Moroccan-Born Trader Hamza Lemssouguer Builds $20 Billion Hedge Fund in London
Casablanca – In 2020, Hamza Lemssouguer had the kind of offer most traders spend a lifetime chasing. Ken Griffin wanted him to run several billion dollars inside Citadel. He said no.
Six years later, that decision has turned into one of the sharpest rise stories in London finance. According to a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report published this week, the Moroccan-born trader now oversees $20 billion at Arini Capital, the credit hedge fund he launched in 2022 with $1.3 billion.
The paper describes him as the fastest-growing new hedge fund manager of his generation, citing Hedge Fund Research data.
Lemssouguer, 35, was born in Casablanca and grew up in a modest household, the son of a port worker and a teacher. A gifted math student, he later entered École Polytechnique in France before building his career in London, first at Credit Suisse, where he became known as one of Europe’s standout high-yield credit traders.
The WSJ notes that his early reputation was built on bold contrarian trades, including bets against Jaguar Land Rover debt years before launching his own firm.
Where Arini found its edge
Arini specializes in European credit, distressed debt, private lending, and complex financing structures for heavily indebted companies. On its website, Arini says it focuses on situations where traditional lenders are constrained, stepping in with flexible capital and deep sector research.
The model has become increasingly relevant in 2025 and 2026, as higher-for-longer interest rates across Europe continue to pressure overleveraged companies and push more borrowers toward private credit funds rather than banks.
This is the broader market story behind Lemssouguer’s rise. The global credit space has changed fast over the past two years. As banks pulled back from riskier corporate lending, alternative managers moved in, especially in Europe, where refinancing stress and restructuring activity have remained elevated.
Funds able to move quickly into distressed bonds, rescue financing, and bespoke debt deals have gained ground. Arini has positioned itself squarely in that lane, using aggressive short positions, selective loans, and heavy research-driven conviction.
The performance has been hard to ignore. The WSJ says the flagship strategy has returned around 15% annually on average, roughly double the credit hedge fund benchmark, even if the path has included volatile months and criticism from rivals who say the firm relies too heavily on leverage.
Lemssouguer’s response has been to invest more in risk systems, including what the paper describes as a “risk-mitigation engine” built after difficult early losses in 2022.
A rise that speaks to Morocco’s global ambitions
Casablanca itself has been pushing harder to cement its status as a financial gateway into Africa. Through 2025 and into 2026, Casablanca Finance City (CFC) has continued expanding its footprint, attracting international firms in finance, infrastructure, sustainable investment, and fintech.
The hub now markets itself as a bridge between Africa, Europe, and the Mediterranean, part of Morocco’s broader ambition to deepen its role in cross-border capital flows.
In that context, Lemssouguer’s trajectory carries weight beyond the personal success story. A Moroccan-born trader now sits at the center of one of Europe’s fastest-growing credit funds at a time when global investors are paying closer attention to African financial hubs, diaspora talent, and alternative financing routes tied to the continent.
He also remains an outlier in the culture of the City. The WSJ describes him as a non-drinker who does not drive, speaks English with an American accent picked up from binge-watching “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Entourage,” and spends his free time raising 160 rare parrots at a Tudor estate outside London.
In one of the toughest corners of modern finance, a Casablanca-born credit trader walked away from the safety of an empire, built his own platform, and in four years turned it into a $20 billion force.
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