When David Harding set up Winton Capital a decade ago in London, the hedge fund entrepreneur started out bigger than a two men and a dog operation. But only just. To be precise, it was a 10 men and a dog business, although the dog – a cocker-spaniel called Cosmo – added little to the management of its $10m starting funds.

As the hedge fund celebrated its 10th anniversary this month, Mr Harding was overseeing an organisation employing almost 150 people running $10bn (£4.9bn), which had just sold a 10 per cent stake to a Goldman Sachs fund.