Who Is Israel "Izzy" Englander?

By Frank Bass – Updated Sep 8, 2025 at 9:18 PM | Fact-checked by Robin Hartill, CFP

Key Points

Israel Englander is the billionaire founder of Millennium Management, a hedge fund.
His investment strategies emphasize technology and market adaptability.
Englander's success offers insights into effective portfolio diversification.

Unlike many hedge fund managers, Israel Englander -- No. 164 on the Forbes Billionaires List -- doesn't obsess over individual investments but funnels money to money managers who have proven their mettle over time. Here, we'll talk about the history, investment strategy, career highlights, and influence of this famous investor.

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An investor views charts and data on four monitors in an office. — Image source: Getty Images.

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It turned out to be a very substantial business because at that time, the options market was in its infancy…and in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
Israel "Izzy" Englander said in a 2010 interview on building his reputation in options trading

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Englander and a partner, John Mulheren Jr., launched Jamie Securities Co. (an acronym of their initials) in 1985. However, the venture proved to be one of his least successful.

Mulheren, who had worked for convicted insider trader Ivan Boesky, was himself convicted in 1988 of making illegal trades for Boesky. Although the conviction was ultimately overturned, the firm was dissolved later that year due to the poor publicity.

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You get beat up along the way, but you figure out ways to continue.
Israel Englander

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About the Author

Frank Bass is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst and editor covering energy, healthcare, consumer, and financial sectors. Frank has decades of experience in financial journalism, holding reporting and editing roles at The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and Bloomberg. He also currently edits research on the global energy transition. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas Tech University and is a graduate student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Fun Facts: Frank has hiked The Long Trail in Vermont from end to end, and currently lives in a semi-dry cabin in Interior Alaska.

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Frank Bass has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.