A prominent billionaire in the hedge fund industry has made an unprecedented donation to a British university, marking the largest contribution of its kind in recent history.

Chris Rokos, with an estimated fortune of £2.6 billion, is generously providing £190 million to Cambridge University. This substantial gift will be used to establish the Rokos School of Government.

At 55, Rokos is not only one of the UK’s top taxpayers but also a renowned bond trader. His career began at financial giants Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse, and he later co-founded the hedge fund Bevan Howard.

In the past year, Rokos reportedly earned approximately £477 million from his firm, Rokos Capital Management, which he founded in 2015.

An alumnus of Oxford, Rokos will contribute £130 million directly to the new school, along with an endowment of up to £60 million. Cambridge University will match this endowment, further amplifying its impact.

This donation surpasses the previous record set by American billionaire Stephen Schwarzman, who donated £150 million to Oxford University in 2019, noted as the largest donation since the Renaissance.

The new school will be built on underdeveloped land given by the university in its ‘west innovation district’. 

The school is set to offer PhD and masters degrees in autumn this year from temporary facilities while building continues – with a mission to prepare political leaders for domestic and international politics. 

Chris Rokos, whose estimated worth is around £2.6billion, is gifting £190million to Cambridge University to create the Rokos School of Government

It aims to compete against Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government, which opened its doors in 2010 with the help of a £75million donation from the Soviet-born billionaire Sir Leonard Blavatnik. 

Mr Rokos, who studied mathematics at rival Oxford University, previously supported scholarship programmes at his alumnus Eton College, as well as initiatives linked to Pembroke College Oxford. 

Mr Rokos, who went to a state primary school before attending the alma mater of Prince William and Prince Harry on a scholarship, said: ‘I was fortunate to be given the opportunity of an education which transformed my life and I would like to give something back to Britain. 

‘My hope is that, in time, the influence of the Rokos School of Government across the world becomes an important element of that soft power which has been a great asset to the UK.’ 

The vice-chancellor of Cambridge University Professor Deborah Prentice said there is a global need for ‘radical new ways of thinking and approaches to leadership’. 

Professor Prentice added Cambridge is ‘uniquely positioned to drive this innovation’, which is ‘needed to respond to our rapidly changing world.’

She said: ‘Thanks to Chris’s generous support, the Rokos School of Government will become a place where leaders and governments – both current and future – together with experts from our institution generate the insights and solutions needed to respond to our rapidly changing world.’

The school will have direct access to the university’s expertise in technology, science, social science, arts and humanities. While its faculty will include established academics, including political scientists, economists, historians, engineers and statisticians. 

The Oxford graduate will give £130million towards the school, plus a further endowment of up to £60million – which will be matched by Cambridge University

Mr Rokos has nominated former academic and now lawyer Dr Christos Nifadopoulos and president of Cambridge’s Girton college Dr Elisabeth Kendall, pictured, to help manage the newly-formed trust of the new school

Staff will also include experts from government and senior positions in business, finance or public service.  

Financial contributions made to the school by both donors and the university itself will be overseen by a newly-formed trust. It will be managed by two people appointed by Mr Rokos and two chosen by the university. 

The university has appointed pro vice-chancellor for research Professor Sir John Aston and pro vice-chancellor for university community and engagement Professor Kamal Munir. 

Mr Rokos has nominated former academic and now lawyer Dr Christos Nifadopoulos and president of Cambridge’s Girton college Dr Elisabeth Kendall.