Born in New York City, raised in Rome and now living his version of the good life on the Gulf of Mexico, Christopher Castroviejo is the kind of guy you really want to help you with your money. He’s made, lost and made back more coin in his lifetime than a hundred average Joe’s will ever see.
The son of a Spanish immigrant and his American bride, Christopher grew up with a pedigree to succeed. His grandfather was “Sell ‘Em Ben” Bernard Smith, one of the few people to famously make money during the stock market crash of 1929. And his dad wasn’t just any immigrant passing through Ellis Island; Dr. Ramon Castroviejo did highly advanced ophthalmology research at the Mayo Clinic, leading to his invention of the corneal transplant still in use today.
With role models like those, resting on his laurels wasn’t an option for young Christopher, who graduated in the top 3 of his prep school class. By age 16, Christopher was fluent in four languages and got his first job on Wall Street as a Senior Order Clerk at Pershing and Company. Then, it was on to Harvard College to study economics and Columbia Business School, where he graduated as valedictorian of the executive program. The financial markets called, and Christopher answered with an energy, enthusiasm, and fresh approach that would prove to be very lucrative for him and his clients.
Christopher’s resume’ and track record on Wall Street became something of legend; stints with Smith Barney, J.P. Morgan, a partnership at Bear Stearns, financial consultant for The Vatican Bank to name a few. Christopher was hot and getting hotter. He is reputed to have turned 10,000 into $178,000 in 4 weeks and also is reputed to have generated 8 straight years of 33% compounded profits as a top hedge fund manager. He lived in a sleek Manhattan brownstone and a spacious summer getaway in the tony Hamptons. Christopher even struck up a friendship with his money making idol, billionaire George Soros.
Along with multi-million dollar wins, there were a few huge losses; in just six short weeks, $10,000 became a cool million, and quickly nothing but air. And, in one monumental transaction gone wrong, Christopher lost $15 million dollars in just a few months…$1.5 million of it his own money. But, unlike the Vegas poker player who can’t leave the table, Christopher learned from the missteps as well as the wins. “You have to reinvent your performance all the time. I used to see the business as just about orchestrating wins, but the rational way of thinking about it is really about controlling your losses.”
As the Washington Post’s Jay Mathews said in a glowing 3 page feature about Christopher, “His first love remains the pulsating creature that leaps out of his computer screens each morning, an embodiment of dollars and yen, 21 day moving averages, bankruptcy, price-earnings ratios, oil, silicon and fear. He is not likely to abandon it, or let anyone else near it who does not meet his standards.” Not anymore.
Christopher is now putting his decades of big Wall Street wins and vast insider knowledge to work to empower the Everyman. While continuing to successfully trade himself, Christopher also spends much of his days teaching others the knowledge and systems they need to succeed on The Street. “Overall, the markets have been very, very good to me down through the years. “There’s nothing more satisfying at this stage in my life than to help a man or woman achieve their piece of the American dream” says Christopher from his well appointed home as the Gulf breeze blows in through the open French doors. A very worthwhile sentiment from an immigrant’s son, ever appreciative of the good fortune the USA, and a lot of hard work,has given him.
Christopher’s volunteer activities have included serving as Chairman of the Sheltering Arms Children’s Service, the oldest and largest non sectarian child care agency in the City of New York, and contributing as a director of the Matinecock Neighborhood Association, Long Island’s first social service volunteer group. He has also served as a trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the Harvard Medical School Center for Blood Research and as a trustee of the Fay School.
Christopher has appeared in media including the New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Business Week, National Public Radio, Bloomberg TV, and CNBC. To arrange an interview with Christopher Castroviejo, contact Hedge Fund Trader X or email at castroviejo@smarttradepro.com
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