When Luke Ellis used to visit Bill Cook, a former client at Aegon USA, in Louisville, Kentucky, Cook would give him the choice of having lunch at a smart restaurant or a local eatery. Each time Ellis chose the latter, and the pair would try a different local place every time he visited, Cook recalls.

Such desire for new culinary experiences reflects an intellectual curiosity that extends into all aspects of life for the now chief executive of Man FRM, the largest independent fund of funds manager outside the US.