The job cuts came after the hedge fund closed its Oxford office in what proved to be a tough 2018 for the strategy. Hedge fund giant Winton Group saw a fifth of its staff depart last year as the business consolidated its research operations in London. According to its accounts for the year ended 31 December 2018, the quantitative investment business saw its average monthly UK headcount fall nearly 20% to 299 from 373 the year before.