Kenneth Cordele Griffin (born October 15, 1968) is an American hedge fund manager, entrepreneur, and investor who serves as the founder, chief executive officer, and co-chief investment officer of Citadel LLC, one of the world's largest and most profitable alternative investment firms. As of early 2026, he is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in global finance and a prolific political donor and philanthropist. Born in Daytona Beach, Florida, Griffin was raised in Boca Raton, where he displayed an early aptitude for business and mathematics. He attended Harvard University, where he began his career in finance. During his sophomore year in 1987, he famously persuaded the university administration to allow him to install a satellite dish on the roof of his dormitory to receive real-time stock quotes. Operating from his room, he began trading convertible bonds, a venture that proved successful and attracted the interest of external investors. He graduated from Harvard in 1989 with a degree in economics. Following graduation, Griffin worked briefly at Glenwood Capital Investments, where he managed a portion of the firm's capital and achieved significant returns. In 1990, he founded Citadel with approximately $4.6 million in assets under management. Under his leadership, the firm grew into a multinational financial institution utilizing advanced quantitative analytics and sophisticated software. In 2002, Griffin expanded his reach by founding Citadel Securities, which became one of the largest market-making firms in the United States, providing liquidity to financial institutions and playing a critical role in the global capital markets. Griffin’s professional career has been marked by substantial growth in his firm's assets and his personal wealth, which has frequently placed him among the wealthiest individuals in the world. He maintained a long-term base in Chicago for both his business operations and personal life. However, in 2022, he relocated Citadel’s global headquarters to Miami, Florida, a move he attributed in part to concerns regarding crime and the business climate in Illinois. In the political sphere, Griffin is a prominent donor, often identifying as a “Reagan Republican.” He has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to Republican candidates, PACs, and conservative causes, advocating for free-market policies and limited government. His political spending has made him one of the most significant individual donors in the United States. Griffin’s philanthropic endeavors are extensive, with total lifetime donations often exceeding $2 billion. His giving primarily targets education, medical research, and cultural institutions. Notable contributions include historic gifts to Harvard University, his alma mater, and major support for institutions such as the University of Chicago and the Art Institute of Chicago. He is also a noted collector of fine art, often acquiring works of significant historical and monetary value. Regarding his personal life, Griffin has been married twice. His first marriage was to Katherine Weingartt (1991–1996), and his second was to Anne Dias-Griffin (2003–2015). He is a father of five children. Despite his high profile as a financier, Griffin has generally maintained a degree of privacy regarding his family life while remaining a central figure in American financial and political discourse.