Pete Muller (businessman and singer-songwriter)

Pete Muller
Born1963
NationalityAmerican
Alma materPrinceton University
Occupation(s)Hedge fund manager, singer-songwriter
Known forFounder of PDT Partners
SpouseJillian Muller

Pete Muller is an American investor, singer-songwriter, and philanthropist.[1] He is a hedge fund manager and quantitative trader who founded PDT Partners in 1993 as part of Morgan Stanley's trading division, which spun out as an independent business in 2012. He was described by Bloomberg.com as an "unlikely executive", a math wizard, and a person with diverse intellectual interests and hobbies.

As a singer-songwriter, Muller recorded and released six studio albums.[2] His original song, "San Diego (When You Coming Home)", achieved No. 27 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart in March 2020.[3] In September of that same year, his single "God and Democracy" also reached the Billboard Adult Contemporary Top 30.[4]

Early life and education

Muller was raised in Wayne, New Jersey, with his sister. His parents were both immigrants to the United States; his Austrian-born father was an engineer and his mother, a native of Brazil, was a practicing psychiatrist.

Muller graduated in mathematics with honors from Princeton University in 1985, where he also played Ultimate Frisbee and was a member of the Colonial Club.[5][6]

Business career

Muller began his career working at Barra Inc. in 1985, a financial analytics firm in Berkeley, California. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1992.[5][7][8]

Muller founded PDT (Process Driven Trading) Partners inside Morgan Stanley in 1993 and is the CEO. PDT has offices in New York City and London and has returned 20% on average annually through 2010.[9][10] PDT was spun out of Morgan Stanley in 2013 and as of 2019, had over $6 billion in assets under management. In 2019, Forbes reported that Muller earned around $150 million in the previous year, making its list of the highest-earning hedge fund managers for 2018.[11]

Musical career

He is a singer, songwriter and pianist. Muller tours regularly and has made appearances at music events such as Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the Jazz Open in Stuttgart, Germany, and the Telluride Jazz Festival.[12] In the early stages of his music career, Muller played the electronic keyboard in New York City Subway.[10][5]

Muller has recently opened for artists such as Lisa Loeb,[13] Livingston Taylor,[14] and Howie Day.[15] He performed at the 2024 Folk Alliance conference[16] and will appear at the 2024 Philadelphia Folk Festival.[17]

In 2019, Muller released his fourth studio album, Dissolve, produced by Rob Mathes. It was featured in American Songwriter and People magazine.[18] "San Diego (When You Coming Home)", from that album, reached No. 27 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart. His single "God and Democracy" was a Top 30 hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart in the summer of 2020.[4]

In 2022, Muller released his fifth solo album, Spaces, via Two Truths Records.[19] The album was produced by collaborator Rob Mathes, who also worked on Dissolve.[20]

In 2024, Muller released his sixth solo album, More Time. Recorded in Memphis with producer/engineer Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price), the title track's video was directed by Gus Black who previously helmed clips from Phoebe Bridgers and Sheryl Crow.[21] [22] The band assembled for the album's recording sessions includes bassist Dave Smith (Al Green, Wilson Pickett), Texas guitarist Will Sexton (Joe Ely, Roky Erickson), Memphis organist Rick Steff (Lucero, Cat Power), longtime Wilco drummer Ken Coomer.[23]

Philanthropy

Muller is a founding board member of Live Music Society [24] and Math for America,[25] and a Berklee College of Music trustee.[26] In September 2017, with the support of the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and the Economic Development Corporation, Muller with Berklee acquired Avatar Studios, which was later rebranded as Power Station at BerkleeNYC.[27]

Personal life

Muller and his wife Jillian have two children.[28] He writes crossword puzzles for the New York Times periodically.[10] He also co-writes the daily mini-meta puzzles feature in The Washington Post .[29] In 1998, Muller made the final table of the $3,000 Limit Hold 'em event at the World Series of Poker and came in 4th at the World Poker Challenge.[30] He also practices vinyasa yoga, snowboards, and surfs.

References

  1. ^ "This Hedge Fund Superstar Has a Singer-Songwriter Side Gig". Bloomberg. September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  2. ^ "Official Page of Pete Muller Singer Songwriter". Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  3. ^ "BDSRadio". Archived from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart: Week Ending September 26, 2020". billboard.com. September 26, 2020. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Wachtel, Katya (July 7, 2011). "We've Never Been More in Awe of Someone's Life Than We Are of Quant Legend Pete Muller's". Business Insider. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  6. ^ "Tiger Trails Alumni Newsletter". www.princeton.edu. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  7. ^ Teitelbaum, Richard (July 6, 2011). "Morgan Stanley Yoga-Troubadour-Crossword-Math Pro Muller Flees". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  8. ^ "Peter Muller | MƒA". www.mathforamerica.org. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  9. ^ "PDT Partners History". PDT Partners. PDT Partners. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  10. ^ a b c Levy, Rachael (October 27, 2016). "How a hedge fund legend took time out, busked on the New York subway, and found himself in the process". Business Insider. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  11. ^ "Peter Muller". Forbes.
  12. ^ Levy, Rachael (July 10, 2017). "The founder of a $5 billion hedge fund just kicked off a summer music tour". Business Insider. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  13. ^ Cristi, A. A. "Lisa Loeb With Pete Muller And The Kindred Souls Play City Winery Boston, July 19". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Sharpe, Josh. "New Album From Pete Muller 'More Time' Available Now". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  15. ^ "Instagram: Pete Muller Music". www.instagram.com. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  16. ^ "Folk Alliance International Announces Initial Official Showcase Lineup". American Blues Scene. September 12, 2023. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  17. ^ "PFF Performers – Philadelphia Folk Festival". Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "Singer Pete Muller Pays Tribute to His Late Mother with Touching New Song 'Alive in Me'". People. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  19. ^ dean (March 31, 2022). "Premiere: Pete Muller Shares Video for "Gone" from Forthcoming Album 'Spaces'". Relix Media. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  20. ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (July 14, 2022). "Pete Muller Makes Room for Music Again on 'Spaces'". American Songwriter. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  21. ^ "Pete Muller's 'More Time' For The First Time". The Jersey Sound. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  22. ^ Shanfeld, Chloe (May 13, 2024). "Giving Back with Gift of Music". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  23. ^ Major, Michael. "Pete Muller Releases Title Track 'More Time' From New Album". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  24. ^ "Team 1". Live Music Society. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  25. ^ "Peter Muller". Math for America. Archived from the original on December 29, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  26. ^ "Berklee College of Music: Trustees". Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  27. ^ Light, Alan (September 5, 2017). "Power Station, Storied Manhattan Recording Studio, to Be Revived". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  28. ^ "Peter Muller". Berklee. Berklee. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  29. ^ "Washington Post Monthly Meta Puzzle". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  30. ^ "World Poker Tour: Tournament Info". Retrieved October 23, 2017.