Leadership | HBK Capital Management

Jamiel Akhtar

Jamiel Akhtar has been associated with HBK since 1993 and is a partner of the firm and Managing Director. Jamiel serves as Co-Chief Investment Officer of the firm, with joint responsibility for all of the firm’s investing functions. In addition, Jamiel oversees the firm’s Treasury function. At various points during his tenure with the firm, Jamiel has been responsible for a number of business groups covering a range of investment strategies, including structured credit, developed markets fixed income, emerging markets and merger arbitrage, and has previously served as chair of the firm’s Risk Management Committee. Jamiel received an A.B. degree cum laude in Economics in 1993 from Harvard College.

Jonathan Brown

Jonathan Brown has been associated with HBK since 1997 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer of HBK Europe Management LLP in 2020. Jonathan also currently serves as Chief Compliance Officer and Chief Operating Officer of HBK Europe Management LLP, with responsibility for all non-investment related areas of its business, and previously served as a senior member of HBK’s European equity team focusing on merger arbitrage and equity special situations. Jonathan received a Bachelor’s degree in Law with French from the University of Sussex in 1996 and completed his Legal Practice Course at Guildford College of Law in 1997.

Justin Conner

Justin Conner has been associated with HBK since 2013 and serves as HBK’s General Counsel, with primary responsibility for managing the firm’s legal function. Prior to joining HBK, Justin was an attorney at Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., where he represented financial institutions and corporate issuers on corporate financing transactions. Justin received a B.S.B. degree in Finance in 2002 from the University of Minnesota. In 2005, he received a J.D. degree, with high honors, from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and served on the Texas Journal of Business Law.

Brinley Czuppon

Brinley Czuppon has been associated with HBK since 2006 and serves as Co-Head of Marketing and Investor Relations, with joint responsibility for all of the firm’s investor relations, including investor service, business development and marketing. During her tenure at HBK, Brinley has also assisted the firm in its recruiting efforts. Prior to joining HBK, Brinley was a senior associate at Spencer Stuart. Brinley received a B.A. degree in Speech Communications from the University of Texas at Austin in 1999.

Roya Doud

Roya Doud has been associated with HBK since 2015 and serves as HBK’s Chief Compliance Officer, with responsibility for all aspects of HBK’s compliance program. Before joining HBK, Roya was a senior compliance associate at Oaktree Capital Management. Roya received a B.A. degree cum laude in Psychology from Baylor University in 2006, and a J.D. degree in 2010 from the University of Houston Law Center, where she served as managing editor of the Energy & Environmental Law & Policy Journal.

Heather Harris

Heather Harris has been associated with HBK since 2000 and is a partner of the firm and Managing Director. Heather serves both as HBK’s Chief Financial Officer, with responsibility for the accounting and financial reporting functions of HBK and the HBK Private Funds and related controls, and Chair of the Valuation Committee. Heather also oversees the firm’s compliance, operations, and tax departments. From 2013 to 2015, Heather served as HBK’s Chief Accounting Officer, and from 2001 to 2013, Heather served as Controller. From 1995 to 2000, Heather was an Accountant and Senior Accountant with Arthur Andersen in its Assurance and Business Advisory Services division, where she focused on the financial services industry. Heather received a B.A. degree in Business Economics in 1995 from Wheaton College.

Matt Leffers

Matthew Leffers has been associated with HBK since 2004 and is a partner of the firm and Managing Director. Matthew Leffers serves as President of the firm, with responsibility for all of the firm’s operations, and as Chair of the Risk Management Committee. Before being named President in January 2025, Matthew Leffers oversaw the firm’s risk management function and served as Chief Risk Officer from 2019 to 2024. From 2004 to 2018, he served first as an analyst and then as a manager on HBK’s risk management team. Prior to joining HBK, Matthew was an investment banking analyst at Lehman Brothers. Matthew Leffers is a CFA charterholder and received both a B.B.A. degree in Finance and a B.A. degree in Economics from Southern Methodist University in 2003, where he graduated summa cum laude and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a President’s Scholar.

Ross Levinsky

Ross Levinsky has been associated with HBK since 2014 and is a partner of the firm and Managing Director. Ross serves as HBK’s Chief Technology Officer, with responsibility for software development and IT infrastructure. From 2011 to 2014, Ross was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, responsible for the electronic trading of credit. Prior to that, Ross held technical and managerial positions at Google, Bridgewater Associates and D.E. Shaw. Ross received a B.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics (1989), M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (1992) and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering (1995), all from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Matthew Luth

Matthew Luth has been associated with HBK since 2000 and is a partner of the firm and Managing Director. Matthew serves as co-Chief Investment Officer of the firm, with joint responsibility for all of the firm’s investing functions. At various points during his tenure with the firm, Matthew has been responsible for HBK’s full range of corporate credit investments, including convertible arbitrage and capital structure arbitrage, and volatility investments. In 2000, he received a B.S. degree summa cum laude in Economics, with a concentration in Finance, from the Wharton School and a B.A. degree summa cum laude in International Studies from the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania.

Gayla Mathis

Gayla Mathis has been associated with HBK since 1996 and serves as HBK’s Treasurer, with responsibility for portfolio finance, treasury and operations. From 2005-2013, Gayla served as Head of Treasury, holding various responsibilities in treasury and counterparty risk management. Prior to her roles in Treasury, Gayla worked in the firm’s Operations group, serving as Head of the group from 2001-2008. Gayla graduated from Texas A&M University in 1996 with a B.B.A. degree in Accounting and received a Masters of Accounting with a concentration in Finance from Southern Methodist University in 2008.

Dmitri Mirovitski

Dmitri Mirovitski has been associated with HBK since 2006 and is a partner of the firm and Managing Director. Dmitri serves as Deputy Chief Investment Officer and is primarily responsible for structured credit investments, which he has overseen since 2010. From 2004 to 2006, Dmitri worked at Financial Security Assurance in their financial product group, focusing on mortgage and asset backed securities. He received a B.S. in Economics with a minor in Mathematics from Duke University in 2004.

Matthew Moss

Matthew Moss has been associated with HBK since 2005 and serves as Co-Head of Marketing and Investor Relations, with joint responsibility for all of the firm’s investor relations, including investor service, business development and marketing. During his tenure at HBK, Matthew has also assisted the firm in its strategic planning and front office recruiting efforts. Prior to joining HBK, Matthew was a strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and Accenture. Matthew received a B.A. degree magna cum laude in Economics from the University of Illinois in 1992 and an M.B.A. degree with highest honors from the University of Chicago in 1999.

Brian Palabrica

Brian Palabrica has been associated with HBK since 2023 and serves as HBK’s Head of Recruitment, with responsibility for overseeing competitive market intelligence and attracting new talent to HBK. Prior to joining HBK, Brian was a Partner at the Options Group in New York, a global executive search firm focused on the financial services industry. Brian received a B.A. degree in Political Science and Philosophy from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009.

Nikos Panagiotopoulos

Nikos Panagiotopoulos has been associated with HBK since 2008 and is a partner of the firm and Managing Director. He is primarily responsible for merger arbitrage investments. After overseeing U.S. merger arbitrage during his first five years at the firm, his responsibility expanded to include global merger arbitrage in 2013. From 2004 to 2008, Nikos was a Managing Director with Sandell Asset Management Corp., where he was the head of U.S. Risk Arbitrage Research. From 1997 to 2003, Nikos was a Vice President with Morgan Stanley & Co., working in their Special Situations Department and the Risk Arbitrage and Distressed Debt Group. Prior to 1997, he worked with UBS Securities Inc. in the Asset Backed Securities Group and at First Fidelity Bancorporation. In 1991, Nikos received a B.A. degree in Economics and a B.S. degree in Finance with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania. He received an M.B.A. degree in 1997 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. degree in International Studies from the Lauder Institute.

Keila Selders

Keila Selders has been associated with HBK since 2006 and serves as HBK’s Head of Human Resources, with responsibility for all human resources and employment matters at HBK. From 2000 to 2005, Keila worked as an attorney for Southwest Airlines, ultimately as Chief Counsel – Labor and Employment, serving as lead counsel and chief legal advisor to management on all employment law matters. From 1996 to 2000, Keila was an associate with Barnes and Thornburg LLP, an Indiana-based law firm, where she represented local, regional and national business, government and individual clients in litigation, concentrating on employment and labor law. She received a B.A. degree summa cum laude in English from the University of South Carolina in 1993. In 1996, she received a J.D. degree cum laude from Harvard Law School.

Renee Stroebel

Renee Stroebel has been associated with HBK since 2024 and is the Chief Risk Officer with primary responsibility for HBK’s risk management function and providing related support to the firm’s co-Chief Investment Officers. Prior to joining HBK, Renee was the Chief Risk Officer of Highbridge Capital Management where she was responsible for managing portfolio risk, balance sheet liquidity, and trade allocation. From 2012 to 2021, Renee served in multiple roles at BlueMountain Capital Management, ultimately serving as the Head of Fund Management. Renee began her risk management career with Deutsche Bank’s Market Risk Management Group. Renee is a Financial Risk Management (FRM) certificate holder and received a B.S. in Applied Physics from Columbia University in 2008.

Pijus Virketis

Pijus Virketis has been associated with HBK since 2002 and is a partner of the firm and Managing Director. Pijus is primarily responsible for emerging markets credit investments, which he has overseen since 2012. From 2009 to 2012, Pijus focused on sovereign and quasi-sovereign credit investments as an analyst. Prior to 2008, Pijus was responsible for the quantitative infrastructure of the firm’s emerging markets business unit. Pijus received an A.B. magna cum laude in Economics in 2002 from Harvard College.