Independent Quantitative Research & Financial Analytics
Systematic research for sophisticated investors.
Illia Khalipov — independent quantitative researcher, Lausanne, Switzerland. I audit, build and refine systematic trading strategies for family offices and investment boutiques that run their portfolios in-house. Research only — no asset management, no conflicts of interest.
01 — Why independent
The case for one researcher
Three years inside an investment fund taught me what institutional research costs — and how little of that cost is the research itself.
Institutional calibre, none of the overhead
Banks and large consultancies bill strategy set-ups at up to seven figures, then charge for every layer between you and the analyst. For a family office running its portfolio in-house, that price has little to do with the value of the research. Hourly research does.
No integration, no exposure
I work outside your organisation, on my own infrastructure and security protocols. No access to your internal systems, no head-count, no added operational or regulatory surface — and you never disclose more than the engagement requires.
Aligned by design
Remuneration is proportional to time spent — never to assets, never to profits. A practice built on a handful of long-term clients only grows if your strategies keep earning. Your interest and mine point the same way.
Direct access, zero hand-offs
You talk to the person who does the work. No account managers, no junior analysts, no outsourcing. Strategies decay with time — a standing research partner keeps them alive, and answers come from the source.
02 — Philosophy
How I work
One researcher. A deliberately small client base. Engagements built to last years, not quarters.
Selective by design
Few clients, trusted and long-term. Capacity is reserved, never scaled — depth of attention is the product.
Always on call
On call for any task within scope, at any time. Continuous support is part of the engagement, not an extra.
Your data, your results
Every deliverable and every dataset remains the exclusive property of the client. The methodology behind them remains mine.
Explainable, not exposed
Any model decision can be explained after the fact — in writing or in person, at any time. The principles embedded in a strategy are not disclosed.
Priced in hours, not in assets
No retainers, no hidden costs, no percentage of anything. Hourly or per-project remuneration, agreed in writing before work begins.
Full attribution
Clients see complete attribution of results — what worked, what did not, and why. The formulas stay proprietary.
03 — Services
Engagement levels & rates
Three levels, exactly as they appear in the engagement contract. Clear scope, clear rates, no retainers. Rates are structured by client region.
| Level | Included services | Gulf & OPEC region | Europe & Americas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Analysis & Audit |
|
CHF 25/h | CHF 40/h |
| Level 2 Development & Integration |
Additional tasks — short timeframes, data processing, simulations — CHF 60/h by prior agreement, in either region. |
CHF 35/h base | CHF 50/h base |
| Level 3 Custom Design |
|
CHF 40/h | CHF 60/h |
Projects are quoted on a fixed estimate of the minimum required time at the applicable hourly rate; work beyond the initial estimate is billed separately. External costs — market data, licences, datasets — are borne by the client. Intellectual property in all deliverables transfers to the client upon payment. Pre-existing methodologies and frameworks remain my property. Introductory rates, reviewed as the practice develops.
04 — Expertise
Scope of work
- Quantitative analysis of financial time series — equities, ETFs, derivatives, futures
- Development, backtesting and validation of systematic trading strategies — US equity markets, multi-asset
- Multi-strategy portfolio optimisation — capital allocation, exposure aggregation, risk management
- Analytical tooling for financial metrics and risk parameters of derivative structures
- Optimisation of black-box functions on heterogeneous parameter spaces — proprietary methodology
- Research reports and analytical materials; back-office, data-processing and monitoring software
Languages
Libraries
Data
Networks & protocols
Infrastructure
Research runs on in-house backtesting and optimisation frameworks. No third-party black boxes: every assumption in the pipeline is known, tested and documented.
Outside scope
No discretionary asset management — no management mandate is held. No brokerage services or trade execution on client accounts. No personal investment recommendations within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA).
05 — Background
Education
Ongoing
MSc Financial Engineering
WorldQuant University
2021–2023
MSc Mathematics, with distinction
Dnipro National University
2017–2021
BSc Applied Mathematics, with distinction
Dnipro National University
06 — Contact
Begin with a conversation
Write
A few lines by email are enough to start.
Scope
A short call or written brief — the task, the data, the constraints.
Proposal
A fixed estimate: hours, rate, deliverables, timeline.
Contract & delivery
A written agreement, then the work begins. Every deliverable is yours.
Direct and confidential. There is no sales funnel — the first reply already comes from the researcher.