Alan Howard has stamped his mark on the international hedge fund industry since launching the Brevan Howard Master Fund 10 years ago today. He now runs the biggest and best-performing firm in Europe. But is it big enough to survive without its most famous founder?

When Alan Howard ran Credit Suisse's proprietary trading desk for developed markets interest rates, he told colleagues that his ambition was to become a billionaire. Howard, who turns 50 this year, has easily realised that dream since setting up Brevan Howard Asset Management with four Credit Suisse colleagues in 2002.