Refi-rock, spearheaded by JPMorgan MBS trader Russell Middleton, is more than just a party to raise money for a good cause. The event, which took place for the sixth time on October 29, attracted more than 1,500 people from the world of mortgage and rates trading.
Bands featuring traders and hedge fund managers played alongside cover bands and Broadway performers to raise money for cystic fibrosis charity Boomer Esiason Foundation. Other performers included 25 of the Thriller dance troupe, who broke the record recently for the largest number of people to dance Michael Jackson’s Thriller routine.
But Middleton says that in addition to raising money, the event is a chance for the bond and rates traders to get together and share their woes. "It’s been a tough several years for the guys in this business – both clients and traders. Sympathy for them has run out a bit now, and so this is a great chance for them to get together with people who are in the same boat for a night and share their stories."