Bangladeshi-Origin Prodigy Kairan Quazi Leaves SpaceX for Citadel Securities: Here’s Why

Two years ago, Kairan Quazi, a Bangladeshi-American prodigy, joined Elon Musk’s SpaceX as an engineer at the age of 14, captivating the world with his extraordinary talent. Initially, it seemed the aerospace sector had gained a remarkable asset in Kairan, who displayed a profound passion for rocket science. However, after just two years, the 16-year-old is stepping away from SpaceX to join Citadel Securities, a powerhouse in global trading, where he will take on a significant role as a quantitative developer.

Kairan is seeking new challenges outside of rocket science, aiming for an environment where he can see rapid results. This pursuit of faster-paced, high-impact work led him to leave the renowned SpaceX for Citadel Securities. In an interview, Kairan explained, “Quant finance offers a unique combination: the complexity and intellectual challenge of AI research but with a much faster pace. It’s one of the most prestigious industries for a computer scientist or mathematician to enter.”

Despite receiving offers from top AI labs and technology companies, Kairan chose Citadel Securities for its ambitious culture and the opportunity to explore a new domain. He stated, “I felt ready to take on new challenges and expand my skill set into a different high-performance environment. Citadel Securities offered exactly that—a completely new domain, which is very exciting for me.” With this new role, Kairan has relocated to New York City, where he will reside in Manhattan, just a 10-minute walk from Citadel Securities’ midtown office. This marks a significant personal milestone, as he no longer needs his mother to drive him to work, as was the case during his time at SpaceX’s Redmond office. At SpaceX, Kairan worked in the Starlink division, contributing his software coding skills to maintain the Starlink space broadband network. He was part of the team responsible for guiding satellite beams, a critical component of the Starlink network, ensuring reliable global internet connectivity.[

Kairan’s move to Citadel Securities highlights the financial sector’s growing appeal for top tech talent, as it competes with AI labs and major tech companies. His transition from aerospace to quantitative finance underscores his drive to tackle intellectual challenges in a fast-paced, meritocratic environment.