Surviving the cutthroat world of hedge funds is notoriously difficult, with firms facing an average lifespan of just five years. Yet Singapore-based systematic quantitative fund Quantedge has defied those odds, recently celebrating its 20th anniversary and growing its assets under management from less than $3 million to $7.6 billion. Boasting an annualized return of 20.8% over two decades and a massive 49% gain year to date, the firm stands apart from multi-manager "pod shops" that prioritize stable, low-volatility returns.

Suhaimi Zainul-Abidin, CEO of Quantedge, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast to demystify the "black box" of quantitative investing. He discusses the advantages of running a major hedge fund out of Singapore versus New York or London, and what it really takes for job applicants to stand out at the firm.