What is a strat?

A 'Strat' is a commonly used abbreviation for 'strategist,' especially within financial institutions like investment banks or trading firms. Strats are professionals who combine quantitative analysis, financial knowledge, and programming skills to develop models, tools, and strategies that support trading, risk management, and decision-making. Their work often involves building pricing models, automating trading systems, and analyzing large datasets to optimize financial performance. Strats typically work closely with traders, risk managers, and IT teams to implement their solutions. The role requires strong analytical, mathematical, and coding abilities.