Billionaire boss Ken Griffin has earnt some serious brownie points after treating thousands of staff members – and their families – to an epic weekend away at Disney World.
Mr Griffin, the founder of American hedge fund Citadel and owner of Citadel Securities, invited his employees, their partners and children to the all-inclusive getaway at the Florida theme park.
It is understood more than 10,000 people attended, with around a quarter of those being children.
The 54-year-old, who has a staggering net worth of $US32.3 billion, according to Forbes, forked out for entrance fees as well as accommodation, food and travel for the entire group.
It included employees from across the globe, with the multibillionaire flying in workers from as far away as Toronto, Paris and Zurich, Reuters reports.
The news was confirmed by Citadel spokesman Zia Ahmed, who said it was organised to celebrate a year of incredible, record-making results including gains of nearly 31 per cent year-to-date, as of November 1.
It was also held to mark the 20th anniversary of Citadel Securities and the 32nd anniversary of the hedge fund, after planned 30th anniversary celebrations in 2020 had to be postponed due to the Covid pandemic.
While staff from Asia weren’t flown in for the event, a spokesman told Reuters a separate celebration for them will be organised in 2023.
On Friday evening, the guests attended an exclusive gathering at Disney World’s EPCOT theme park, with the World Discovery section shut down for the Citadel workers.
The weekend also included a Saturday night concert and party featuring Griffin’s favourite band, Coldplay, as well as Carly Rae Jepsen and DJ Diplo.
“We have built the most extraordinary team not only in our history — but also in the history of finance,” Mr Griffin told the crowd at the event.
“We have an incredible future ahead of us – and I look forward to the chapters yet to be written.”
Mr Griffin is a well-known philanthropist, donating billions over the years to various organisations and causes, including many arts and education-focused charities.
However, he also enjoys his wealth, boasting a $US1 billion ($1.49b) property portfolio, and extensive art collection and several private jets.
