Fund manager wants eccentric intellectuals

Bramdean Asset Management, the boutique fund manager founded by Nicola Horlick - she of City superwoman status - is looking for two researchers, but they're unlikely to be run of the mill candidates.

At a reception last night, organised by the CFA Society of the UK, Horlick said the last addition to her five-strong research team was a former concert violinist from Goa with an 'amazing brain'.

Horlick mentored the musical prodigy, who turned to IT to pay the bills before coming to work for Bramdean. "We hired him on a six-month contract and before the six months were up my colleagues were begging him to stay," she said: "He became obsessed with private equity and hedge funds and started spouting the most amazing ideas."

Ideally, Horlick says she'd like to hire someone rather similar: "I'll just know when the right person comes along."

Realistically, however, she says one of the new hires will probably have a quant background to help analyse Bramdean's hedge fund investments.