OUR TEAM
Gen-Z Data Science Team
BAREND NORTJE
Founder & Visionary in Finance
Barend, the founder of The Trading Forest, brings over two decades of profound experience in the world of finance and investment management. His journey began in 2001 when he entered the financial arena as a quantitative research analyst. During this time, he had the privilege of actively participating in a Global Macro Hedge Fund and Long Only funds, where he honed his expertise in risk and return management.
Barend played a pivotal role in managing pairs strategies for the Global Hedge Fund and overseeing Fundamental and Quantitative models for the Long Only funds, solidifying his deep understanding of trading dynamics. Since 2010, he has been an astute private investor, applying his extensive knowledge to navigate the financial markets.
The inception of The Trading Forest stemmed from Barend’s close trading relationships with Gary Hepplewhite and Iain Hamilton, both seasoned market participants who offered valuable feedback and collaboration. This foundation paved the way for a decade-long journey of research into quantitative trading ideas, culminating in the unique approach The Trading Forest embodies today.
Driven by a desire to prevent trading disasters and foster a deeper understanding of trading processes, Barend embarked on the mission to assist traders in comprehending why they open specific trades and to guide them through this intricate process.
The Trading Forest aims to simplify trading by providing a comprehensive perspective, allowing traders to analyze each trade from various angles.
Barend’s extensive experience has taught him the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the dynamic financial landscape. He believes in the value of a systematic approach and the need to trust one’s trading system, always making well-informed decisions. His journey underscores that success in trading comes not only from insights but also from perseverance and resilience.
At The Trading Forest, Barend’s leadership is instrumental in creating a trading environment where members can benefit from the team’s collective experiences. The company’s innovative approach blends quantitative and technical analyses while emphasizing transparency and reliability in signal generation. Barend’s vision for the future includes continued development, research, and the evolution of trading systems to provide members with a valuable edge in the dynamic world of finance.
Barend’s philosophy revolves around the belief that trading is both an art and a science, and to thrive in the markets, a robust SYSTEM (Save Yourself Time, Energy, and Money) is paramount. His dedication to empowering traders and investors sets The Trading Forest apart, ensuring that clients can trust the signals and insights provided by the company.
Iain Hamilton
Financial Markets and Investment Specialist
Iain Hamilton, currently based in Auckland, New Zealand, has amassed a diverse and respected career in the financial sector over three decades. Although he is now based in the New Zealand financial landscape, his extensive experience extends to the global financial hubs of Zurich, Hong Kong, London, and New York in previous roles. With his financial journey having commenced as a stockbroker and member of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
Professional Background
Iain has held executive positions, directorships, and senior management roles, including Credit Manager, Investment and Fund Manager, and Client Relationship Manager with leading financial institutions both domestically and internationally. These roles have equipped him with a robust skill set in financial markets trading, which encompass equities, commodities, fixed income, ETFs, currencies, and options and derivative markets.
Trading Strategy and Risk Mitigation
In addition to originating trading ideas, Iain excels in enhancing their execution through the application of options and other trading strategies. He is also involved in the risk mitigation and trade-enhancing overlay strategies, attesting to his comprehensive approach to risk and trade management
Credentials
Iain holds the New Zealand Certificate in Financial Services (Level 5) V2, with specialisations in Residential Property Lending and Investment Advice.
His continual commitment to education and updating his skill set aligns him with industry best practices. Iain is also a Certified Director, and therefore well-versed in Environmental, Social, and Governance aspects, as well as board protocols, strategic planning, decision-making, and financial planning.
Client-Centric Philosophy
A distinct characteristic that sets Iain apart is his dedication to client relationships. His strategic thinking and practical approach to understanding specific client objectives and needs, makes him a dependable advisor. He consistently demonstrates integrity, transparency, discretion and dependability in these interactions.
Contribution to Trading Forest
As a foundational member of Trading Forest, a high-calibre trading signals provider, Iain has played an instrumental role in establishing the firm as a trustworthy name in delivering financial markets trading expertise.
Iain Hamilton is a seasoned professional who combines a rich tapestry of domestic and international experience in financial markets and investment management. His multifaceted skill set, dedication to client success, and commitment to industry standards make him an invaluable asset in the continually evolving and complex financial landscape.
Grant Verheem
The Process-Driven Innovator
Allow us to introduce Grant, a process-driven innovator with a diverse professional background.
Grant plays a central role in our operations. He meticulously updates the “model” on a daily basis and ensures the timely distribution of reports, with this model serving as the linchpin of The Trading Forest’s operations, providing invaluable guidance for our trading decisions.
Grant embarked on his career in the Transport industry, specializing in transport economics and dedicating the initial 8 years to one of South Africa’s largest transport companies. Following this, he joined an International management consulting group with a global presence, where he played a vital role in implementing innovative methodologies focused on process and productivity improvement. His contributions led to millions of dollars in savings for various organizations and industries across the globe.
After two decades of extensive travel and consulting, Grant took on a new challenge by managing a section of a call center for one of the companies he had worked with. He successfully fulfilled this role for 8 years before venturing into entrepreneurship, starting his own online business.
Despite his non-financial background, Grant’s passion for trading and the pursuit of supplementary income led him to join The Trading Forest. He had engaged in trading his own proprietary capital over the years, recognizing the need for an advantage in the market, which The Trading Forest provided.
Drawing from his consulting experience, Grant brings a unique perspective to the company. He retains a drive to enhance processes, contributing to the ongoing improvement of the model.
His determination and commitment to seeing projects through to success further enrich his contributions.
When confronted with challenges in the financial industry, Grant’s competitive nature and extensive experience come into play. He excels at formulating strategies and meticulously planning each step to achieve set goals.
During his tenure at The Trading Forest, Grant’s efforts have streamlined the model. Over the past two years, it has been refined to demonstrate financial benefits when followed correctly, showcasing his significant contributions to the company and its clients.
Grant finds his excitement in being part of the dynamic trading and investment industry, contributing to the realization of a dream. He values the opportunity to turn dreams into reality and support the success of many, remaining passionate and engaged in the field.
Grant’s previous experiences outside the financial sector have instilled in him the importance of continuous improvement and learning. He emphasizes the need for evolution to stay relevant to clients’ evolving needs.
Grant plays a pivotal daily role at The Trading Forest by meticulously updating the core trading model and ensuring timely report distribution, crucial for guiding trading strategies in the financial realm.
Julian Dean-Brown
The Analytical Trader
Meet Julian, an analytical trader with a unique academic background and a passion for meticulous documentation.
Despite being in the early stages of his trading and investment career, Julian appreciates the importance of process goals. His aim is to refine his trading process to a point where it requires minimal active intervention, acknowledging that this journey is ongoing, without a definitive endpoint.
Julian’s academic journey led him to make a choice between Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, and Music. While the slim odds of success as a classical trumpet performer led him to abandon music early on, he found his calling in Mechanical Engineering. During his four years of study, Julian delved deep into the fascinating fields of Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, even though his project work often revolved around product design and static strength calculations.
What excites Julian most about working in the trading and investment sector is the opportunity to break down complex data and graphs, creating a common understanding of market dynamics. This analytical challenge keeps him engaged and motivated, and he finds intrinsic satisfaction in the process.
While Engineering and Finance may seem distant academically, Julian believes in the adaptability of engineers. His unique perspective allows him to break down complex problems into manageable steps, contributing a fresh outlook to The Trading Forest.
Collaborating with colleagues possessing extensive financial knowledge has required Julian to be a keen listener. He acknowledges the expertise within the team and aims to catch up by learning as much as possible.
Drawing from his background in engineering, Julian contributes to the team’s progress by helping move projects forward.
Julian has learned the value of meticulous documentation from his academic experiences, a lesson he applies to his trading journal. Just as hand-written notes were essential in his engineering project, his trading journal serves as a valuable resource for reviewing past trades and making informed decisions. Julian believes that journals can be indispensable tools for traders, offering insights and guidance for others on their trading journeys.
Julian takes on the role of a meticulous journaler at The Trading Forest. He diligently documents his trading processes and skillfully navigates the financial landscape using Trading Forest resources. His background in engineering instilled in him a procedural habit of thorough documentation, which proves invaluable in his current role. However, it’s the “soft” skills he honed during his engineering studies that Julian finds most beneficial. He approaches trading with a clear analytical mindset, free from emotional influences, constructing, refining, and following a structured process—a practice that has significantly contributed to his trading success.
Julian’s non-financial experiences have endowed him with a precious quality: patience. Whether in a band, a university lecture hall, or the world of trading, he understands the power of sustained effort, a key trait for success.
John Swart
Team Leader & Trading Reports Specialist
John Swart is the backbone of our trading team, ensuring our daily trading reports are crafted with precision and efficiency.
As Team Leader, John orchestrates the seamless composition and preparation of these vital reports, keeping our operations running like a well-oiled machine.
With over 20 years as a skilled software developer, John brings a wealth of expertise to the table. From mastering every stage of the development cycle to implementing strategic solutions for evolving business needs, his technical prowess is unmatched.
Combined with his background in project management and customer relations, John delivers results that are both impactful and reliable.
When he’s not coding or perfecting trading reports, John channels his discipline and focus into cycling and K9 training. Much like trading, these passions demand preparation, precision, and a sharp mind—qualities John brings to our team every day.
With John leading the charge, our trading reports are not just data—they’re a roadmap to success.
Brad Roode
Instructional Designer & Learning and Development Specialist
Brad Roode is an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience designing and developing innovative programs and courses.
Meticulous and detail-driven, Brad is the go-to leader for launching new ventures and driving product development with precision and impact.
As our Learning and Development Specialist, Brad spearheads the creation and structuring of educational content tailored to traders of all levels—from novices to seasoned institutional professionals.
His programs focus on building foundational knowledge, enhancing understanding of complex challenges, and delivering measurable outcomes.
Brad excels at blending instructional strategy with cutting-edge digital tools to craft engaging, high-quality training experiences.
With a diverse background spanning education, non-profit, and corporate sectors, he designs solutions that are not only effective but also meaningful, driving real-world performance and impact.
Gen-Z Data Science Team
Gabriella Hassenstein
Finance and Information Systems Major
As a key member of the Trading Forest team, Gabriella “Gabi” Hassenstein embodies the qualities that make our firm a leader in the financial services industry. With a double major in Finance and Information Systems, Gabi brings a unique blend of financial acumen and technological expertise to her role
Responsible for the meticulous composition of our daily Risk and Momentum reports, Gabi’s unwavering attention to detail and ability to analyze complex data are unparalleled. Her reports are consistently accurate and delivered on time, providing our traders and analysts with the critical insights needed to make informed decisions and drive our investment strategies forward.
But Gabi’s contributions extend far beyond her core responsibilities. Her exceptional organizational skills and proactive approach to problem-solving have been instrumental in streamlining our internal processes and systems. Gabi has spearheaded the development and implementation of automated workflows that have enhanced efficiency and reduced the risk of human error across the organization.
Gabi’s colleagues often remark on her ability to maintain a calm and composed demeanor, even in high-pressure situations. Her strong work ethic, combined with her commitment to excellence, has earned her the respect and admiration of her peers, making her an indispensable asset to the Trading Forest team.
With Gabi’s exceptional financial, analytical, and organizational skills, she is a true pillar of precision and efficiency at Trading Forest. Her positive impact on our firm’s success and growth is a testament to the value she brings to our organization.
Gabriella Hassenstein is a Finance and Information Systems major. Gabi is responsible for the composition of the daily Risk and Momentum reports. Gabi epitomizes the concept of efficiency, reliability and organizational skills
Aidin Nortje
The Visionary Architect of Our Success
Aidin Nortje stands as a cornerstone of The Trading Forest, having played an instrumental role in laying the foundations for our research processes and systems development. His visionary approach and technical expertise were crucial in shaping the robust infrastructure that powers our operations today.
As a key member of our team, Aidin’s responsibilities are both diverse and critical. He is one of the brilliant minds behind the composition of our daily Risk and Momentum reports, ensuring that our traders and analysts are equipped with the most accurate and timely information to drive our investment strategies.
His meticulous attention to detail and deep understanding of market dynamics make these reports an invaluable asset to our decision-making process.
But Aidin’s impact extends far beyond these daily reports. He is a driving force behind our media production strategies, bringing a unique blend of financial acumen and creative insight to this role.
Aidin works tirelessly to develop compelling content that not only educates and informs our clients but also strengthens The Trading Forest’s position as a thought leader in the financial industry.
Colleagues admire Aidin for his ability to bridge the gap between complex financial concepts and engaging media content. His talent for translating intricate market analysis into clear, accessible information has been instrumental in enhancing our client communications and expanding our reach in the digital landscape.
Aidin’s forward-thinking approach and innovative spirit continue to push The Trading Forest to new heights. Whether he’s refining our research methodologies, enhancing our systems, or crafting our media strategy, Aidin’s contributions are felt across all aspects of our operations.
With his unique combination of technical expertise, market insight, and creative vision, Aidin Nortje remains an indispensable asset to The Trading Forest. His ongoing commitment to excellence and innovation ensures that we stay at the cutting edge of the financial services industry, delivering unparalleled value to our clients and stakeholders
Aidin Nortje was instrumental in establishing the foundations for The Trading Forest’s research process and systems development. He is not only responsible for composing the daily Risk and Momentum reports but also plays a crucial role in our media production strategies.