art collecting, and his profound commitment to philanthropic causes.