Alessio Xien Zhou spent a decade at Goldman Sachs, where he most recently led CEEMEA equity cash and derivatives trading. Zhou was promoted to managing director in November 2025 but is understood to have departed the bank approximately one month later before completing a period of gardening leave.
His move follows another high-profile Goldman departure to Dubai. Macro trading managing director Daniel Dangoor recently joined multi-strategy hedge fund ExodusPoint Capital, further underlining the emirate’s growing appeal as a destination for experienced investment professionals.
Zhou’s appointment continues a broader trend of departures from Goldman Sachs’ emerging markets equities franchise, which has seen a number of senior traders and portfolio managers leave for hedge funds in recent years.
Among the most notable exits was former head of EMEA equities trading Ediz Karahasanoglu, who joined LMR Partners in 2025. Based in London, Karahasanoglu’s move strengthened the hedge fund’s senior investment team and has fuelled speculation that existing relationships may be helping attract additional Goldman talent to the firm.
LMR has also continued to build its Dubai investment platform beyond senior portfolio managers. Earlier this year, the firm hired Paris Nikolau from Verition as a long/short equity analyst, adding further research capabilities to its regional operation.
Goldman Sachs reportedly declined to comment on the personnel changes.
