Very supposedly layoffs are planned to go down “some time this week, possibly as early as today” at DE Shaw. Apparently, not to worry, the cuts “will not affect any A-team players. This is just a cutting of fat.” Given that the firm went through axings as recently as June (“a result of efficiency right-sizing analysis”) we’re skeptical. If you (David) know anything, let us know.
Earlier: Diabolical Genius At DE Shaw

Comments (52)

  1. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 11:47 AM

    “”will not affect any A-team players. ”
    what a complete and total douche

  2. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 11:50 AM

    @1 spoken like a member of the b-team

  3. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 11:53 AM

    dave, I hope your layoffs go well

  4. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 11:55 AM

    I love it when a plan comes together.
    - Face

  5. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 11:56 AM

    @4 what the hell does that mean

  6. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 11:57 AM

    I”ve heard the same thing.
    -lenny dykstra

  7. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 11:59 AM

    @5 it means the conversion of the farmer’s chicken truck into a rocket-firing armored personnel carrier is just about complete.

  8. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:00 PM

    I love the smell of firings in the morning

  9. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:00 PM

    @4 is showing his age. Put it away.
    - Mr. T

  10. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:01 PM

    @9 or in my mouth.
    -sw

  11. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:02 PM

    @5 get with the program, fool.
    also, de shaw had put on a lot of weight recently due to excessive blueberry pie eating contests. plenty of fat left to be cut on this chubchub.

  12. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:03 PM

    @11 i don’t know why but “chubchub” made me laugh.

  13. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:05 PM

    I pity the fool who incorrectly attributes Hannibal’s famous tag line to Face.

  14. Posted by NakedShort | August 25, 2009 at 12:09 PM

    Golf shirts, hats, fleeces now on the Handbridge Capital Store

  15. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:17 PM

    @13 I couldn’t remember Hannibal and was too lazy to Google from my IPhone. Senility and all that.

  16. Posted by Mark Klein MD | August 25, 2009 at 12:19 PM

    It makes sense that a firm that relies entirely on computers to make high frequency trades of dark pools is laying people off. It could be one of two things: they just bought more computers or the downturn is affecting them as well. After speaking with my Senator, he assures me that it won’t be too much longer until this whole firm is out of work.

  17. Posted by Anal_yst | August 25, 2009 at 12:22 PM

    @Mark Klein MD
    Please GTFO, you are even more out of your element here than you were on NY Times Dealbook.
    Believe it or not, I say this for your own good, because I’m alot nicer (for now) than the rest of the sharks (with lasers and mean coke habits)

  18. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:24 PM

    That doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, for numerous reasons. Who ist this Mark Klein MD gal and why is she allowed to post here?

  19. Posted by Seaman Bodine II | August 25, 2009 at 12:31 PM

    @16
    douche-nick-dennis-kneale-glory-hole-stain
    shaw fires 1/3rd of the firm every 4 years…has more to do with expanding into markets it has no real core competency in, due to printing money in areas they pretty much invented

  20. Posted by Seaman Bodine II | August 25, 2009 at 12:35 PM

    Bigger Douche?
    Mark Klein MD
    or
    Seaman Bodine II

  21. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:40 PM

    @19 nailed it. And my guess is that with everyone and their dog and their dog’s pet Hadassah CFO wanting to get into HF trading, the resulting profit compression means that sort of style drift across the industry is just beginning.

  22. Posted by Seaman Bodine II | August 25, 2009 at 12:41 PM

    @21 it would scare some to know i survived one of these “iterations” at desco in 98

  23. Posted by Investorcluzo | August 25, 2009 at 12:42 PM

    I pity the fool that is not on my team…(take that @5 and @1)

  24. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:42 PM

    they have more than 1,000 people. they cut people every year in areas where their “experiments” are not bearing fruit. they have enough spare cash they can afford to hire some people and see what pops up. usually nothing does and then DE cuts them.

  25. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:44 PM

    @20
    That’s a toughy.. Guy who calls himself “MD” or guy who calls himself “II”? In my opinion, MK MD is more of a tool, and you’re more of a douche.

  26. Posted by Seaman Bodine II | August 25, 2009 at 12:45 PM

    @25
    i locked myself out of the original seaman bodine account
    so, how does that knowledge affect your assesment?

  27. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:46 PM

    oh for the love of God, don’t let that MARK KLEIN MD guy start posting on DB —- every f’ing post at Dealbook….there he was with an asinine comment

  28. Posted by Tax Chick | August 25, 2009 at 12:51 PM

    @SBII – Definitely some loser using the MD moniker on a finance site.

  29. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 12:54 PM

    The reason they didn’t cut any “A-team players” is because their a-team is made up of the servers and algos used to trade. At the Shaw the fat refers to anyone that needs oxygen to survive. It’s like iRobot, but without Will Smith making faces and going “whoo”.

  30. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:02 PM

    They’re oh so sophisticated algos like selling the S&P vol skew or buying order flow from Schwab? How do these guys stay in business? Is Jeff Bezoz funding them with Amazon converts?

  31. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:02 PM

    @26
    Still a douche.

  32. Posted by Seaman Bodine II | August 25, 2009 at 1:02 PM

    @29
    actually, it’s one of the most “human” places to work, not just in finance, but across any industry

  33. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:03 PM

    I interviewed with DE Shaw. They handed me an exam with a bunch of abstract questions and logic nonsense. I balled it up, threw it at the HR subhuman they had administering the test to me and then took down one of each item in the nearest vending machine.
    Needless to say,
    CEO of a Hedge Fund

  34. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:03 PM

    @29…have you ever worked at a HF Trading firm? Because you sound like you don’t. It takes people to build the algorithms, oversee the trading, and code the systems. We haven’t gotten to Terminator-esque self-aware HF trading systems yet.

  35. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:07 PM
  36. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:19 PM

    sbII you suck harder than a nilfisk, you suck harder than taxchick sucks cluzo’s dick and he told me she sucked it so hard it was an inch longer when she was done.

  37. Posted by Tubby | August 25, 2009 at 1:42 PM

    And yet amazingly enough, they currently have 4 jobs posted on the recruiting system at my undergrad…

  38. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:43 PM

    Total victory by @ 33!! Well played!!

  39. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:46 PM

    @37 not that amazing, actually pretty standard.
    ps stfu, college!

  40. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 1:53 PM

    33 was epic

  41. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 2:22 PM

    this mark klein guy wouldn’t know a convertible bond from a convertible car. get it???
    - Jefferies SVP

  42. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 2:36 PM

    I get the feeling that Mark Klein MD and a few others just escaped the ZH peanut gallery to come here to play. Or did this guy used to work for Jefferies & Co?

  43. Posted by Anal_yst | August 25, 2009 at 3:22 PM

    @42
    Just hope the Denninger tin foil crowd doesn’t make it over here

  44. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 3:42 PM

    @22 You survived a housecleaning at Desco, the vacuum parts distributor?

  45. Posted by Seaman Bodine II | August 25, 2009 at 5:03 PM

    gay gayer gayest
    (1) seaman bodine II
    (2) mark klein md
    (3) comment @44

  46. Posted by guest | August 25, 2009 at 6:47 PM

    Jefferies SVP = Stupid Vlad Portnoy or Branko Stojanovic

  47. Posted by guest@33 | August 29, 2009 at 2:10 PM

    venidng machines? really?
    your story just lost crdibility. there are no vending machines at Shaw. all food/drinks are free on prmeises….

  48. Posted by guest@33 | August 29, 2009 at 2:10 PM

    venidng machines? really?
    your story just lost crdibility. there are no vending machines at Shaw. all food/drinks are free on site at Shaw….

  49. Posted by guest | August 29, 2009 at 3:52 PM

    dumb ass @47/48– where in the story does it say anything bout vending machines? it doesn’t? anywhere? kill yourself.

  50. Posted by guest | August 29, 2009 at 3:55 PM

    @49 it seems 47/48 was referring to the comment @33 which does reference vending machines. 47/48 is still a douche though, since it was A GOD DAMN JOKE, referencing all the food eating contests that were going down the day this story went up.

  51. Posted by guest | September 1, 2009 at 3:25 PM

    Does Bess get paid for this horse-crap? because I can conjure up random things, call them unfounded rumors, and then put quotes around things as well….sounds like a sweet gig!

  52. Posted by guest | September 1, 2009 at 3:26 PM

    51 = de shaw hr, over a week late to the damage control game.

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