Derek Okafor, CFA

About Derek

Derek Okafor is a consistent generator of excess returns and one of the most sought-after portfolio managers in the Northeast wealth management community. Since joining Meridian in 2015 — making him the youngest portfolio manager ever to lead a billion-dollar book at Meridian — Derek has produced an average alpha of 4.2% for his clients, decisively outperforming peer benchmarks and a passive 60/40 reference portfolio.

Derek began his career on the proprietary trading desk of a global investment bank, where he built systematic equity strategies that managed over $400 million in capital. He left in 2015 because he wanted to bring institutional rigor to private wealth — a stage of the market he felt was underserved by the conventional advisory model.

Derek earned his Master of Science in Financial Engineering from Columbia University and his undergraduate degree in Mathematics with Computer Science from MIT. He is a CFA charterholder, a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts, and a frequent speaker at quantitative investment conferences.

Derek's clients describe him as the rare portfolio manager who combines deep quantitative discipline with genuine personal attention. As assets continue to grow under his stewardship, the team and the firm are confident that Derek will continue to deliver alpha for the families he serves for many years to come.