Executives/Citadel Securities CEO
Peng Zhao, CEO of Citadel Securities

Who is the CEO of Citadel Securities in 2026?

Peng Zhao is the Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Securities. Peng has held the CEO seat since January 2017, and was previously Summer Associate, Equity Quantitative Research at Lehman Brothers.

Updated September 24, 2026
Time in seat
9 years
CEO since January 2017
Years at company
20 years
Joined Citadel Securities June 2006
Career span
24 years
First recorded role September 2002
Summary
  • Peng Zhao rose through Citadel Securities: Senior Quantitative Researcher from June 2006, then Vice Chairman, Chief Scientist from September 2016, before taking the CEO seat in January 2017.
  • Peng Zhao sits on the boards of The Asian American Foundation and National Committee on U.S.-China Relations.
  • Peng Zhao was Part-time Quantitative Researcher at Evnine & Associates, Inc. from September 2002 to May 2005.

Current company

Citadel Securities

Citadel Securities is an American capital markets firm.

financial servicesHeadquartered in MiamiFounded 2002Private company

Source: Wikipedia

Career and education

Peng Zhao joined Citadel Securities in June 2006 and has been CEO since January 2017. Before Citadel Securities, Peng was Summer Associate, Equity Quantitative Research at Lehman Brothers from June 2005 until August 2005.

Career

  1. Citadel Securities2006 to present
    • CEOJanuary 2017 to present
    • Vice Chairman, Chief ScientistSeptember 2016 to January 2017
    • Global Head of Market MakingJuly 2012 to September 2016
    • Senior Quantitative ResearcherJune 2006 to July 2012
  2. The Asian American Foundation2021 to present
    • Founding Board Member
  3. National Committee on U.S.-China Relations2020 to present
    • Board of Directors
  4. Lehman Brothers2005
    • Summer Associate, Equity Quantitative Research
  5. Evnine & Associates, Inc.2002 to 2005
    • Part-time Quantitative Researcher

Sources: LinkedIn profile

Education

University of California, Berkeley, Ph.D., StatisticsPeking University, B.S., Applied Mathematics (Finance)Source

Decision makers by function

150+ decision makers at Citadel Securities in Unify, vice president level and above. Choose a function to see who leads it.

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Top decision makers at Citadel Securities

Vice president level and above, most senior first
Seth LevyChief Compliance Officer · USA@citadelsecurities.com
Vera WeiSenior Vice President, Low Latency COO · USA@citadelsecurities.com
Alexander BussandriManaging Director · USA@citadelsecurities.com
David MillarManaging Director · USA@citadelsecurities.com
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Leadership team at Citadel Securities

Peng Zhao leads a leadership team of 12 published executives.

Most senior 5 of 12

NameTitleIn seat since
Peng ZhaoChief Executive OfficerJanuary 2017
Jim EspositoPresidentNot stated
Matt CulekChief Operating OfficerNot stated
David RusoffChief Legal OfficerNot stated
Joshua WoodsChief Technology OfficerNot stated

Sources: Citadel Securities leadership page

Frequently asked questions

Who is the CEO of Citadel Securities?

Peng Zhao is the Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Securities. Peng has held the CEO seat since January 2017, and was previously Summer Associate, Equity Quantitative Research at Lehman Brothers.

When did Peng Zhao become CEO of Citadel Securities?

Peng Zhao has been CEO of Citadel Securities since January 2017, according to LinkedIn profile.

What did Peng Zhao do before Citadel Securities?

Peng Zhao was Summer Associate, Equity Quantitative Research at Lehman Brothers from June 2005 until August 2005, according to LinkedIn profile.

How long has Peng Zhao been CEO of Citadel Securities?

Peng Zhao has been CEO of Citadel Securities for 9 years, since January 2017.

Who else leads Citadel Securities?

Jim Esposito (President), Matt Culek (Chief Operating Officer), David Rusoff (Chief Legal Officer), Joshua Woods (Chief Technology Officer), and 7 more. Source: Citadel Securities leadership page.

Reach Citadel Securities' decision makers

150+ leaders at vice president level and above, with verified work emails and phone numbers in Unify.

Methodology

The seat holder is identified in Unify's professional profile dataset, then confirmed against the company's published leadership page, its SEC filings, and Wikipedia before publication. Career and education rows carry the public document they were taken from. Leadership team membership follows the company's own leadership page; in-seat dates come from filings where available and otherwise from the profile record. Company figures are read from the Unify headcount page for the same company and are profile coverage measures, never company-reported workforce totals. The employee preview lists vice president and senior vice president level profiles by department. No personal contact details are published.

Identity confirmed against Wikipedia, Citadel Securities. Last verified: September 24, 2026.