Star hedge fund trader Rokos hires Vladimirov from Graticule - source

LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - Star trader Chris Rokos has hired former Brevan Howard colleague Borislav Vladimirov, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said, as he prepares for one of Europe's most high-profile hedge fund launches later this year.

Vladimirov joined Rokos' family office last month from Graticule Asset Management Asia, an investment firm controlled by Adam Levinson, the former chief executive of the Singapore unit of Fortress Investment Group.

He had worked with Rokos at Brevan Howard between 2005 and 2013 and left Graticule in March, records with Britain's Financial Conduct Authority showed.

Rokos - who made $4 billion for Brevan's main fund between 2004 and 2012, earning him $900 million along the way - and Brevan Howard ended a legal dispute in January this year, clearing the way for him to start his own fund.

Vladimirov is currently helping Rokos at his family office, but not trading, the source said, adding that he will eventually be managing capital for the hedge fund.

Rokos also hired former Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS-PB - news) co-head of Asia Pacific macro trading, Stuart Riley, in March. (Reporting by Nishant Kumar; editing by Simon Jessop)