If you’re a Russian (or Kazakh) woman who wants to work in hedge funds and you don’t know who Galia Velimukhametova is, you are missing out. Financial News had an excellent profile of her recently. Here’s our summary:

One of the world’s top female hedge fund managers

Since 2008, Galia has worked for GLG Renaissance, the London hedge fund. She manages the $150m GLG European Distressed fund, which has achieved annualised returns of around 29% since launch.

And a mother

Galia is currently on maternity leave, but is coming back in January.

A Kazakh

Galia spent her childhood inKazakhstanbefore going on to study atMoscowUniversityat 17.

A child genius

Galia excelled at mathematics and was sent to a special school for gifted children. By the age of 15, she was a national maths champion.

A US MBA

Like many top bankers and hedge fund managers, Galia went to America to study her MBA. From there, she went to London.

Breaking away from the emerging markets stereotype

Galia worked for Baring Asset Management and Rothschild Asset management and then joined JPMorgan. Keen not be stereotyped as a Russia or emerging markets research, she moved into fixed income research before high yield and distressed debt. From there, she moved into prop trrading and into her first hedge fund in 2007. She joined GLG in 2008.

How to invest now

Velimukhametova’s advice for surviving the next year is simple: "stay liquid, stay nimble, stay balanced and stay focused on analysing corporate fundamentals."